Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts

Happy Holidays

2011-12-19T11:13:00.000-05:00

WISHING YOU BEAUTIFUL MUSIC AND PEACE

THROUGHOUT THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND IN THE NEW YEAR

We hope to see you again in 2012. Please check our website for upcoming events.

Meet Felix Umansky cellist from the Linden String Quartet

2011-11-21T14:09:00.002-05:00

Why does music matter?
Music matters to me because it really is a universal language. It is so expressive and can really communicate any emotion. It can also bridge so many gaps and barriers. There have been instances when I have sat down to play chamber music with somebody and we didn't speak each other's language; however, we were able to communicate purely through our emotions and the sounds coming out of our instruments. Music is very powerful in that way.

What is it about the string quartet that you find particularly rewarding?
For starters, the repertoire. There is something so intimate about sitting down with three friends and communicating with each other without even opening our mouths. Also, the democratic aspect of all
four people contributing equally to the final product forces us all to be very creative.

Any advice for younger musicians?
If you love what you're doing, keep doing it! In the end, it's not just about the notes. It's about communicating this wonderful art to others.

What inspires you?
I'm inspired by people in general, be it within the music world or outside of it. Also, working with younger musicians is very inspirational to me.

What are three words you would use to describe yourself?
laid-back, stubborn, cool(in a nerdy way)

Meet Eric Wong, violist from the Linden String Quartet

2011-11-21T14:00:00.002-05:00

Why does music matter?
Well, I'm more than a little bit biased since I make my living as a musician and I'm sure that most people reading this blog share a similar bias, so I'm going to answer this in as objective a way as I can. I believe that music is, anthropologically, an outlet to express that which cannot be expressed in words or with the other, more concrete art forms (i.e. visual art, dance, or even mathematics). It not only communicates, but also tries to make sense of aspects of our psyches that would otherwise be untapped. In a way, music is the most abstract form of artistic expression, often without accompanying text or visual representation. I'd say that the culinary arts take a close second and people seem to think that food is pretty important!

What is it about the string quartet that you find particularly rewarding?
I find that the ability to spend the time to really explore the music, technically and artistically, is immensely rewarding, having spent many years playing in orchestras where we only get a few rehearsals with a conductor telling the musicians how to play and what to feel.

Any advice for younger musicians?
Once you find your artistic identity, never let it go.

What inspires you?
What doesn't inspire me? I find inspiration in the weirdest places; the other day, I wrote in my part "Shostakovich=ice cream."

What are three words you would use to describe yourself?
absurd, acerbic, analytical

Meet Sarah McElvary, violinist from the Linden String Quartet

2011-11-21T13:55:00.001-05:00

Why does music matter?
Music matters because it speaks to all people- no matter where you are from in the world, everyone has some type of musical understanding. Music also brings joy to so many people. I feel so lucky that I get to do something that makes both myself and others happy!

What is it about the string quartet that you find particularly rewarding?
The more time that we spend together, the more we are learning to trust each other. I love this. It is so exhilarating to walk on stage with the same people over and over. We push each other to take risks and to be vulnerable (especially on stage!).

Any advice for younger musicians?
Trust yourself. If you love it, it will work out.

What inspires you?
Everything. Travel, food, people... but most importantly, artists who are humble and dedicate their lives to learning, discovering, and serving others. I have been fortunate enough to run into several of these people in my life, and I am convinced that this is the only way to become a truly successful and inspired musician.

What are three words you would use to describe yourself?
Forgetful, hopeful, passionate

Meet Catherine Cosbey, violinist from the Linden String Quartet

2011-11-21T13:49:00.003-05:00

Why does music matter?

Music is so versatile. Making music can be a great social event that you can share with friend and family, and it can also be a solitude. Music is also a versatile form of expression, one that has no right or wrong

What is it about string quartet playing that you find particularly rewarding?

The repertoire is so amazing!! There is so much great music written for the string quartet, and composers continue to write great music for the quartet!

Also, I love working with three other people so intimately. It's a constant balance between individualism and unity.

Any advice for younger musicians?
Have fun and persevere!

Ernst Stiefel String Quartet-in-Residence & Student Strings Mentoring Program

2011-11-14T12:51:00.000-05:00

The Caramoor Student Strings program, a key element of the annual Ernst Stiefel String Quartet in Residence program at Caramoor, places quartets such as the Linden String Quartet in local schools for concerts and clinics, and opens the eyes and ears of young music students in the Westchester area.

The Caramoor Student Strings program is unique in that it provides a young resident quartet with the opportunity to become mentors to local music students, which is a learning experience for both the resident quartet and the students. As accomplished young musicians, who have won numerous music competitions and who are currently in a mentoring program at Yale, the Linden String Quartet brings the enthusiasm of youth and the depth of knowledge from experience to the local student strings participants.

Participants in our student strings program receive discounts to concerts in our Caramoor Classics Series— Students' tickets are free and parents' tickets are half price!

This year we held the first annual Student Strings T-Shirt Design Competition. We invited high school students to use their artistic talents to design a t-shirt and logo for the Caramoor Student Strings program. At Caramoor we believe that music and art form a natural partnership, and we wanted to bridge the two worlds by having students design a t-shirt that incorporated at least one of the following elements: Images of string instruments and Images of Caramoor’s grounds.

First Place Winner:
Lisa Gusman, age 14 John Jay High School

Second Place Winner - Kristina Dittrich, age 15 Fox Lane High School

Third Place Winner - Laura Zuk, age 16 John Jay High School

Support Caramoor’s Mentoring Programs

By donating now, your gift will be matched dollar for dollar by the Chairmen’s Challenge, thereby benefiting Caramoor significantly. Gifts of any size are welcome to support our mentoring programs.

Students, Music, Art, and Education

2011-11-07T15:08:00.008-05:00

In Carl Sandburg’s poem Skyscraper, men and women pour in and out of an office building all day, endowing the skyscraper with “a soul of dreams and thoughts and memories.” At first glance, the poem, set in urban, early 20th-century Chicago, may seem far removed from Caramoor’s bucolic setting and Renaissance-inspired architecture. Yet for a class of sixth-graders in a Yonkers elementary school, the poem—when paired with a field trip to the Rosen House—creates a connection that helps them see the world in a new way.

The students and their teacher, Ilene Dillon, participate in Caramoor’s Arts-in-Education programs, a popular initiative that provides enrichment opportunities for approximately 5,000 Westchester and New York City school children. The programs, begun in 1986 and funded through a combination of government and foundation grants and private donations, feature various interdisciplinary units that take advantage of Caramoor’s extraordinary facilities and resources to enhance the New York State curriculum.

Caramoor’s What’s in a House? program, like the Sandburg poem, focuses on the people within the house, using Walter and Lucie Rosen’s extraordinary art collection as a springboard to explore key concepts in art, social studies, math, and language arts. When students enter the Music Room, for example, they immediately notice the massive coffered ceiling and recognize the pattern as an example of tessellation, which they are studying in their math class. During a horticulture workshop in the Diane C. Moss Education Center they learn about the use of herbs in colonial America. In yet another program, A Day in the Renaissance, they learn about commedia dell'arte. Caramoor’s Chinese Arts and Culture program exposes them to traditional Chinese music played on Chinese musical instruments, brush painting and calligraphy as well as a tea ceremony.

