Press Releases July 2008
2008–09 Season at Merkin Concert Hall
MUSICALLY SPEAKING · TUESDAY MATINEES · BROADWAY CLOSE UP · FAMILY MATINEES
New York, NY, 7/10/08 — 2008-09 is the first full season at the recently-renovated Merkin Concert Hall, which re-opened in January 2008 after an extensive “reinvention” by the renowned New York architect Robert A.M Stern. A new look and unmatched acoustics demand programming to match, and Merkin Hall has risen to the challenge with its most innovative season yet, entitled Musically Speaking.
The Musically Speaking series celebrates the ongoing conversation between different kinds of music, presenting musicians who are redefining the boundaries of jazz, pop and classical music. Merkin Hall will also throw musical birthday parties for composers who have created their own unique musical languages: Joan Tower will be on hand to celebrate her 70th, and Elliott Carter will mark his 100th with a performance of his complete wind music with the incomparable New York Woodwind Quintetand Ursula Oppens. In honor of the centenary of the late Olivier Messiaen, Merkin Hall will present performances of his visionary music and that of his disciples. Lisa Moore will also pay tribute to Frederick Rzewski with her searing rendition of his groundbreaking De Profundis with text by Oscar Wilde. One other birthday bash is planned as well: a celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel with Israeli and Jewish music of all kinds—cantorial, klezmer, contemporary classical and jazz.
The legendary Cecil Taylor makes a welcome comeback to Merkin Hall this season, performing solo work along side performances from saxophonist Oliver Lake, trumpeters Tomasz Stankoand Graham Haynes and young New Orleans piano ingénue Jonathan Batiste. One of the most sought after bassists, Omer Avital, will be premiering music from his Band of the East while the critically-acclaimed trio The Bad Plus will be featured as part of WNYC’s 22nd year of New Sounds® Live!Hosted by John Schaefer. The Reissue concerts offer takes on John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme and Miles Davis’ On The Corner, featuring the recordings saxophonist Dave Liebman.
In addition to the Musically Speaking series, Merkin Hall will also host some perennial favorites. The Tuesday Matinees series showcases tomorrow's classical music stars today. Merkin Hall celebrates American musical theater old and new with the Broadway Close Up series, which offers backstage insights from the theater's top professionals, and two critically-acclaimed family matinee series: Broadway Playhouse, which introduces anew generation to the rich legacy of the Broadway musical, and Musical Adventures with the Poppy Seed Players—original musicals based on Jewish themes.
Series/performances include (chronological listing of concerts below and PDF form of release attached):
MUSICALLY SPEAKING
The Musically Speaking series celebrates the ongoing conversation between different kinds of music, presenting musicians who are redefining the boundaries of jazz, pop and classical music. This dynamic and broad-ranging series continues thematic threads from past seasons so that members can mix and match concerts to tailor their own personal concert season while enjoying member benefits like premiumseating while paying less per ticket:
Pianoply
Inaugurated last season, the Pianoply concerts are dedicated to showcasing innovation in keyboard writing and performance, as well as Merkin Concert Hall's two beloved Steinway pianos. It delves into the many possibilities of the instrument, which have made it one of the most popular in the history of music. This season’s performers include Lisa Moore, the scintillating duo of Helena Bugallo/Amy Williams and the one and only Cecil Taylor, solo.
Chamber Jazz
These concerts feature group improvisation in many of its current manifestations. Chicago-based pianist Ryan Cohan coupled with Israeli bassist Omer Avital’s notorious Band of the Eastgive us music from the Middle East and the Midwest; Joel Harrison, Wendy Sutterand Oliver Lake in Vox Americana explore the many influences on Joel’s music with three diverse headliners; Flutist Jamie Baum and Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko show us the deep thought that comes from serious exploration; young New Orleans pianist Jonathan Batiste and Imani Winds touch on the history of jazz from the ragtime era to the present day; and Lark Chamber Artists will explore this fascinating interaction, culminating in the premier of a commissioned work by David Rakowski featuring Zephyros Winds and the genre-bending pianist Anthony de Mare.
