Posts Tagged ‘New York Philharmonic’

Concerts and Shows to See This Winter

We’re still in a virtual pause. Theaters are still closed, but there’s talk of outdoor concerts resuming this summer and Broadway theaters re-opening by the fall. In the meantime, there’s plenty to fill out your arts card from your computer.

CONCERTS

Emanuel Ax - New York Philharmonic String Quartet Photo: 92nd Street Y

92ND STREET Y

Winter/Spring Streaming Music Season

New York Philharmonic String Quartet and Emanuel Ax, piano

February 1 – 7:30pm

The first of 13 concerts in the season, world-renowned pianist Emanuel Ax joins friends and longtime collaborators the New York Philharmonic String Quartet on February 1. The Quartet takes the stage in Beethoven’s F-Minor Quartet, “Serioso,” before Ax joins for Dvořák’s exuberant Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major. All concerts in the program are webcast premieres.

For the Y’s calendar of music events, both classical and popular, visit here.

THE TOWN HALL

“Preformances”

Celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, The Town Hall continues its programming in a different format, offering Preformances concerts online, some free and others for a small ticket fee, featuring noted singers and musicians.

The ARK Trio Photo: The Town Hall

January 21

Allison Charney and the Ark Trio

The ARK Trio joins series host, soprano Allison Charney, discussing and performing works by composers Michael Ching and Kim D. Sherman who also appear to talk about their compositions.

This is a free livestream event. Registration is required to receive a personal link.

Mariza - Photo Courtesy of Ticketmaster

January 29

Mariza Sings Amalia

Portuguese singer Mariza celebrates the twentieth anniversary of her career and the centenary of the late Queen of Fado, Amália Rodrigues.

Judy Collins - Photo Courtesy of Ticketmaster

February 12

Judy Collins

Judy Collins performs a recreation of her 1964 concert hall debut at The Town Hall with music by Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton and Billy Ed Wheeler among others.

MUSIC DOCUMENTARIES

Carole King - (c) Tim Maggiani

BROADWAY ON DEMAND

“Carole King: Natural Woman”

Beginning January 29

If you loved Beautiful, you won’t want to miss this documentary celebration of the life of Carole King. Carole King: Natural Woman tracks King’s life and career from 1960’s New York to the music mecca of 70’s Los Angeles through the present. Performances, interviews, home movies and photos are featured.

For their full library of livestream programming, visit BroadwayOnDemand.com.

Please Call Home: The Big House Years -- Exclusive Allman Brothers Film – Photo Courtesy of: Tarrytown Music Hall

THE TARRYTOWN MUSIC HALL

“Please Call Home: The Big House Years” — Exclusive Allman Brothers Film & Live Q&A

January 23 – link available for 48 hours

Livestreamed by The Tarrytown Music Hall, Please Call Home showcases the early days of the Allman Brothers Band. The film is followed up by a live Q&A moderated by the Allman Brother Band Museum board member Mark Franzoso.

THEATER

Gloria - Photo by Carol Rosegg

THE VINEYARD THEATRE

“Gloria”

January 19-24

Presented as a benefit for the Vineyard Theater, the cast reading of Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins’ funny and powerful play Gloria follows an ambitious group of editorial assistants at a notorious Manhattan magazine, each of whom hopes for an editorial career and a book deal before he or she turns 30. The play moves from ordinary to extraordinary, chronicling the changing lives of each of the protagonists.

Encores! - Photo Courtesy of New York City Center

NEW YORK CITY CENTER

“Encores! Inside the Revival”

Home of the beloved Encores! musical theater series, now on pause, City Center has created programs to tide you over until the next season. With Encores! Inside the Revival, you’ll see snippets and behind-the-scenes conversations and performances for each upcoming show.

Just released, The Tap Dance Kid is a dance and music riot featuring Dulé Hill (The West Wing). The 1983 Tony-nominated musical is currently being revived for new audiences through City Center’s commitment to producing musicals that deserve renewed attention. The video is a look into the creative process of the future show and features Tony-award winning director Kenny Leon (A Raisin the Sun), book adaptor Lydia Diamond, choreographer Jared Grimes and cast member from the original Broadway production Dulé Hill. The show is especially timely with a storyline about America as a place for everyone where every kid can and should dream.

Also available for viewing are The Life with Billy Porter, Love Life with Victoria Clark, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Into the Woods.

ONGOING

Stars in the House

STARS IN THE HOUSE

Hosted by Sirius XM’s Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley

Streamed live Tuesday-Saturday at 8pm, Stars in the House has raised more than $650,000 in this series of programs begun March 2020 in support of The Actors Fund. Programming changes nightly ranging from a full hour with stars from Broadway productions, to reunions of casts from TV shows such as Desperate Houses and the recent show featuring the cast of Grey’s Anatomy. Individual performers are also featured.