The programs incorporate all areas of Caramoor: the Diane C. Moss Education Center, the Rosen House and collection; the gardens, grounds, and greenhouse; and the staff, artists, and volunteers.

At Caramoor, if only for a day or two, more than 5,000 lucky students get a chance to be in the place they’re studying.

Support Caramoor’s Arts-in-Education Programs

By donating now, your gift will be matched dollar for dollar by the Chairmen’s Challenge, thereby benefiting Caramoor significantly. Gifts of any size are welcome to support our Arts-in-Education programs.

Evnin Rising Stars Mentoring Program Celebrates 20 Years

2011-10-24T11:40:00.004-04:00

Caramoor launched its first mentoring program, the Rising Stars, 20 years ago. Young artists in the Evnin Rising Stars mentoring programs are invited to Caramoor for an intensive residency where they work closely with distinguished artist-mentors for a week of rehearsals and coaching sessions, which lead to two public performances alongside their mentors (Saturday, October 29th and Sunday, October 30th).

Pamela Frank is the Artistic Director of Caramoor's Evnin Rising Stars and is assisted this year by Distinguished Artists Kim Kashkashian and Ralph Kirshbaum. Student participants are personally chosen by Ms. Frank in collaboration with Michael Barrett and the Caramoor artistic team.

Pamela Frank about the nature of her work with these highly accomplished students:

"There's a tremendous feeling of safety at Caramoor that encourages artistic stretching. The students I pick don’t have to worry about sounding good or executing well because they already do that. The program allows for freedom of expression and creativity. What I especially love about being involved with Caramoor is being able to bring the music and the people I grew up with to a younger generation. I feel so fortunate that I had these incredible influences—my parents, my teachers—and this are an opportunity for me to pass along what little I know. I am honored by the tradition and I feel fortunate to be able to pass on what I learned."

"There's nothing commercial about Caramoor! A lot of the uniqueness of the program has to do with the physical setting. The environment itself is inspiring. You’re much more in touch with nature. There’s nothing else to do here, other than to look at the beautiful scenery and rehearse all day. You’re not stressed by any of the urban concerns, and a lot is packed into a short amount of time. It’s an immersion—sort of like being at camp. The first day is a little shocking, especially for the younger generation, who are so wedded to their computers, but after a while it’s kind of a relief. You can really immerse yourself in the experience and we get to know each other a lot faster that way. And that has a tremendous advantage for music making. Otherwise you never have the time without distractions. You would think those guys would be dead after rehearsing eight hours. But no! At night, with nothing else to do, with no distractions, we sit around and read quartets!"

Supporting the Evnin Rising Stars Program
Caramoor relies on special gifts both to its Endowment and Annual Fund to support the Evnin Rising Stars Program. This unique endeavor is made possible only by contributions from donors who recognize the important work Caramoor is doing to identify and nurture the next generation of artists.

By donating now, your gift will be matched dollar for dollar by the Chairmen’s Challenge, thereby benefiting Caramoor significantly. Gifts of any size are welcome to support the Evnin Rising Stars Program.

For more information about creating a named Endowment Fund or about giving to the Annual Fund for the Evnin Rising Stars, please call the Development Department, at 914.232.5035 ext. 261

Exciting Update for the Fall Festival

2011-09-20T12:54:00.003-04:00

JUST FOR FALL FESTIVAL…

Student Rush tickets are now available for all concerts this weekend!

The New York Philharmonic – Friday, September 23, 2011 at 7:30PM

An Evening with Kelli O’Hara – Saturday, September 24, 2011 at 8:00PM

The Future is Now – Sunday, September 25, 2011 at 4:30pm

Students can purchase $15.00 rush tickets for this weekend’s Fall Festival. Rush tickets are available on a first come, first serve basis and are subject to availability.

Tickets must be purchased in person with valid student ID at the Caramoor Box Office. Two tickets maximum can be purchased under each valid ID.

The Caramoor Box Office will be open at the theater 2 hours prior to the start of each performance.

We hope to see you there!!

A Very Special Day at Caramoor

2011-09-15T12:14:00.002-04:00

Last weekend Lauren Santucci and Brandon Pearlman celebrated their wedding on the beautiful grounds of Caramoor. We recieved this glowing summary of their special day by their photographer, Jean Kallina.

"Lauren and Brandon were married in a very heartfelt wedding ceremony Saturday. It took place on the Medieval Mount of the Sunken Garden at Caramoor. The officiant told many sweet stories of their meeting and courtship. I do believe it was the most beautiful wedding I have ever photographed. Caramoor is an amazing place! The buildings and grounds evoke the splendor and spirit of the Italian Renaissance. The gardens, villas and courtyards are indescribably beautiful. Lauren looked stunning in her gown, and Brandon looked handsome. After two weeks of rain (and a hurricane), on the 10th the weather cleared and they had the perfect day and the perfect wedding. Congratulations Lauren and Brandon!!"

For more photos from this beautiful wedding, visit

http://hudsonvalleyweddings.blogspot.com/2011/09/lauren-and-brandon-marry-at-caramoor-on.html

For more information on weddings at Caramoor, visit us at

http://www.caramoor.org/rosen-house-and-gardens/weddings

“Samba-filled Summer” by Laura Victor

2011-07-22T12:35:00.000-04:00

At the beginning of every summer, after I’ve recovered from the stress of finals, I will inevitably burst out of my room oozing with inspiration, find my mother (or, one year, wake her…inspiration does not wear a watch...) and declare, “MOM! This summer I am going to learn ______!” Over the years, that blank space has been filled with activities such as baking, gardening, sign language, latch hooking, Hebrew, and even “to appreciate the novels that everyone else finds really boring!” (which according to me consisted of Moby Dick, Ivanhoe, War and Peace, etc). Needless to say, some summers were much more successful than others…I am actually too embarrassed to admit how many pages I got through War and Peace before that goal ended. Nevertheless, every summer I try something new, and this year it’s the Samba!

I first became interested in this Brazilian dance in late May, and rather unexpectedly. I had fallen asleep with the television on and was awakened by fast-paced, energetic music. After locating my glasses and transitioning from “mostly unconscious” to only “partly unconscious,” I looked at the TV screen and saw a woman wearing the most magnificent headpiece I had ever seen. It was pink, feathered, bejeweled, and just all around fabulous. As the initial awe of the headpiece wore off, I watched how the dancer’s fast movements were completely in sync with the percussion and was extremely impressed. Lastly, I noticed her incredible hip swivels and decided that my hips could and should totally learn how to swivel like that. Since then, I have watched numerous Youtube videos of the Samba and have grown partial to the couple’s dances. The chemistry between all of the pairs I’ve seen is almost tangible and really adds to the sensual and spontaneous nature of the dance.

Although I have watched some “how to dance the Samba” videos, the first time I will see the dance live will be at Caramoor’s “Samba do Rio” Dancing at Dusk concert on August 10th. The performing arts company, Grupo Ribeiro led by Quenia Ribeiro will be performing as well as leading the audience in dance. Having already watched some snippets of their performances on the internet, I am beyond excited for this event.

