This past weekend, energetic dancers in vibrant and colorful costumes performed patriotic and folk dances from various regions of India, swishing and twirling on stage. Their feet beat to the tunes of well-known folk songs, as well as modern Bollywood music. Musicians graced the stage with sitar, tabla, and other instruments as singers sang beautifully. It was all in the name of the Republic of India.
There are only a handful of venues in the New York Metropolitan area that have featured jazz for forty years. Even the earliest incarnation of Jazz at Lincoln Center as a summer program did not debut until 1987. Yet in 1980, Reverend Clinton C. Glenn, Jr. hatched the idea for a Jazz Vespers service in the First Presbyterian Church in Mount Vernon, which eventually moved into the parish hall and formed PJS Jazz Society (PJS). Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2020, PJS has been presenting about eight concerts per year ever since. Better yet, it has become a jazz institution in the Westchester community.
When The Nutcracker premiered in Russia in 1892, it was arguably a flop. Mixed reviews picked apart the casting, scene transitions, choreography and even Tchaikovsky’s score. By the 1960s, it gained popularity in the United States, largely due to New York City Ballet (NYCB)’s iteration of the ballet, choreographed by George Balanchine. Today, The Nutcracker is often viewed as the quintessential story of wonderment and holiday cheer. Film house screenings, live dance productions, a marionette show and family-friendly adaptations throughout the County are all on the calendar for December.
Color, enthusiasm and culture. That’s what Seth Soloway, Director at The Performing Arts Center at Purchase College (PAC), experienced during his recent trip to Mexico – and that’s just what he has brought back home to Westchester.
Chamber music, by its traditional definition, has almost always referred to music that is new or recent, according to Copland House (CH) Artistic Director Michael Boriskin. Of course, this is not what one often imagines from a chamber music performance. Speaking of Copland House, whose season is filled with chamber music – what does an ensemble do when its performance venue is being renovated?
This week, the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester hosted a tribute show in memory of the recently deceased singer, songwriter, guitarist and photographer Neal Casal. The 5 ½ hour show included over 30 performers, many of whom were bandmates, collaborators and friends of Casal. The long list of acts included…
Some may associate jazz and its audiences with an older crowd, but tastes in music tend to be cyclical in nature and the cultural inheritance accompanying the genre is quintessentially American. In fact, there are thriving communities of young artists bridging the generational divide with shared influences and passion for…
From September 11-15, several generations of jazz musicians, from those in their twenties to their nineties, will offer rhythms and beats from all corners of the globe. JazzFest White Plains will present 20+ jazz-infused performances at more than a dozen locations during this celebration of the musical genre, including influences from Chile, Colombia, Africa, Cuba and more. On Sept. 14, preeminent artist Emmet Cohen will perform with jazz legends Jimmy Cobb and George Coleman during a meeting-of-the-generations concert at White Plains Performing Arts Center. In anticipation of the show, JazzFest White Plains Artistic Director Aaron Paige interviewed Cohen about his influences and intergenerational collaborations.
Westchester is jam-packed with exciting summer events that will get you outdoors! We’ve rounded up 4 fun summer programs, including Shakespeare in the Park performances, outdoor concerts and celebrations happening throughout Westchester, many of which are free. Be sure to check out our “Music in the Air” destination guide for more free and affordable (under $20) summer arts events in Westchester and sign up for our newsletters and consult our Event Calendar to stay informed of more great family-friendly events!
It wasn’t just the sold-out performance by Leyla McCalla at Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in April that drew audience cheers. The Katonah cultural powerhouse unveiled the months-long makeover of its flagship building, the Rosen House, and set a standard for the art of spring cleaning. After sandblasting, the 16th-century Italian gates, which were rusting and flaking, were returned to their former glory. They now stand proud as the clean, deep gray welcoming entrance to the Rosen House.
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