Reissue: Classic Recordings Live
These concerts present jazz masterworks in their original recorded form. Many of these landmark albums, which are often overlooked by the critical establishment, irrevocably steered the course of jazz and influenced musicians for generations to come. Included are The Turtle Island String Quartet’s critically-acclaimed take on John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme and Miles Davis’ On The Corner, featuring the album’s original saxophonist Dave Liebman alongside Karl Berger, Tim McLafferty, Mick Rossi, Dick Sarpola and the incomparable trumpeter Graham Haynes.
Listen Here
Listen Here is an up-to-the-minute look at the universe that is 21st century contemporary music. Drawing from older forms, inventing new ones or just fusing it all together, these concerts will stimulate and enlighten. This season celebrates Joan Tower’s 70th birthday with American Brass Quintet, Paul Neubauer, Blair McMillen, James Tocco, Kalichstein-Laredo-RobinsonTrio and eighth blackbird; Elliott Carter’s First Hundred Years will feature Mr. Carter in person along with performances by the New York Woodwind Quintet and Ursula Oppens;Lingua Appalachia features Mark O’Connor, Ani Kavafian, Paul Neubauer and Matt Haimowitz; and we’ll celebrate Olivier Messiaen’s 100thAnniversary with pianist Gil Kalish,Stony Brook Contemporary Players and the dynamic Argento Chamber Ensemble.
New Sounds® Live! Hosted by John Schaefer
Cited by New York Magazine as one of " the people whose ideas, power, and sheer will are changing New York," host John Schaefer has for 22 years been finding the melody in the rainforest and the rhythm in an orchestra of tin cans. Offering new ways to hear the ancient language of song, Schaefer presents performances and premieres of new works from the classic and operatic to folk and jazz. This season includes Notes on the War: The Piano Protests featuring pianist Sarah Cahill; the annual world premieres from BANG ON A CAN People’s Commissioning Fund Concert; and the classical, jazz and rock and roll influenced trios of The Bad Plus and the Benevento/Barr/Mathis Trio.
Israel at 60
Merkin Concert Hall celebrates the 60th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel with Israeli and Jewish music of all kinds—cantorial, klezmer, contemporary classical and jazz—featuring Dialects: Israeli Jazz & Klezmer with Frank London and Omer Klein; Prologue & Epilogues: Israel Moves On,including clarinetist Charles Neidich; and Shir Artistry: The Modern Cantor with cantors Richard Botton, David Lefkowitz, Mo Glazman and Jill Abramson exploring the many faces of Jewish music and the modern cantor.
OTHER SERIES
Tuesday Matinees: Tomorrow's Stars Today
The Tuesday Matinees series showcases tomorrow's classical music stars today. Merkin Concert Hall's longest-running series presents young classical artists in the early stages of what are sure to be long and successful careers. With pianists, violinists, string quartets, cellists and everyone in between, these afternoon concerts highlight the best new talents throughout the classical music world. Performers this year will include Jean-Frédéric Neuburger, Jasper String Quartet, Alturas Duo, iO Quartet, Amstel Quartet and Sasha Cooke.
Broadway Close Up
Merkin Hall celebrates American musical theater old and new with the Broadway Close Up series, which offers backstage insights from the theater's top professionals, An inside look at the world of musical theater, the series will feature Jones & Schmidt (The Fantastiks) and Maltby & Shire (Baby, Big, Closer Than Ever, Starting Here, Starting Now), who will each spend an evening presenting and discussing their work and welcoming some of their favorite singers. In addition, Bound for Broadway VIII host Liz Callaway will present a handful of new works in various stages of development.
Family Matinees
Merkin Concert Hall offers two critically-acclaimed family matinee series: Broadway Playhouse, which introduces a new generation to the rich legacy of theBroadway musical, and Musical Adventureswith the Poppy Seed Players—original musicals based on Jewish themes. Now in its third year, Kaufman Center’s critically-acclaimed hit series returns with three more kid-friendly concerts celebrating the best of American musical theater. Hosted by Sean Hartley, each concert features sing-alongs, interactive games, fun facts, musical medleys and a fully-staged mini-musical featuring the delightfully zany Broadway Playhouse Players. These kid-friendly concerts are adult-friendly, too, with sing-alongs, fun facts, games, medleys and mini-musicals—another magical season of music and comedy! This season welcomes composers Frank Loesser, Jerry Herman and the dynamic team of Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty.