The Samba do Rio concert is also the last of Caramoor’s summer festival, and since the Samba is considered “the dance of celebration and joy,” I cannot think of a more appropriate end to this year’s season. This was my first year working at Caramoor, and I have had such a wonderful time and met a lot of incredible people. What better way is there for me to celebrate such a wonderful experience than to dance…Samba-style!

For more information about Dancing at Dusk, check out this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeI2Z3EASEI

Award Season by Alexis Ebers

2011-07-20T13:53:00.001-04:00

Every year, my friends and I prepare with great anticipation for awards season. Whether it be the Grammys, Oscars, Tonys, or even the MTV Movie Awards, we gather in front of the television and eagerly watch to see whose predictions will be realized, which nominees get slighted, and of course, who everyone is wearing.
But when it comes down to it, how are the nominees nominated? How are the winners actually chosen and according to what expertise or criteria? How much should we really value the awarding of prizes and trophies? This is what Caramoor aims to explore in their collaborations with Music from Copland House in their July 22nd and July 31st programs, Prizing the Pulitzer.

The Pulitzer Prize for Music was first awarded in 1943. In his will, Joseph Pulitzer had intended for a scholarship to be given every year, and this was converted into a prize. Originally, the criterion for the Pulitzer was “For a distinguished musical composition of significant dimension by an American that has had its first performance in the United States during the year.” Jazz composers and their works were not considered within the parameters for the award until 1996 when the Pulitzer Prize Board decided to change the criteria “so as to attract the best of a wider range of American music." As of 2004, the terms were modified to “For a distinguished musical composition by an American that has had its first performance or recording in the United States during the year.”

The pieces that will be performed at Caramoor on July 22nd and 31st consist of works that have won the Prize, have been nominated, whose composer won for other compositions, and even one iconic American composer that never had his name attached to the Prize. There will also be panel discussions (with refreshments) both after the July 22nd concert and before the July 31st concert. There, the audience will be invited to partake in the discussion about what garners the selection and proclamation of a winner for the Pulitzer Prize for Music.

The composers whose works will be heard at these concerts certainly had their own opinions about the Pulitzer and awards in general. On July 31st, Music from Copland House will play Ernst Toch’s Geographical Fugue. Although this is Toch’s most-performed work, it was his Third Symphony that won the Pulitzer Prize in 1956 after its debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. It seems that Toch and the Prize were on the same page, since he considered his popular Geographical Fugue to be “an unimportant diversion.”

But take Charles Ives and his 1947 Pulitzer win for his Symphony No. 3 Camp Meeting. Ives, whose Tone Roads will be performed on July 31st, actually split the award money with Lou Harrison, the man who promoted the piece and conducted its premiere in 1946. Upon being asked about splitting the money, Ives
said “prizes are for boys, and I’m all grown up.”

Clearly, there are countless opinions and stances about the giving and receiving of awards, whether it is the Pulitzer Prize for Music or the Oscars. Weigh in on July 22nd and July 31st with Caramoor and Music from Copland House, and see if we can get a little closer to figuring out who deserved “the win.”

For more information about Prizing the Pulitzer, visit us at http://www.caramoor.org/

Also, watch Caramoor's Executive Director Michael Barrett talk to the Director of the Copland House, Michael Boriskin about the upcoming concert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwzLS_T_-FU

"The Mommy Diaries" by Erin Morley

2011-07-12T10:36:00.002-04:00

“How does having a baby physically affect an opera singer?” This is the question I have been asked most in the last year. Before I found out I was pregnant one year ago, I wondered the same thing myself. And although I could fill a book with the changes my body has gone through in the last year, I enjoyed my pregnancy quite a bit. It's a weird mixture of horrifying and miraculous, certainly a grand adventure, and a privilege to experience it. In the case of the singer, the body is the instrument. All throughout pregnancy and in the 3 months after delivery, my body felt like a different one just about every 2 weeks! Here are some of the more interesting physical challenges of my pregnant singing life . . .

In the beginning, the main physical issue was morning sickness. I was singing the Queen of the Night at Santa Fe Opera, and the only thing I could stomach backstage was ginger ale and saltines. Eventually, I vomited so much that I got laryngitis and couldn’t sing one of the performances.

When the nausea finally lessened a bit, I was into my second trimester and in New York for a couple of concerts. This is when my first round of “relearning” occurred. When I arrived in NYC, my body had recently started to inflate, and I had to sing the Brahms Requiem in Carnegie Hall. As the uterus enlarges during pregnancy, the internal organs are squished into an ever-decreasing space; the lungs start to feel crowded and breathing becomes shallow. It seems like I had about 13 voice lessons within the 4 days preceding the rehearsal period, in order to teach my new body how to breathe! I felt like my breathing was good and low before I got pregnant, but when the belly started to grow, the breathing had to get even lower. I found a connection with muscles that probably should have been working more anyway!

A couple weeks later, I sang a concert in Zankel Hall with the Met Orchestra. Baby had a growth spurt and my tummy felt like a different one again. Time to relearn! About this time, baby also started kicking during rehearsals and performances! I think she just wanted me to know she was listening.

The biggest singing challenge I had during pregnancy was rehearsing Zerbinetta at the Paris Opera. By this time, I was six months pregnant. Laurent Pelly's production of Ariadne auf Naxos is incredibly physically challenging for Zerbinetta. I was covering the role, but I had the great opportunity to do rehearsals for a few weeks. The set had beaucoup de stairs, beaucoup de cement, and the staging had beaucoup de running and jumping over and onto furniture and people. As a pregnant woman singing such a physically challenging role, I had to be extra careful about how I treated my body. I carefully warmed up, vocally and physically, before every rehearsal. I slept longer hours and took in more calories. And although I ate a greater quantity of food, the quality had to remain high. I was careful not to eat unhealthy or heavy foods; otherwise, I couldn’t move around as well. I spent rehearsal breaks stretching, breathing deeply, and eating healthy snacks. In rehearsals, I had to pay attention to my balance (which was out of whack now that my belly was extending out into space) and rehearse stage movements slowly until my footing felt secure. One day when rehearsing the quintet with the commedia boys, one of them remarked that my belly seemed to have undergone a growth spurt. “Eet eez so beautiFOOOOL!” They celebrated by decorating my belly with caution tape! I was extremely blessed to be surrounded by wonderful, supportive people in this production, cast and crew alike.

Of course there were times when I was just too uncomfortable to sing, and I did take some time off near the end of my pregnancy. But now that my sweet baby has arrived, and my singing life has begun to resume, I am experiencing the flip side of these issues, i.e., dealing with a shrinking body. I started practicing again about 5 weeks after my daughter’s birth. On the upside, I no longer had to deal with things like reflux, nausea, and feeling like there wasn't enough room in my torso for breath to fill it. But my newly deflated stomach was not functioning nearly as efficiently, mostly because I had to have a C-section. The severed nerves surrounding my incision are still finding their way back to each other, so I’m numb in some areas of my stomach. The connection to low stomach muscles has been harder to relearn. Core exercises at the gym help tremendously, and slow vocal warmups with a focus on those low muscles is key.