In addition to Broadway and broadcast topics, Stars in the House offers information pertaining to the pandemic and to ways to support the Broadway community. All shows are archived online.

Photo Courtesy of Broadway HD

BROADWAY HD

Pippin, 42nd Street, Oklahoma! and much more

Missing Broadway? Broadway HD is as close as you can get to it right now. With a yearly or monthly subscription, you’ll have access to their full library of recorded Broadway productions and more. It’s a treat if you’re longing for a musical fix. You can watch at your leisure and as many times as you’d like. Fan favorites are there as well as oldies that are pure magic. With Broadway likely not to return before next fall, you’ll be grateful to Broadway HD. It also makes the perfect gift for theater lovers. A sampling of shows available to watch include Kinky Boots, Jersey Boys, Forever Plaid, Godspell, She Loves Me, Into the Woods and Show Boat.

New York City: The Perfect City for Solo Travel

New York City was just voted one of the top cities for solo travelers. There are myriad reasons why this is the case. You’ll never be bored. You can pretty much talk to anyone here. Or you can simply blend in with the crowd and be as visible or as anonymous as you like. New York City is the king when it comes to being the melting pot.

New York Philharmonic

Personally, I find the many cultural options perfect opportunities to enjoy a solo experience. If you’re not quite ready to commit to a major play or opera as a single, look into the New York Philharmonic rehearsals, for example, an inexpensive and friendly way to test the solo waters at a cultural event.  https://nyphil.org/concerts-tickets/explore/open-rehearsals Also, a Wednesday or Saturday matinee on Broadway might feel less daunting than attending an evening performance by yourself.  Visit www.playbill.com for a full listing of Broadway and off-Broadway shows with matinee times.

Central Park

Meandering through the city’s myriad parks will let you observe, think, and relax all on your own time. And maybe you’ll find a casual food stand or restaurant there, where you can test your ability to dine alone.

I asked one of my favorite solo travelers, Shari Bayer, to share some suggestions of how to manage traveling solo. Shari is a pro when it comes to dining solo and traveling solo and can be heard sharing advice on her show, All in the Industry, on Heritage Radio Network, a weekly show about the hospitality industry.

  1. Location, location, location. When choosing where you stay, make sure it is in a central and safe neighborhood.  Check travel review sites, such as TripAdvisor. You can narrow your search to “solo” to see what other single travelers had to say about their experiences. Look for a consistency in the responses, as when many people post that it’s a “great location,” you can be confident that it will be.
  2. Plan your trip your way.  There is not one right way to travel, and when you’re going solo, you can do whatever you want without compromising your itinerary. You can sleep late and skip breakfast. Go to a museum for several hours, or only for a quick walk-through.  It’s up to you.
  3. Don’t think you have to do everything solo on your trip.  You can partake in group outings, city tours, food crawls and fun adventures where you will meet other travelers and have unique experiences together.  If you want some companionship, you can find it.
  4. Keep connected with technology. Nowadays, our smart phones can be our best friends and very useful for soloists.  From researching top city attractions to utilizing maps and posting on social media, you may forget that you’re alone with so many tools are your fingertips.
  5. Be confident in your decision to be traveling solo and don’t let anyone invade your time or privacy.  Ignore naysayers who many question why you are alone. It’s none of their business. Some people who haven’t traveled solo for themselves may not understand it, but it’s not your job to explain it.  Live and let live.

April is Autism Awareness Month – Lincoln Center’s Arts Program Offers Interactive and Educational Programs for Parents and Children — April 10-May 6

Here’s an arts program with a mission: from April 10-May 6, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts’ month-long program, the Big Umbrella Festival, is an international endeavor that brings together arts professionals and thought leaders, and offers performances and participatory workshops for children on the autism spectrum.

Special presentations will be offered by Lincoln Center’s resident organizations throughout the festival, including film screenings, concerts, and interactive music and dance workshops by The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Film Society of Lincoln Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York City Ballet, New York Philharmonic, and The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. In addition, workshops will be held to offer first-hand involvement in the arts. For a full schedule, BigUmbrellaFestival.org.

Highlights include:

Festival Kickoff events – April 14:

10:30 am, David Rubenstein Atrium:

Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could
Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Brady Rymer leads a whimsical Americana mashup, bringing his rootsy, accordion-laced pop and rock tunes to Lincoln Center for a relaxed Saturday morning show.