Musical Adventures with the Poppy Seed Players
Now in its 19th season, the popular Poppy Seed Players performs musical plays for children about the Jewish heritage. They are joined by the Kaufman Kids, a troupe of young performers from Kaufman Center’s Lucy Moses and Special Music Schools. Each show is kid-friendly, interactive, educational...and lots of fun! This season features Latkes and Applesauce,Queen Esther and Yo, Jonah!
MUSICALLY SPEAKING
The Musically Speaking series includes Pianoply, Chamber Jazz, Reissue, Listen Here, New Sounds; Live, and Israel at 60.
PIANOPLY
Single tickets: $25 (members $20)
Sat 10/25/2008 at 8:00 pm
Lisa Moore: Wires, Words and Hammers
A “speaking pianist”? Lisa Moore is practically a genre in herself. She’ll offer a program of pieces written for her unique gifts, including Randy Newman’s I Think It's Gonna Rain Todayand the New York premiere of Martin Bresnick’s Willie's Way. Bresnick will team up with her for Kurt Schwitters’ Ursonate—a revolutionary work composed in phonetics rather than notes. And Moore will honor Frederic Rzewski on his70th birthday with a performance of his De Profundis. With text by Oscar Wilde, it’s a powerful statement of disenfranchisement and protest.
Sat 03/21/2009 at 8:00 pm
Duo-logues: Bugallo-Williams Piano Duo
The scintillating duo of Helena Bugalloand Amy Williams will offer two seminal works: Igor Stravinsky’s own four-hand arrangement of his orchestral masterpiece The Rite of Spring and Olivier Messiaen’s Visions de l’Amen.This pioneering work, using intricate rhythmic modes derived from eastern music, also reflects Messiaen’s lifelong fascination with birdsong.
Sat 03/28/2009 at 8:00 pm
Cecil Taylor Speaks Volumes
The reigning master of jazz improvisation, CecilTaylor has never been an artist to rest on his laurels. Combining brilliant piano invention with provocative verbal discussion, an evening with Taylor is guaranteed to stimulate and delight. Join us for a session with this always-surprising musician.
CHAMBER JAZZ
Single tickets: $30 (members $20)
Sat 01/10/2009 at 8:00 pm
Midwest meets Mideast
Ryan Cohan / Omer Avital’s Band of The East
Chamber jazz that spans the globe. Chicago-based pianist Ryan Cohan and his band will present a selection of his strikingly original compositions steeped in swing from the city of the big shoulders. And Israeli bassist Omer Avital’s Band of the East will offer a sharply different perspective—a jazz synthesis that draws on elements as diverse as the Jewish/Arabic music of Spain and the European classical tradition.
*This concert is partially underwritten by Chamber Music America as part of its New Works: Encore Program.
Thu 01/29/2009 at 8:00 pm
Vox Americana
Joel Harrison / Wendy Sutter / Oliver Lake
Composer/guitarist Joel Harrison, BANG ON A CAN cellist Wendy Sutter and alto saxophonist Oliver Lake explore the common ground between classical, jazz and roots music. The featured work will be Vox Americana,Harrison’s own suite for seven extraordinary musicians and a group of New YorkCity school kids that addresses the question, “What does it mean to be an American?” in words and music.
*This concert is partially underwritten by Chamber Music America as part of its New Works: Encore Program.
Sat 04/04/2009 at 8:00 pm
Juxtapositions in Jazz
Jamie Baum / Tomasz Stanko
Two jazz composer/performers offer their own takes on 20th century classics. Flutist Jamie Baum plays Ives Suite, inspired by Charles Ives’ haunting music such as Central Park in the Dark and The Unanswered Question. Known for the dark intensity of his tone, Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko ranges from fury to lyricism while displaying his trademark grit and verve.
*This concert is partially underwritten by Chamber Music America as part of its New Works: Encore Program.
Thu 05/07/2009 at 8:00 pm
Rags’ Riches
Jonathan Batiste and Imani Winds
Discover two excitingly different approaches to the dialogue between jazz writing and improvisation, touching on the history of jazz from the ragtime era to the present day. Young New Orleans virtuoso Jonathan Batiste applies a New Orleans flair to ragtime and classic jazz, making the music deeply his own. Imani Winds will present the fruits of their collaborations with living jazz composers along with originals and their own arrangements of the jazz works of the past.