All of what I learned while I was pregnant has remained very useful. I don’t think my singing technique actually changed over the last year; I just had to relearn it according to the new anatomy I was dealing with. Building your voice from the ground up teaches you quite a bit! And in this way, I feel like pregnancy actually caused my technique to improve. We’ll find out when I sing my first post-pregnancy concert at Caramoor this month!

Have you ever undergone a career changing experience? Tell us about it!

For tickets to see Erin Morley in concert on July 17th, visit us at https://tickets.caramoor.org/public/show.asp

Modern Music and Musical Miscreants by Alex Melito

2011-07-10T11:00:00.002-04:00

The time I have spent working at Caramoor has been quite an experience. I have learned about business, management and most importantly, music. Being a poor college student, I also have another job as a camp counselor for preschoolers. I’ve seen almost every kind of kid— from the girl that cries all day, to the boy who doesn’t speak English; they are all very intelligent and creative. In fact, one of them even knew that water plus light equals a rainbow. I am always surprised at how much they know at such a young age; however, I have yet to run into the cultured 3 year old who knows the difference between Mozart and Bach.

My parents are both classically trained musicians, so ever since I can remember I have always known important composers, musicians, and songs. Before I started working at Caramoor I became a fan of the Emerson String Quartet, which Time Magazine calls “America’s greatest quartet.” I was happy to find out that they are performing this season at Caramoor.

I wondered if any of my campers knew as much about the Emerson String Quartet as they did about Justin Beiber or Katy Perry. I put this to a test and asked one of my campers if she knew who the Emerson String Quartet was and she blankly starred at me and finally responded with “Yesterday, I got my hair cut.” Although I was disappointed, it proved my suspicions.

Parents teach their kids about science, art and reading – all of which they will usually forget in a week and have to re-learn 5 or 6 more times. However, they listen to a Hannah Montana song once and already know most of the words. This seems strange because Time Magazine never declared Hannah Montana “America’s greatest young artist.” It frustrates and concerns me that our obsession with pop culture has this effect on younger generations. I can’t see into the future but I am almost certain Handel’s music will be played forever; Amy Winehouse’s music: probably not so much.

Do you wish your kids knew the difference between Bach and Mozart? Take them to a Family Concert at Caramoor! For information, visit us at http://www.caramoor.org/festival/familyfun

Opera Obsession by Marie Gorbenko

2011-07-07T13:45:00.002-04:00

By this point in my Caramoor career, I think it’s safe to say that everyone who knows me is quite aware of my love of Opera. If my confession does not suffice, then my adoration of the exquisite vocal art can be evidenced by my request to work every opera concert for the past four years or by my hefty collection of blogs (half of which, including the one you’re reading now, concern opera). Every May, I arrive at Caramoor after having finished another grueling year of school and anxiously await the news about the summer’s scheduled operas. Every time I discover which operas are being performed, I practically jump up and down with excitement (ok, sometimes I actually DO jump up and down with excitement). Caramoor never fails to please me with its Opera selection, and this year is no exception.

After experiencing nautical nirvana during the opening night performance of H.M.S. Pinafore, my excitement for the summer festival has grown exponentially with the approach of the second opera of the season: Guillaume Tell (William Tell) by Gioachino Rossini on July 9^th and 15^th. Not only is Rossini my all-time favorite composer but, because William Tell is so vocally difficult, the opera is not performed very often—giving it the rare beauty of a luminescent blue moon. Should I miss out on this performance, I will have no idea when I will be able to indulge in Rossini’s final masterpiece again. As such, I plan on attending both performances to get a double dosage of bel canto. As I always say: “Rossini every day keeps the boredom away!”

For tickets to William Tell visit us at http://www.caramoor.org/festival/opera

So you think you know Michael Brown...

2011-06-29T15:44:00.000-04:00

Pianist Michael Brown will be appearing on July 7th with violinist Arnaud Sussmann. Check out this interview that Michael filmed with Nick Canellakis and Jonathan Biss - we think you'll get a good laugh. Then come to Caramoor on July 7th to see him in person!

For tickets to see pianist Michael Brown and violinist Arnaud Sussmann visit us at http://www.caramoor.org/festival/chambermusic#july7

Summerdance by Christina Horzepa

2011-06-24T14:05:00.000-04:00

Caramoor’s 2011 Dancing at Dusk series kicks off, quite literally, on June 29 with a concert of Irish music. Certainly there will be lots of kicking, as dancers demonstrate traditional Irish dancing. But the event promises much more than straight-legged, high-reaching, Riverdance-style kicking.

The Dancing at Dusk series, hosted by Caramoor Family Program Designer Katie Kresek, uses music as the catalyst for a wonderful journey of exploration. Katie creates a multisensory experience that includes listening, learning, dancing, and a range of related art activities suitable for toddlers, teens, and anyone in between. The program she’s planned, called “Irish Music with a Global Twist,” promises to be far more nuanced than a simple step dancing demonstration. The event will mix traditional Celtic fiddle tunes with American folk and world music influences. As the musicians play, a dance instructor will encourage the audience to join in jigs, reels, and other traditional dances. In addition to listening and dancing, there also will be opportunities to picnic, mingle, chat with musicians, ask questions about the music, learn about the instruments, and more. An intelligent and engaging hostess, Katie is also a master at pacing, so the afternoon promises to be that priceless (affordable, too) commodity: an event that all ages can enjoy with equal vigor.

Christina Horzepa
Caramoor Contributor

Creating at Caramoor: A Young Artist's Love Story by Tynan Davis

2011-06-06T16:54:00.000-04:00

I'm having difficulties articulating my experience at Caramoor. The deluge of information has flooded my mental tributaries, and I'm just trying to stay afloat, but I'll do my best.

Last summer, my first with program, I was shown the mountaintop of vocal possibility and sent forth to proclaim the good news of beautiful, efficient bel canto technique. A year later, improvements have been made, but after my first week back, I am reminded that there is still so much to master. What am I talking about? For the sake of all things good, I won't go into heady specifics; I couldn't do justice to the landscape of material presented to us, but with a full and eager heart, I can safely say that at Caramoor, we are challenged to leave our egos at home and put our vocal flaws on the table for all to see. Then, with full and eager hearts, master teachers Will Crutchfield, Rachelle Jonck, Daniel Mobbs, and Lucy Yates guide us to realizing our individual vocal potential. But this isn't opera camp for amateurs; the collective has already achieved a level of professional excellence with managers and agents and booked performance calendars (Oh my!). To witness vocal breakthroughs at Caramoor is to hear good singers unlock thrilling star quality.