Actionplay Chorus
Made up of a group of young performers on the autism spectrum and led by music therapist Gabriel Lit, the Actionplay Chorus performs original music in professional settings. In recent years, the Actionplay Chorus has performed with Weird Al Yankovic on Comedy Central’s Night of Too Many Stars, with the Greenwich Village Orchestra, and at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music.

Silent Clowns Film Screening
11am, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Bruno Walter Auditorium, Free

The Silent Clowns Film Series is NYC’s longest-running regularly scheduled showcase for classic silent film comedy, presenting the silent movies of Chaplin, Keaton, Laurel & Hardy, and others, with live musical accompaniment by renowned silent film composer Ben Model.

Very Young People’s Concert: “Make-Believe”
4pm, New York Philharmonic
Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse
Tickets $18

Musicians from the New York Philharmonic invite audiences on a playdate where musical instruments are toys, songs become games, and kids can make-believe whatever their hearts desire. Philippe the Penguin and host Rebecca Young lead audiences on a journey to make new friends and share in the fun of music. Designed by Philharmonic musicians together with faculty of Columbia University’s Teacher’s College, Very Young People’s Concerts combine games, storytelling, and music in a fun-filled hour that unlocks children’s imagination and talent. This Very Young People’s Concert includes pre-concert musical games with musicians and a half-hour hosted performance of Martinů’s La revue de cuisine, including audience participation and story with Philippe the Penguin.

Theater

Three internationally focused theater companies, New York City’s Sidekick Theater Company (Up and Away), London-based Oily Cart (Light Show) and Australian Sensorium Theatre (Oddysea), will offer a variety of performances.  See schedule for dates and times.

Up and Away
Trusty Sidekick Theater Company
Clark Studio Theater
Tickets $25

Up and Away is both a story and an interactive experience, inspired loosely by the imagination of Jules Verne and his famous book Around the World in 80 Days. Seated in hot-air balloons, audiences join the Fogg Family Balloon Society on their 1,000th balloon ride. Featuring puppetry, live music, and interactive play, this “flight” travels through extraordinary places such as the Fog Bog, the Arctic Aviary, and Cloud Canyon, all with multisensory experiences. Each child in the audience has a one-on-one guide from the Fogg Family for the trip through the clouds.

Light Show
Oily Cart
Samuels Teaching Studio
Tickets $25

Creating distinct silhouettes in an exquisite play of light and shadow, Light Show brings audiences to a magical paper palace. The serene papery white landscape transitions from a beautiful warm day at the beach to a dreamy moonlit wonderland, creating a multisensory journey of textures, smells, and tactile experiences accompanied by live music from a virtuoso double bass player.

Oddysea
Sensorium Theatre
Samuels Teaching Studio
Tickets $25

Set within a beautiful undersea world, this immersive tale of best friends Crab and Turtle’s oceanic adventures comes alive through touch, smell, taste, live music and stunning imagery. Seated on beanbag sand dunes, audiences become part of the “oddysea” unfolding around them as they journey with Crab and Turtle from the beach through sparkling blue-sequined waves to a kaleidoscopic crocheted coral reef, encountering many memorable oddities along the way.

More Arts

Film Society Kids Screening and Discussion
Film Society of Lincoln Center
April 18, 5pm

Francesca Beale Theater, Free

This special showcase presents a selection of ten of the best short films made by students in Film Society Kids, a program that supports literacy learning through visual storytelling. These shorts will immerse viewers in the art of the silent film, as seen through the eyes of children of all abilities from neighboring public elementary schools. The screening, welcoming community members of all ages and abilities, will be followed by an audience discussion with the Film Society’s Director of Education.

Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall
LC Kids Storytime at the Atrium
April 21, 11am

David Rubenstein Atrium, Free

At this relaxed story hour, Caldecott Award–winning illustrator Sophie Blackall (Ruby’s Wish, Ivy & Bean) explores the life of a lighthouse through shifting seasons, changeable weather, and the tenure of its final keeper.

NYCB Access Workshop
New York City Ballet

May 6, 1pm

Samuel B. and David Rose Building, 7th Floor
Tickets $14

This one-hour movement workshop specially designed for children with autism will feature the music, movement, and themes from New York City Ballet’s treasured repertory. NYCB Teaching Artists guide children in a ballet warm-up and movement combination, concluding in a lively performance for accompanying family and friends. No prior dance experience needed.

CMS Kids
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
May 6, 2pm

Rose Studio
Tickets $25

Explore the up-close and friendly world of chamber music in the intimate Rose Studio. Host Rami Vamos and CMS artists show that the most personal of art forms speaks volumes to even the youngest listeners.

Planning a trip to NYC?