Sat 05/30/2009 at 8:30 pm
Writing Jazz: An Epilogue on Influence
Lark Chamber Artists / Zephyros Winds / Anthony de Mare
From the early 20th century to the present day, classical composers have responded to the jazz sounds that are so much a part of American culture. Lark Chamber Artists, Zephyros Winds and the genre-bending pianist Anthony de Mare will explore this fascinating interaction, culminating in the premier of a commissioned work by David Rakowski.
*New work by David Rakowski commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts.
REISSUE: CLASSICAL RECORDINGS LIVE
Single tickets: $30 (members $20)
Sun 11/09/2008 at 8:00 pm
Translating ‘Trane: A Love Supreme
Turtle Island String Quartet
In 1964, when John Coltrane released his groundbreaking album A Love Supreme, he took jazz to a whole new plane. With its recent Grammy Award-winning version of the work translating it into the sonorities of the string quartet, Turtle Island String Quartet created its own page of musical history. Bridging the gap between concert halls and jazz clubs, this iconoclastic quartet has redefined the boundaries of chamber music.
Mon 05/25/2009 at 8:00 pm
Street Talk: Miles Davis’ On the Corner featuring:
Dave Liebman / Karl Berger / Tim McLafferty / Mick Rossi / Dick Sarpola /Graham Haynes
A group of today’s top artists gather to revisit On the Corner, Miles Davis’ epochal freestyle, improvisational funk over a jazz backdrop LP. The group features the innovative trumpet of Graham Haynes as well as the album’s original saxophonist, Dave Liebman, paying homage to a sound so radical and electrifying that at the time it sent shock waves through the jazz establishment.
LISTEN HERE
Single tickets: $25 (members $20
Sat 09/06/2008 at 8:30 pm
A Singular Voice: Joan Tower Celebrates 70!
American Brass Quintet / Paul Neubauer / Blair McMillen / James Tocco / Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio / eighth blackbird
Hailed by The New Yorker as " oneof the most successful woman composers of all time, " with five decades of works ranging from symphonies to quartets to ballets, Joan Tower will help celebrate her own 70th birthday, bringing a program of her chamber and instrumental works featuring an all-star lineup including the American Brass Quintet,eighth blackbird, violist Paul Neubauer, pianists Blair McMillen and James Tocco and the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio. Also included will be an award presented by the American Music Center and compositions specially dedicated to Ms. Tower for the evening.
Sun 11/23/2008 at 8:00 pm
Elliott Carter’s First Hundred Years
Elliott Carter / New York Woodwind Quintet / Ursula Oppens
In honor of Elliott Carter’s 100th birthday, the New York Woodwind Quintet and Ursula Oppens will perform works that span the composer’s entire career, including his complete works for winds. The program will demonstrate how Carter’s musical language evolved, resulting in the vibrant, unique voice of his maturity. Mr. Carter will be in attendance, and Frank J. Oteri of the American Music Center will conduct a pre-concert interview.
Tue 04/28/2009 at 8:00 pm
Lingua Appalachia
Mark O’Connor / Ani Kavafian / Paul Neubauer / Matt Haimowitz
Violinist and composer Mark O’Connorhas synthesized classical and folk idioms to create a new kind of American music. A Merkin all-star team—Ani Kavafian, Paul Neubauer and Matt Haimowitz—joins O’Connor for some string quartets and other chamber selections. Get ready for a fiddle fest.
Tues 05/05/2009 at 8:00 pm
Birds of a Feather: Messiaen and his Legacy
Gil Kalish / Argento Chamber Ensemble / Stony Brook Contemporary ChamberPlayers
The great pianist Gil Kalish, Stony Brook Contemporary Chamber Playersand the dynamic Argento Chamber Ensemblejoin us in celebration of Olivier Messiaen’s 100th birthday. Kalish will be the featured soloist in Messiaen’s kaleidoscopic masterpiece Oiseaux Exotiques. The program continues with pieces influenced by the composer’s mystical, richly colored musical language, including four U.S. premieres—Gerard Grisey’s Le Temps et L'Ecume, Tristan Murail’s 7 Lakes Drive, Allain Gaussin’s Jardin Zen and Improvisé – pour le Dr. K by French music’s greatest living champion, Pierre Boulez.