Personally, I am humbled by the time and space I am given to figure out this voice of mine. What does that mean? In a masterclass format, with Daniel and Will standing by, I'm standing before 35 other singers with critical ears bent my way (hard to keep ego out). As I sing, Dan tinkers with my wonky posture. "Unlock your knees, elongate the back of your neck, no eyebrows please!" Will notices superfluous movement of my vocal mechanism while maneuvering through a melismatic passage (a long series of rapid-fire notes sung on the same vowel sound). We stop to play. Slow it down to a crawl, sing note-by-note, each sound carefully giving way to the next without letting my larynx move. Tongue is forward and relaxed, jaw like a mouth-breathing, slack-jawed yokel (I am from Texas), "ah" vowel balancing depth and brilliance. We're talking about almost imperceptible actions here, but without these adjustments, over time, the tiny bad habits could become career enders. With this Young Artist program, I have 6 days a week for the next 7 weeks to hone and reinforce the core skills of bel canto singing while expert teachers and performers stand by to guide, encourage, and celebrate every successful convergence of breath, tone, and diction. It's a never-ending quest for efficiency and economy of movement, that, once firmly in place, open us up for deeper stylistic and dramatic expression.

At the end of the day, I am aware that being a professional doesn't mean being a finished product - I don't think that exists anyways; not with our ever-changing biology. But what I know exists is the standing invitation to question and redefine the process of creating. I believe this is what Caramoor gives to its singers, and why the program speaks so effectively to the audience. We are able to take risks, we learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable, and with that, we grow as communicators. In this space of exploration the product isn't nearly as thrilling as the process. (But you will LOVE the product, so if you haven't already, be sure to reserve your seats for H.M.S. Pinafore and the opening night gala on June 25th!! We're going to have such a good time!)

I'm just scratching the surface here, but if you're interested in further ramblings on my life-operatic, my blog can be found at http://www.tynandavis.com./

For more information about the Bel Canto Young Artist Mentoring Program visit us at http://www.caramoor.org/education/bel-canto-young-artists

Creating at Caramoor: My 12th Summer at Caramoor! by Daniel Mobbs

2011-06-02T16:08:00.012-04:00

Since this summer will be my twelfth season at Caramoor, it seems a good time to write about what has gone on before and how things are progressing this summer.

Last summer my dear friend and mentor, Will Crutchfield, asked me to join the music staff for the Bel Canto Young Artist Program at Caramoor. He trusted me with this position because, after so many years of singing with him and the amazing Orchestra of St. Luke's, I had a pretty good idea of the program style and what it was trying to present to the public. He also felt that, in addition to having great pianists on staff, getting a singer's approach would be beneficial to the young singers we are training. I humbly said yes.

Best opportunity and best decision I ever made......

Last summer was so exciting and fun, and I dare say the kids liked it as well! Many of those young singers still coached with me during the rest of the year.

Teaching has given me a chance to “turn the tables” so to speak— to literally sit on the other side of the table and hear auditions! (We heard over 350 audio submissions and half as many in person!) Being a working singer who now teaches, I couldn't help but feel for each young singer who auditioned for us. Breathing with them, trying to keep them relaxed, and letting them know they did well etc. After all, how many times have I been the auditionee? I've known what that feels like for 25 some odd years now, and more to come one assumes....

For me, teaching has been a real pleasure and it serves to remind me of the areas in which I need improvement— bad habits, little tensions, lazy diction.... things all singers young and "old" still need to work on. Helping them find ways to make their singing easier, freer, and more fun, has helped me to apply those same things to my personal singing. Win-win....

Most of these young artists (YAs) already have a "voice teacher" in whom they have invested a lot of faith and time.

While we call my sessions "vocal coachings," I do try and work on some technical aspects of singing. Relieving small tensions in the eyebrows and jaw and tongue are all things I really harp on. I try not to step on any toes by working so directly on these things, but nipping these tensions now while they are young and not singing big roles in big houses on full calendars is the best help I feel I can offer. Little things I've mentioned are small and slight in their affect, but after time they become major career ending problems that can't be fixed very easily or at all. Why not address them now?

So far, I've managed not to offend any of the many voice teachers out there... so far... Most in fact are on the same page and are glad someone has taken some time to further assist their singers.

All the staff at Caramoor are my dear friends and we are almost always in agreement about what we're trying to accomplish with these YAs. It's a very safe place for them to experiment, let their guards down, and really learn. I find the YAs all are rooting to see their colleagues improve. It's a very supportive atmosphere, and egos are left to pick up again after the summer. At Caramoor, we can ALL do better and work together to improve, no matter what stage of the game we’re in. As a "staff member," I work for the YAs and I'm there to be a mentor and support system as well as lead them down a smoother, easier path to success. As a "singer" at Caramoor, I then find those same YAs are my support system, all surrounding me on stage in smaller roles and chorus. I give them the help and support they need in the program, and in return they shower me with the same. Imagine being on stage with 35 fellow singers actually rooting for you, supporting you and making you a better singer because of it.

I admit it's a bit daunting to harp on certain things with these YAs for several weeks, and then to turn around and stand and have to sing in front of them. Knowing that these smart kids now know my terminology and are watching/listening to me and expecting the same things from me is daunting, but a great motivator.

This summer I get to put together 12 seasons of work and collaboration with Will, the staff, and Orchestra of St. Luke's and bring Guillaume Tell to NY. Will and I did a trial run 2 years ago at the National Opera in Warsaw. Such a thrill and such hard work. Having done it together in Poland, we feel a sense of calm and familiarity as we start the work on Caramoor's production. Singing the biggest, most important role of my career at Caramoor is as safe and welcoming as it could be. The crowd who comes to Caramoor is made up of loyal, enthusiastic, and well educated opera fans who have been very loving and kind to me over the years. It's where I grew as an artist and they've been with me every step. How could I be nervous in front of my home crowd? Not going to happen. In fact I can't wait!

I invite you all to make the wonderful trip up to Caramoor this summer. Please come early and enjoy a full day of events. The grounds are stunning, and you can bring a picnic! We really enjoy that part of the summer. My partner and Mom and I spend days working on the contents of our picnic basket! There are also wonderful lectures about the featured composer and the style we are presenting. Will gives the best pre-opera lectures ever. So fun and full of information you never knew!

But the "must see" events are the pre-opera concerts my kids will present to the audience. It's a great way to observe what our program is all about and get a chance to hear some of the future's big stars in the making! They all take place in the Spanish Courtyard at the Rosen House, beautiful setting with surprisingly good acoustics.

A full evening of great gardens, great outside dining, lectures, concerts and of course William Tell!

Now off to give a master-class and teach lessons this afternoon.
Life is good....

Daniel Mobbs

For more information on opera at Caramoor, visit http://www.caramoor.org/festival/opera
Also, watch the Bel Canto at Caramoor Young Artists Mentoring Program video!

Have you ever taught before? What do you find most inspiring about the teaching procces?

African Anticipation and a Season of Soulful Music by Marianna Gorbenko

2011-05-19T10:21:00.004-04:00

There is a famous song that many radio stations play on repeat during this time of year—“April in Paris.” Anyone? Listening to that tune always helps me shake off the winter blues and fully embrace everything that spring has to offer. However, if I had it my way, I would be busy humming “Caramoor in May.”

I could not choose a better time of year to return to Caramoor than May. The spring sun is warm (but not too hot), the flowers are in full bloom, and the Caramoor staff is eagerly preparing for the upcoming music festival. I could not be more thrilled for the program this summer! A season full of both new faces and old favorites, it’s sure to be an exciting and inspiring summer of music at Caramoor. With big names such as The Emerson String Quartet, Sarah Chang, and Alisa Weilerstein (among others) this summer’s festival is practically bursting with spectacular music (and some fireworks, too).

