Tag Archives: Classical music

Black Sheep Contemporary Ensemble: From the Sea to the Stars – Sounds of the World

Black Sheep is BACK with our first concert of the 26/27 Season! Our concert, From the Sea to the Stars: Sounds of the World, features the clarinet in an array of styles. Gerald Cohen’s Sea of Reeds calls upon Jewish songs and melodies, while Stacy Garrop’s The Solitude of Stars acts an homage to the star-filled night sky in Wyoming. From funk to classical, you’ll enjoy a little bit of everything that the clarinet is capable of playing! 

BSCE members Nicole DeMaio and Bradley Frizzell are joined by piano virtuoso Jixue Yang at Our Saviors Atonement Lutheran Church in Black Sheep’s new home, Manhattan NYC!

Sea of Reeds – Gerald Cohen
In a Deep Funk – Daniel Dorff
AdZel – Mohammed Fairouz
The Solitude of Stars – Stacy Garrop
Sonata No. 17 in C Major K. 296 – W.A. Mozart

Join us for an eclectic collection of music both new and old, and stick around after the event for a discussion and reception with light refreshments. 

Dyckman Farmhouse: Comfy Classical

Classical music in a comfortable setting!  A music salon reminiscent of a comfy night at your best friend’s house, made special by 2 local virtuosic string musicians, Sasha Ono and Emily Garrison, playing classical, tango music, and some of your favorite pop songs . Guests and Artists wear loungewear and indulge in refreshments.  Dress Code: Comfy clothes  Optional: BYO blanket or pillow if you want to sit on the floor.

Please register in advance as space is limited. Due to the layout of Dyckman Farmhouse, some guests may be in a different room and have a restricted view of the concert. Seating is first come, first serve.

Mission: At Comfy Classical, a multi-sensory music salon, everyone is invited to relax and enjoy in a comfortable setting while being treated to performances by top-tier classical musicians. This carefully curated event is founded on the idea that relaxation, comfort, and creative socialization are essential for a fulfilling and creative life. Comfy Classical offers a sanctuary where you can unwind and recharge, allowing you to re-enter the world feeling well-rested rejuvenated.

Sasha Ono is an award winning cellist and concert curator based in New York City where she is known for her versatility and unique sound. Sasha is a featured as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral musician with Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, Itzahk Perlman, Olivia Rodrigo, Joshua Bell, Michael Bublé, and more. Sasha’s recorded work can be found on GRAMMY Award winning songs by the 8-Bit Big Band and Geoffrey Keezer, as well as on soundtracks for Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu TV shows, Disney Pixar, and more. Sasha regularly works on Broadway shows and is involved with a variety of musical theater projects. She has also founded the series “Comfy Classical” which has introduced many new audiences to classical chamber music. Sasha is currently touring with Zach Bryan as a part of his band and recently recorded on “Young Manhood and Other Donatable Organs”.

Emily Garrison is a multi-faceted violinist performing at renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center. Emily regularly performs with orchestras all over the Tri-State area, including the Albany Symphony, Hudson Valley Philharmonic, Binghamton Philharmonic, and the NEPA Philharmonic, where she sits as assistant Principal second violin. In addition to her orchestral career, Emily regularly is invited to perform in chamber music projects throughout the northeast, including the NEPA Philharmonic’s chamber series, where she has performed challenging works such as Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time. At home, Emily enjoys exploring unconventional instrumentation with partner and jazz saxophonist/composer Matt Garrison in their duo “Scroll and Reed.”

Five Flies Coffee: Pre-Recital Recital!

If you’re looking for a show and a party, look no further – we’ll see you at the Pre-Recital Recital <3

Join composer and bassist Kebra-Seyoun Charles and DJ collective The Group Project for a night of classical music and dancing!

To prepare for their upcoming recital tour, including stages like Carnegie Hall and the San Francisco Symphony, Kebra will be performing Prokofiev’s Cello Sonata, Schnittke’s Suite in the Old Style, and some of their own compositions inspired by gospel and baroque music.