NEW SOUNDS® LIVE! hosted by WNYC’s John Schaefer
Single tickets: $35 (members $20)
Thu 03/12/2009 at 8:00 pm
Notes On The War: The Piano Protests
Host John Schaefer continues the New Sounds® Live tradition of presenting music that reflects contemporary political realities. Pianist Sarah Cahill has commissioned a group of today’s leading composers to write a collection of pieces reacting to the war in Iraq. These composers, including Frederic Rzewski, Terry Riley, Meredith Monk,Yoko Ono, Pauline Oliveros, Peter Garland, Phil Kline, Jerome Kitzke and Kyle Gann, have responded with a group of short, pungent piano works that form a vivid response to the ongoing Iraqi crisis.
Thu 04/02/2009 at 8:00 pm
BANG ON A CAN People’s Commissioning Fund Concert
This New Sounds® Live special features BANG ON A CAN’s traditional sellout offering of world premieres.
Thu 05/14/2009 at 8:00 pm
Post-Jazz/ Post-Rock: The Musical Truth
The Bad Plus / Benevento / Barr / Mathis Trio
Situated at the nexus of contemporary classical, jazz and rock and roll, The Bad Plus brings its all-out, uninhibited style to pop standards and its own compositions. They’ll be joined by the Benevento / Barr/ Mathis Trio—a keyboard/bass/drum combo that tests the limits of indie rock.
ISRAEL AT 60
Single tickets: $30 (members $20)
Thu 09/18/2008 at 8:00 pm
Dialects: Israeli Jazz & Klezmer
Frank London / Omer Klein
The first of three concerts in celebration of Israel’s 60th, we present two of the best examples of the new face of American/Israeli music. Trumpeter Frank London recovers the lost sounds of klezmer, taking the music back to its 19th-century roots with the Klezmer Brass All Stars. And pianist Omer Klein, a rising star in the Israeli/New York jazz movement, offers a program of his deeply melodic, utterly original compositions, tinged with the sounds of the Middle East.
Tue 10/28/2008 at 8:00 pm
Prologue & Epilogues: Israel Moves On
We continue the celebration of Israel’s 60th with a performance of Olivier Messiaen’s beloved Quartet for the End of Time. Written in the German POW camp Stalag VIII-A, Messiaen’s work flew in the face of Nazi oppression. A group of top musicians, including clarinetist Charles Neidich, will honor the composer’s centenary with this performance, along with music of Israeli composers who have upheld Messiaen’s humanitarian spirit.
Mon 05/04/2009 at 8:00 pm
Shir Artistry: The Modern Cantor
Richard Botton / David Lefkowitz / Mo Glazman / Jill Abramson
Rounding out our celebration of Israel’s 60th, we will spotlight the long history of cantorial music, which has produced some of the greatest singers the world has ever known. The tradition continues to this very day, as shown by this concert featuring Richard Botton (who will also host), David Lefkowitz, Mo Glazman and Jill Abramson—four of the best cantors from New York’s dynamic, diverse Jewish community who will explore the many faces of Jewish music and today’s cantor.
*This concert is partially underwritten by the America Israel Cultural Fund in celebration of Israel’s 60th Birthday
TUESDAY MATINEES: TOMORROW’S STARS TODAY
7-concert subscription (+ bonus concert): $84
Single tickets: $15
Tue 09/23/2008 at 2:00 pm
Jean-Frédéric Neuburger, piano
The Washington Post described 20-year-old French pianist Jean-Frédéric Neuburger as “brilliantly polished...profoundly gifted” following his debut recital in the Young Concert Artists Series at the Kennedy Center. Mr. Neuburger has already performed extensively as a soloist with orchestras to international acclaim and is the winner of the2006 Young Concert Artists International Auditions and the 2005 Young Concert Artists European Auditions, among other prestigious awards.
Tue 11/04/2008 at 2:00 pm
Jasper String Quartet
The Jasper String Quartet has rapidly gained attention since forming in 2003 at Oberlin Conservatory, where they won the Oberlin-Smithsonian fellowship twice in their first two years, followed by the Presser Music Award in 2004 and the Kauffman Chamber Music Prize on three occasions. Its influences are many and varied, particularly in the baroque and contemporary worlds. With a novel approach to programming and presentation, they have been known to participate in “guerilla chamber music,” playing concerts in otherwise bizarre settings (e.g. on top of a mountain, at train stations, at clubs).