After a semester of studying abroad in Africa, it’s quite an experience to return to the Northern hemisphere. Luckily, Caramoor provided me with a wonderful homecoming! My time spent in Cape Town, South Africa was unlike any experience I have ever had. I learned extensively about African politics and human rights while enjoying the sights and sounds of a beautiful and culturally-rich region. Being the true Caramoorian that I am, I could not help but indulge in the amazing music scene that was introduced to me below the equator. African music is vibrant and soulful, with a particular exoticism that dazzles the listener time after time. My heart aches to hear my favorite African melodies again and I await the day when I shall be able to return to the rainbow nation.

Due to my intense longing for African tunes, I am super excited for the arrival of Malian singer Oumou Sangaré (A.K.A. “The Songbird of Wassoulou”), who performs with her band on July 23rd. First taking the Caramoor stage alongside the world’s premiere banjo virtuoso, Béla Fleck, in 2009, Oumou Sangaré has taken the musical world by storm with sold-out concerts all over the globe. Now that I am back in my home country, my yearning for the Wassoulou music of Africa has increased tenfold and an evening listening to sounds composed in Oumou’s West African homeland is just what I need to quell my homesickness for the African Continent! Join me on July 23rd and, for a night, we shall all be Africans!

For more information on Oumou Sangare's appearance at Caramoor visit us at
http://www.caramoor.org/festival/new-and-unusual#july23

Meet the Perfect Houseplant: Puffy and Indestructible

2011-04-19T10:51:00.000-04:00

I've never been a big fan of cacti or other succulents as houseplants; they seem too harsh for my home. Perhaps their geometric lines would go well in a clean, contemporary dwelling, but their spiky stems somehow seem out of place in my traditional, clutter-filled Cape.

A recent visit to Caramoor's greenhouse changed my mind. The place is packed to the rafters with foliage as horticulturist Clifford Dickson prepares for the annual plant sale, scheduled for April 28 through May 1. For months now he's been growing new plants, and they are literally hanging off the ceiling and climbing up the walls.

His assortment includes vegetables, flowers, container plants, ground cover, herbs, roses, vines, houseplants, and even “pumpkin-on-a-stick,” a non-edible eggplant that features clusters of five-inch round orange fruit, perfect for decorative arrangements. A great deal of his hothouse real estate is devoted to succulents: stonecrop (sedum sexangulare), kalanchoe, kiwi aeonium, crassula graptopetalum (aka ghost plant), echeveria elegans, sedum morganianum (aka donkey tail plant) and many more fantastically named specimens. And unlike some of their spiky cacti cousins, these succulents are indeed luscious, almost tender. They’re curvy and colorful, with stacks of pillow-like leaves circulating out from a center stem. They’re soft and puffy, ideal accents for the jumble of stuff that passes for decorating in my house. Not only do they look good, but they’re practically indestructible, requiring only occasional watering. A perfect plant for people who are too busy, or, like me, too forgetful, to nurture their garden friends.
Caramoor’s annual Plant Sale starts on Thursday, April 28 and runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Saturday, April 30. On Sunday, May 1, hours are noon to 3:00 p.m.

Christina Horzepa
Caramoor Contributor

Creating at Caramoor - Part 1: Why St. Luke’s?*

2011-04-15T15:04:00.004-04:00

I’m happy to blog about OSL with the hope that my enthusiasm for the Orchestra will encourage people to experience one of its thrilling performances at the Venetian Theater. Of course, I can’t be at all objective about the band. Before I came to Caramoor, I was Operations Director for OSL and before that I was a French Horn player who had studied, played with and befriended many of the players, beginning during our days together at the Juilliard School. More recently, singing bass in the Collegiate Chorale , I was able to combine my love of singing, my admiration for OSL, my deep affection for Caramoor and my reverence for truly great music by participating in an Opening Night performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at Caramoor (2005 Festival). That “full-throated, heart-pounding roar” was all around me. Wow!

Paul Rosenblum

Managing Director, Caramoor

Why St. Luke’s?*

Because—

The Orchestra of St. Luke’s excels in all musical styles and has long been recognized as one of New York City’s premiere symphony and opera orchestras. The orchestra is a perfect match for Caramoor’s magnificent Venetian Theater and its excellent unamplified acoustics. There’s never any doubt that an OSL performance, covering the musical spectrum from the delicate lyricism of Ravel’s Pavane to the full-throated heart-pounding roar of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, will deliver excitement and exhilaration as promised and expected, delighting old fans and astonishing new audiences.

This summer The Orchestra of St. Luke’s will appear at Caramoor six times and each performance will be a highlight of the Caramoor Festival. OSL has been the Orchestra in Residence of the Caramoor International Music Festival since its founding at Caramoor in 1979. It has been an outstanding collaboration of inestimable value to both organizations and a source of pleasure and quality entertainment for Caramoor’s many summer visitors.

This season OSL will open the Festival in HMS Pinafore, by Gilbert and Sullivan, appear on July 3rd to celebrate Independence Day, return for Rossini’s greatest opera, William Tell, and survey the great works of the symphonic repertoire with soloists Sarah Chang, Alisa Weilerstein and Jennifer Koh, conducted by Douglas Boyd and Pablo Heras-Casado.

*Because—

Orchestra of St. Luke’s is named for the Church of St. Luke in the Fields, in Greenwich Village, New York City. The St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble, the orchestra’s musical and corporate ancestor, was founded in 1974. It established a musical residency at, and adopted the name of the church at that time, but the relationship ended when the church was damaged by fire in 1981 and closed for several years. The name, however, stuck.

http://www.caramoor.org/festival/orchestraofstlukes
http://www.oslmusic.org/

The Jaspers Reflect on Their Two Year Residency

2011-04-05T13:05:00.003-04:00

This residency period, while marking the end of our involvement with the Student Strings program at Caramoor, offered us the remarkable opportunity to work with students and teachers that we have gotten to know over the course of the past two years. Seeing the growth of these students and programs, and more importantly getting to know the people involved, was one of the most rewarding parts of our Caramoor residency. This last residency also allowed us to reflect on our own group's evolution over the past two years.

When we first came to Caramoor, in the fall of 2009, we were the graduate quartet-in-residence at Yale University. For all of our career aspirations, we had no clear path to a concert career. On the occasion of our most recent residency, we are in a much different position. We are completing our first season out of school and we have a manager, a recording contract, residencies, and enough concerts to live on. Caramoor played a vital role for us by both supporting and encouraging us through this transition.

In our first Student Strings workshops we worked to relate to the students in a professional and engaging way. By our last residency we were able to build on existing relationships with the students and teachers. This was wonderful and challenged us to expand the variety and scope of what we talked about.

The schools are a big part of the residency, but they are only one aspect of our stay at Caramoor. Because we live together during the residency, elaborate quartet meals are interspersed with our usual rehearsals and business discussions. There is always at least one good story that characterizes our stay, and this spring it was the discovery on the 4th day that we had been drinking decaffeinated coffee since our arrival! (this may have had to do with a certain violist's early morning coffee bean purchase)

Our concert in the Rosen House was a great opportunity to play for the Caramoor audience in the lovely and unique Music Room again. The relationship between an audience and performers is hard to define, but like any other relationship it grows with time. Playing for an audience that we know, and that knows us, we can share an expanded narrative. Partly this is a narrative that we express through our performance and programming. It is also the narrative of a relationship that parallels how our group has grown over the past two years.

