News in Brief
A-Capella Groups Reunite After 30 Years
The Westchester Chordsmen will reunite with the Kingsmen International Barbershop Harmony Chorus of Kingsbridge, England thirty years after first performing together. On June 2, these two a-cappella groups will take the stage at White Plains Middle School for an upbeat performance of songs, comedy skits and humorous dialog. Each group will offer a variety of songs before they join together for the night’s finale. The Chordsmen’s repertoire typically includes doo-wop, Broadway, gospel, contemporary and more in addition to traditional barbershop tunes. The Chorus plans to extend the reunion with a future performance in England. For more, visit chordsmen.org.
Copland House Director Michael Boriskin Brought Bernstein to D.C.
Michael Boriskin, Artistic and Executive Director of the Copland House, recently joined Jamie Bernstein, the daughter of legendary composer Leonard Bernstein, for a performance at the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. “Late Night with Leonard Bernstein,” a show intended to tell the story of Bernstein’s life, was part of a citywide centennial celebration of the composer’s 100th birthday. “Late Night…” is set at night when Bernstein, a known insomniac, created many of his beloved works. Also performing were soprano Amy Burton and fellow pianist John Musto. The show included audio and video excerpts and a slideshow of rare photographs, as well as accounts by Jamie Bernstein about her father.
Seth Soloway Named Director at The Performing Arts Center, Purchase College
Purchase College President Thomas J. Schwarz recently announced the appointment of Seth Soloway as Director of the College’s The Performing Arts Center (PAC). Soloway has been Interim Director at PAC for the past two years. His vision for its future includes “doubling down” on viewing and treating PAC as an arts incubator. Soloway says he would do this by “welcoming more residencies, and combining [the Center’s] Arts in Education with mainstage programs in significant ways.” According to Barry Pearson, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Soloway’s work “has been instrumental in setting The PAC on a path that will greatly enhance the academic and educational life of the college.”
West African Dance and Drumming Workshops and Culminating Performance in Mount Vernon
This June, a 3-part workshop series in Mount Vernon invites audiences to learn Ghanaian dance from world-renowned husband-and-wife performers Richard Dwomoh and Gloria Nyame. The workshops, led by Dwomoh and Nyame, are presented by ArtsWestchester in partnership with the City of Mount Vernon, the Mount Vernon Public Library and the Mount Vernon Boys & Girls Club (MVBGC). Dwomoh and Nyame, who are known for their elegant movements in the Ashanti dances of Kete and Adowa, will guide participants through the dance techniques and styles from diverse ethnic groups in Ghana, West Africa. Workshops will be held on June 2 and 9 at the MVBGC and on June 16 at the Doles Center. The program will culminate with an outdoor West African dance and drumming concert on June 21 at Mount Vernon’s City Hall Plaza. Performers will include the workshop participants, the NY Ghanaian Drum and Dance Unity Ensemble, Marion Archer’s Revelators and the First Ghana SDA Church Choir. This program is part of ArtsWestchester’s Folk Arts Program, made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts. For more info, visit artsw.org/WestAfricanDanceAndDrum.
The Shop at ArtsWestchester Reopens With New Selection of Items
When ArtsWestchester’s gallery is open, so is its gallery gift shop, The Shop at ArtsWestchester. As the organization’s current exhibition recently went on view, the Shop launched a new selection of items for sale. The Shop at ArtsWestchester displays works by more than thirty designers and artists, including jewelry, catalogs, organic soaps and art prints. These handcrafted items are often reflective of themes of the organization’s current and most recent exhibitions. In addition, seven exhibiting Triennial artists have artworks available for sale.
On every third Wednesday of the month, the Shop also hosts a “Shop & Sip” event that showcases the work of several new designers and artists in a special happy hour pop-up shopping experience. For more about the June 20 Shop & Sip Third Wednesdays event, visit artsw.org/shopsip. For more about The Shop at ArtsWestchester, visit artsw.org/giftshop.
A version of this article first appeared in the June issue of ArtsNews, ArtsWestchester’s monthly publication. ArtsNews is distributed throughout Westchester County. A digital copy is also available at artsw.org/artsnews.