Tue 12/16/2008 at 2:00 pm
Alturas Duo
The only group of its kind, the Alturas Duo plays South American and classical music by bringing together the unusual combination of the viola, charango and guitar, creating fiery programs that move easily between Johann Sebastian Bach, South American folk rhythms and new music written for them. Having performed with an impressive variety of artists and composers across the United States, Canada, Chile and Bolivia, the Duo won First Prize at the 2006 New England International Chamber Music Competition and was recently honored with the “Hispanic Excellence in Music” award.
Tue 02/10/2009 at 2:00 pm
iO Quartet
The iO Quartet is currently the Billy Joel Graduate String Quartet in Residence at SUNY Purchase. Since its formation in 2005, the Quartet has performed throughout the United States and the Philippines. With degrees from the Juilliard School, Oberlin Conservatory, the Cleveland Institute of Music and Mannes College of Music, the Quartet members illuminate music with emotion, spirit and humor. The Quartet is equally at home in a wide range of repertoire from all periods and creates programs around signal works that put the whole concert experience in context.
Tue 03/24/2009 at 2:00 pm
Amstel Quartet, saxophones
Winner of the 2006 Concert Artists Guild International Competition, the Amstel Quartet incorporates traditional works for saxophone quartet, contemporary compositions, arrangements and interdisciplinary collaborations with dance, musical theater and video in its original and inventive repertoire. The ensemble has toured internationally, garnering top prizes and performing to high acclaim.
Tue 04/21/2009 at 2:00 pm
Sivan Magen, harp
The first Israeli ever to have won First Prize at the International Harp Contest in Israel (2006), Sivan Magen is also the winner of the prestigious “Premier Prix” from the Paris Conservatory. Born in Jerusalem, Magen studied at the Jerusalem Academy for Music and Dance and at the Paris Conservatory before recently completing his Master’s Degree at the Juilliard School. He has toured extensively, performing, recording and presenting master classes worldwide and participating in chamber-music festivals.
Tue 05/12/2009 at 2:00 pm
Sasha Cooke, mezzo-soprano
Praised by The New York Times for “combining the outward purity of a Renaissance angel and a voice of powerful warmth and excellent musicality,” American mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke is equally at home in operatic, orchestral and recital settings. She won first prize inthe 2007 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, the 2007 Sun Valley Opera Vocal Competition and the 2006 Bach Vocal Competition. She received her Master’s Degree from the Juilliard School, where she was a frequent soloist in premiere performances by the New Juilliard Ensemble.
BROADWAY CLOSE UP: AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE WORLD OF MUSICAL THEATER
3-concert subscription: $85
Single tickets: $40
Mon 10/06/2008 at 8:00 pm
Jones & Schmidt
Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt launched their New York careers with their now legendary musical The Fantasticks,which became the longest-running musical both in the world and in the history of the American theater. Their subsequent musicals, both on Broadway and off, have continued to be original, innovative and delightfully eccentric. Join lyricist Tom Jones, host Sean Hartley and some of New York’s finest performers to celebrate their unique career.
Mon 11/03/2008 at 8:00 pm
Maltby & Shire
Together Richard Maltby, Jr. (lyricist of Miss Saigon and The Pirate Queen) and David Shire (Academy Award-winning composer of “It Goes Like It Goes” from Norma Rae) have created numerous on- and off-Broadway shows, including Baby, Big, Closer Than Ever, Starting Here, Starting Now and the upcoming Take Flight. Maltby and Shire will be joined by some of their favorite singers.
Mon 12/08/2008 at 8:00 pm
Bound for Broadway
Join host Liz Callaway, Broadway’s most delightful diva, for the ninth annual look at the best new shows headed for Broadway. Five new musicals will be featured, including candid interviews with the writers and songs from their upcoming shows. Past seasons offered sneak peeks at such shows as Avenue Q,The Drowsy Chaperone, Next to Normal and High Fidelity. Don’t miss it!
FAMILY MATINEES
Broadway Playhouse: A Family-Friendly Tour through the World of Musical Theater
6-concert subscription (including Musical Adventures: $85)
3-concert subscription: $45
Single tickets: $20
Sun 01/11/2009 at 11:00 am
Frank Loesser
Composer-lyricist Frank Loesser, who began as a Hollywood lyricist, conquered Broadway during the 1950s with Where’s Charley?, The Most Happy Fella, How to Succeed in Business and his masterpiece, Guys And Dolls. His hit songs include “Luck Be A Lady,” “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” and “Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat.”