We look forward to our final concert as the Ernst C. Stiefel String Quartet-in-Residence on the 4th of August in the Spanish Courtyard. If you would like any more information about us or our other performances, please feel free to visit our website: http://www.jasperquartet.com/

To view videos of the Jaspers in action go to www.youtube.com/caramoor and let them know what you think about their teaching style!

Larry and Adela Elow Discuss the Cabaret at Caramoor

2011-03-31T16:35:00.001-04:00

1) What attracted you to Caramoor, and how did your relationship with Caramoor begin?
LARRY ELOW: We began going to concerts in 1968 because Caramoor was conveniently located in Westchester. But on that first summer evening when were greeted at the Horsehead Gate by Lucie Rosen, we realized that Caramoor was something very special, something beyond the first class music: there was the enchanting setting, the feeling of intimacy, and the hard to define simple magic of the place.

ADELA ELOW: Forty three years later that magic endures. And we have been part of the evolution of Caramoor from its modest beginnings to the world-class institution that it is today. During that time we felt that The American Popular Songbook deserved a place in Caramoor, and in 1995 we were successful in introducing the Caramoor public to Barbara Cook, and in the years to follow, numerous other cabaret singers.

2) What ignited your passion for cabaret? How do you feel that cabaret fits into the history of the American Songbook?
LE: As a jazz pianist and writer of songs for movies and TV, I have had a lifelong love affair with the music of our wonderful golden age of American Popular Song. Adela shares that love with me, and this art form has occupied an important place in our lives. These were the “standards”- written by that special and uniquely brilliant group of lyricists and composers that flourished from the 20’s to the 50’s. These songs formed the essence of America’s three great musical gifts to the world: Jazz, Popular Song and the Modern Musical Theater.

AE: We grew up listening to this music. During those years, these songs pervaded our culture—they were a significant part of the lives of every age group. Teenagers knew the lyrics from the records they listened to, and the songsheets they bought for a dime. Adults and children heard these songs on the radio, in nightclubs, in movies, the theatre and later on TV. These songs expressed the ethos, the character and values of what came to be known as The Greatest Generation: the romance, grace, sensitivity, idealism and all those other life attitudes that we took for granted.
LE: But sadly, this music and the sensibility it expressed, was swept away during the cultural convulsions of the 60’s, and is now kept alive mostly in cabaret performances. Contrast Yip Harburg’s Academy Award winner: “Over The Rainbow”, with the song that was awarded the Oscar in the 2006 ceremony. The title of that “best song” of 2005 is too obnoxious to be worthy of mention here. Fortunately, cabaret singers are singing songs like “Over The Rainbow”, as well as those written by the few young composers who still practice the high art and craftsmanship of those that preceded them.

3) Cabaret at Caramoor is presented in a concert style, which differs from most cabaret presentations where people are seated at tables and enjoy dinner during the performance. How do you think that the atmosphere of the music room — and the arrangement of the music room chairs— affects people’s experience at the cabaret?

LE: The term “cabaret” was borrowed from the cabarets in France and Germany, and came into use in the post-Rock era to give some cachet to describe the live performance of a specific kind of music: The American Popular Songbook. So “cabaret” in this sense describes a certain kind of music -- not a place.
AE: The concert style seating at Caramoor in the Music Room is the same at many of the most prominent “cabaret” venues in New York, such as the Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Town Hall, Symphony Space, Carnegie Hall and the 92nd Street Y. And at places like the Oak Room at the Algonquin, The Carlyle, Feinstein’s and the Metropolitan Room (the equivalent of what used to be called “nightclubs”) no food is served during the performance.
LE: The audience is there to listen carefully, with no distractions. The lyrics are so vital, and the emotional connection with the singer so intense, that any distraction is unwelcome. So the Music Room is the perfect setting for cabaret, as it combines concert seating in a more intimate setting than the typically larger venues.

4) You are responsible for choosing the cabaret artist each year. How do you go about choosing the artists, and are there any artists that you’d particularly love to bring here in the future?
AE: We are privileged to have grown up during that golden age of creativity, and to have experienced live performances by all the legendary singers of this art form, among them Lena Horne, Peggy Lee, Judy Garland, Nat “King” Cole, Frank Sinatra, MelTormé, Mabel Mercer and countless others. Each year we see dozens of cabaret artists, young and old, new and established, in performance.
LE: When we observe an outstanding artist, who deserves wider recognition, we make sure we see the exact show that will be performed at Caramoor, since singers have various shows in their repertoire. With each singer I review the entire show, add or delete material and help with continuity. As producers and underwriters, we are responsible for the entire evening, a responsibility we take seriously.

5) You work together to make sure every detail of the cabaret is just right. What is it like working together as a team?

LE: We have been “working together” for 60 years, and it’s been a joy every moment. So working on cabaret projects as a team comes naturally to us. Adela had a very successful career as a fashion designer of women’s apparel, and later as a professional artist and sculptor. She is the visual, artistic member of our team. Through computer graphics she designs and produces the invitations and promotional materials for the events, and plans the Champagne and Dessert Reception.

AE: Being very visual, I’m aware of how to enhance the appearance of the artist on stage. I will often suggest what to wear and what accessories will go with their outfit. Sometimes it’s also important to show them how to brighten up their face with jewelry, makeup and hairstyle.

LE: Many of the artists in the field know us as mentors; they are our “cabaret children”. They will accept our suggestions because they know that our only goal and reward is promoting the singers of these classic songs and finding work for them. The songs will disappear if nobody sings them. We help them get performance dates in various venues in Westchester and the city, and sometimes we underwrite the event, as we do with the annual Cabaret in the Music Room benefit.

Michael Barrett Discusses the Vocal Rising Stars Program

2011-03-30T13:24:00.001-04:00

Chief Executive and General Director Michael Barrett is widely renowned for his work as an administrator, a conductor, a pianist, and a mentor to young artists. Having grown up a protégé of Leonard Bernstein, Mr. Barrett has a particular fondness for educating young artists and has continued to bolster Caramoor’s mentoring program in the past several years. The Vocal Rising Stars program, which began in 2008 in collaboration with the New York Festival of Song, exemplifies Mr. Barrett’s unique ability to nurture young artists and help them to understand their full potential.

In this short interview, Mr. Barrett talks about his experience during this year’s Vocal Rising Stars program.

Talk to Michael! Leave a comment and let him know what you think the mentoring programs at Caramoor

Nick Urata from DeVotchKa plays the Caramoor Theremin

2011-03-28T16:31:00.003-04:00

Last week Nick Urata from the band DeVotchKa traveled up to Caramoor to play Lucie Rosen's theremin, which was built by Leon Theremin in 1938. Mr. Urata was struck by the warmth of our theremin's sound and the antique beauty of the instrument. Check out this clip, which shows Mr. Urata testing out the instrument and talking with Warren Hammer, Caramoor's technical director.