After that,  The Group Project will take over until late at night with their signature virtuosic spinning, collage table, and vibe curation!

United Palace: Crackalackin’ Concert

The Crackalackin’ Concert of Classical Music
Bringing It Back Home, Uptown

One of the United Palace of Cultural Arts’ (UPCA) programming goals is to find innovative ways to make classical music accessible to new and old audiences, particularly by combining the genre with other art forms. “The Crackalackin’ Concert of Classical Music” serves as a dynamic platform designed to break down barriers and make the beauty of classical music accessible to everyone, including underrepresented communities, ensuring it resonates with a diverse and inclusive audience. (NOTE: “Crackalackin’” is old-time (as far back as the 1990s!) urban slang for what’s new, relevant, and happening. We think it is a great description of how people should feel about classical music.)

This year’s theme is Bringing It Back Home, Uptown and features performances and mash-ups by:

-Crackalackin’ Symphony Orchestra (Musicians of all ages are welcome to sign up here)
-DJ Boo
-Leadlights Ensemble
-Washington Heights Community Choir (WHCC)
-Washington Heights Community Conservatory of Fine Arts (WHCCFA) and Association of Dominican Classical Artists (ADCA)

“So many people are turned off by classical music because they see it as a corny, elitist art form,” said Fitelson, who 12 years ago co-created The Hip Hop Nutcracker, now an annual touring show produced by New Jersey Performing Arts Center. “We believe classical music is timeless and seek new, crackalackin’ ways to help audiences discover it.”

Act I kicks off with a performance by the Crackalackin’ Symphony Orchestra, freshly created for the event by community musicians of all skills, performing new arrangements of Celia Cruz songs and William Grant Still’s “Poem for Orchestra.”

The event features the world-premiere of a collage of videos taken of the community by Northern Manhattan residents while students from several local community programs, overseen by ADCA, perform “Bacchanale Dance” from Camille Saint-Saëns’ grand opera “Samson and Delilah.”

Leadlights performs “The Seasons of Inwood,” created by violinst Evelyn Petcher based upon the wide range of stories, musical ideas, and reflections on Inwood.

The Washington Heights Community Choir sings tunes with local ties, inviting the audience to join in a sing-along.

As always, throughout the day DJ Boo will perform his turntable magic, mixing the classical genre with the beats and sounds of today.

Act II features the debut of 4 songs of a work-in-progress celebrating the United Palace’s 100th anniversary in 2030. The show, “Wonder Theatre Revival,” is a musical history of the United Palace and its audiences, written by Mike Fitelson and brought to life by 6 singers and a dozen local musicians.

Doors: 4:30pm, Show: 5:00pm

 

WHCO: Concierto de MainStage: Breaking Barriers

September 19th at 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Join the WHCO as we kick off our 2026–27 season dedicated to exploring Resiliencia con Rompiendo barreras , a program celebrating those brave and bold artistic voices that defied the expectations of their time.

Repertorio:

  • Igor Stravinsky:  Dumbarton Oaks
  • Andrea Casarrubios:  Heritage
  • Louise Farrenc: Sinfonía n.º 3

The concert will last approximately one hour, without an intermission. Afterwards, there will be a reception with the musicians.

Rompiendo barreras  comienza con  Dumbarton Oaks, Igor Stravinsky’s ingenious and elegant chamber concerto, inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos . Herencia (“Heritage”) by Andrea Casarrubios is a deeply personal reflection on memory, identity, and cultural roots. Inspired by the composer’s Spanish heritage, the work intertwines lyrical melodies and evocative textures in a moving musical tribute to the traditions and stories that have spanned generations. We conclude our program with Louise Farrenc’s Symphony No. 3. Completed in 1847, this is generally considered the pinnacle of her orchestral output. Combining the balance of Classicism with the intensity of Romanticism, the work demonstrates a masterful command of orchestral color, dramatic structure, and lyrical invention, reaffirming her place among the leading symphonic composers of her time.