Sun 02/01/2009 at 11:00 am
Jerry Herman
Jerry Herman came to prominence during the 1960s with two mega-hits, Hello, Dolly and Mame, then continued to write a string of memorable shows culminating in the Tony Award-winning sensation La Cage Aux Folles. Herman’s simple but infectious melodies and funny/sweet lyrics are among Broadway’s all-time best.
Sun 04/05/2009 at 11:00 am
Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty
The most dynamic and versatile team writing for Broadway today has created a string of artistic and commercial successes, including Ragtime, Once on this Island and Seussical. Find out what makes these elegant and joyful writers so versatile, and so beloved. (The concert will feature an interview with the writers.)
Musical Adventures with the Poppy Seed Players
6-concert subscription: $85
3-concert subscription: $45
Single tickets: $20
Sun 12/14/2008 at 11:00 am
Sun 12/21/2008 at 11:00 am
Latkes and Applesauce
Join us for a joyous celebration of Hanukkah in this revue of songs and scenes by some of New York’s funniest writers. Scenes include a mother and daughter making latkes, two school boys struggling to spell Hanukkah correctly, the tale of Thomas, the Shammus, a Yiddish-inflected revision of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and the klezmer-inspired title tune.
Sun 03/01/2009 at 11:00 am
Queen Esther
Ryan Cunningham and Joshua Salzman’s interpretation of the Purim story focuses on Esther, eager to fit in as the new Queen of Shushan, and her discovery that there are some tough choices after her youthful dreams come true. This sweet, smart and very funny new show comes from the authors of the off-Broadway hit I Love You Because.
Sun 03/22/2009 at 11:00 am
Yo, Jonah!
Join us for a rollicking, circus-inspired interpretation of the story of Jonah, the man who tried to say no to God. Steve Brennan’s playful, childlike clown Jonah uses a wagon full of toys, including a giant, inflatable whale, to tell the tale, and is joined by a chorus of jubilant children and a scat-singing God.
MEMBERSHIP
This season, Merkin Concert Hall introduces a new membership program. An $80 membership includes tickets to any four concerts in the Musically Speaking series. Members may attend additional concerts in the Musically Speaking series for the discounted price of $20 per ticket. For more information about Merkin Concert Hall benefits, please visitwww.merkinconcerthall.org.
About Merkin Concert Hall
Renowned for its acoustics, accessibility and innovative programming, the recently renovated Merkin Concert Hall is the recipient of multiple awards for adventurous programming, most recently from ASCAP/Chamber Music America in2002–03. The Hall is a division of the Kaufman Center, which also includes the Lucy Moses School (a community arts school) and the Special Music School (a New York City public school for musically gifted children). A not-for-profit organization founded in 1952, the Kaufman Center occupies its own facility, the award-winning Goodman House, located in Manhattan’s Lincoln Square arts district. The Center is an unsurpassed cultural resource where people of all ages can experience the joy of artistic creation, expression and appreciation.
The Kaufman Center’s presentations in Merkin Concert Hall are made possible in part by institutional support from the Amphion Foundation, BMI Foundation,Inc., Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, Edward T. Cone Foundation, Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Barbara Bell Cumming Foundation, The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, Fink Foundation, Inc., Ann & Gordon Getty Foundation, Harkness Foundation for Dance, Herman Goldman Foundation, The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, The Florence Gould Foundation, The Edith Meiser Foundation, Rodgers and Hammerstein Foundation, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Adolph and Ruth Schnurmacher Foundation, Starr Foundation, Phyllis Fox and George Sternlieb Foundation, and with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.
The Poppy Seed Players’ “Planting New Seeds” commissioningprogram is made possible with the support of Andrea Brown, Rosalind Devon,Charles Dimston, Connie and Leonard Goodman, and Kara Unterberg and RoyNiederhoffer. Selected concerts are funded in part by American Israel CulturalFoundation, Chamber Music America and WNYC Radio.
Merkin Concert Hall receives support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation.
Listings Information:
Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Center
129 West 67th Street (between Broadway and Amsterdam)
Tickets at 212 501 3330 or http://www.merkinconcerthall.org
Press Only: Hi-res photos for download at http://www.merkinconcerthall.org/pr.html