Cabaret: Listen to the Lyrics Play

2011-03-22T10:18:00.002-04:00

My kids always get excited when they recognize “my” music on the radio, since it’s like an exercise in musical paleontology, unearthing some ancient relic and correctly identifying it. “Oh Mommy, that’s the Beatles!” “It’s the Clash, isn’t it?” “This sounds like the Talking Heads.” I’m always happy when it happens—happy to hear my favorite tunes and happier still to share them with my kids, who have a lot of catching up to do in terms of musical history. Thanks to technology like Pandora and Internet radio, it’s easy for us to explore bygone eras (like ancient ‘80s alternative rock) and compare various styles and genres. Occasionally we’ll take an online “tour” to sample covers. After hearing “Fiebre” by La Lupe on the radio the other day, we launched an iTunes search to compare the Spanish lyrics to the English; we discovered dozens of “Fevers,” including covers by Beyoncé, Céline Dion, Madonna, Elvis, Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee, and, of course, my favorite, The Cramps.

For me, our foray into the depths of iTunes was a fun diversion. The kids, who were impressed by the mere idea that two (or more!) versions of the same song could exist, found the exercise revelatory. Wait until they sample some of the 200 iTunes versions of Over the Rainbow! I don’t have the patience for that, and will opt instead to hear it sung by Karen Oberlin as part of Caramoor’s Cabaret in the Music Room, on April 30. The concert will feature music by Yip Harburg, who wrote Over the Rainbow, April in Paris, and many other popular tunes, which the kids and I can sample via iTunes on the next rainy day.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Orchestra of St. Luke’s Has a New Home: The DiMenna Center Takes a Bow and Get’s a Standing Ovation

2011-03-10T15:00:00.001-05:00

I’m moved to write about the exciting open house at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, which I attended on Tuesday afternoon. The spiffy new facility has gotten a lot of press in the past few days and deservedly so. Its set of beautiful new spaces will bring order, ease, comfort and quality to the job of preparing classical concerts by the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and other “homeless” organizations which provide so much high-quality music making, year-round, for New Yorkers.

For purposes of full disclosure here, I should say that from 1989 - 1992 I was Director of Operations for OSL , so I am especially aware of how difficult and unrewarding it has been to find barely adequate spaces in the city for preparing events that eventually take place in major concert halls. The halls themselves only provide the facility once for rehearsal just prior to the concert. However, the orchestra may need to rehearse several other times to properly prepare. The choice of such spaces, while not abundant, is not overly limited. However, the quality of the spaces, in terms of acoustics, lighting, ambience, location, etc., varies from problematic to abominable, making the rigorous work of rehearsing music akin to painting in the dark or cooking haut cuisine over a campfire—it can be done but why would you want to?

So now the DiMenna Center and especially the Mary Flagler Cary Hall. http://www.oslmusic.org/images/stories/Cary.jpg I’d imagine that the members of OSL must think they’ve gone to heaven without dying. Just look at the pictures and you’ll get the idea. http://www.oslmusic.org/images/Image/OSL_in_Cary.jpg Not only does the room, and the other rooms as well, look and feel beautiful, it also sounds fantastic. In this context, that means everyone can hear each other and the conductor can hear everything, clearly and well-balanced. No more groping deafly for an approximation of accuracy in reproducing what’s in the score while waiting for the one rehearsal at the concert venue to begin the process all over again. Such a reduction in the amount of obstruction and frustration can only lead to unimaginably greater performances from this great orchestra. There is nothing else like this, a rehearsal hall as modern and effective as the finest concert halls in New York City. Kudos and Bravos to all our friends at OSL who, with vision, persistence and immensely hard work, accomplished something unprecedented of which Hugh Hardy the chief architect, said at the opening ceremonies, “Now that it exists, it all seems so obvious.”

This summer, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the Orchestra in Residence of the Caramoor International Music Festival, will prepare for all of their Caramoor appearances in their own home. In addition Will Crutchfield, Rachelle Jonck, and the whole Bel Canto at Caramoor opera company, will rehearse there daily for more than a month as they prepare Rossini’s Guillaume Tell and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore. We’re delighted to share the advantages of this exciting new facility in its inaugural season.

Paul Rosenblum

Managing Director, Caramoor

Press coverage

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/arts/music/orchestra-of-st-lukes-gets-a-new-home.html?scp=3&sq=oestreich%20dimenna&st=cse

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/10/arts/music/orchestra-of-st-lukes-is-at-home-at-dimenna-center.html?scp=1&sq=oestreich%20dimenna&st=cse

Meet Vocal Rising Star Corinne Winters

2011-03-09T17:39:00.001-05:00

"Today you will meet soprano, Corrine Winters. I hope you enjoy reading her answers."

1) Steven Blier and Michael Barrett have done pioneering work in the area of the vocal recital. Are you excited to be working with them? What do you hope to learn from them?

I am ecstatic to have this opportunity to work with Steven and Michael – two incredibly special pianists and artists. Not only have they worked with legendary vocal artists, but they are known for putting together thought-provoking, cohesive recital programs. There are many people that can help with vocalism, but I hope to grow artistically with them.

2) Here at Caramoor you and the other Vocal Rising Stars are immersing yourselves in Spanish song. How do you prepare for a week like this, and how does this music differ from what you normally work on?

Well, since I’ve only sung in Spanish once before, I had to spend a significant amount of time speaking the text with my Spanish-speaking friends and also studying great singers of the style. Victoria de los Angeles, for example, is one of my idols and is especially beautiful in her native style.

3) This season you are joining the roster of the Metropolitan Opera for the production of Das Rheingold, and you are making your Met debut as Countess Ceprano in Rigoletto. Can you describe how you’re feeling about these upcoming engagements? What does the Met symbolize for you?

The Met is really the Mecca of opera, especially for American singers. I feel honored to be part of this prestigious company at such a young age, and to be able to learn from all of the “pros” I come in contact with there is a real luxury!

4) Given that you are pursuing a career in opera, why take this detour in the genre of the song repertoire?

Song repertoire challenges the mind – it’s less about the sheer vocalism and more about the words and colors. Since song recitals are performed in smaller halls, one can take more risks vocally. Taking these risks and trying new colors only enrich my singing of opera.

5) What are you dreams and aspirations?

My dreams are to sing on the operatic stages – not necessarily to be “famous”, but to work with the most talented and most committed singers, directors, conductors, and orchestras. I’d also love to continue to do song recitals and try new projects.

Meet Vocal Rising Star Carlton Ford

2011-03-08T10:20:00.004-05:00

"Today you will meet baritone, Carlton Ford. I hope you enjoy reading his thoughtful answers to our questions."

1) You have had the opportunity to work with both Steven Blier and Michael Barrett before; are you excited to be working with them again? What do you hope to learn from working with them this time around?
I first worked with Steve during my first year at Juilliard at the recommendation of the head of the voice department because I was learning a piece that was actually composed for Steve, "Shadow of the Blues". We hit it off immediately and began to work together every week for the next three years. Throughout work I met Michael Barrett who I have come to admire greatly, our first time working together was on the "Killer B's" project. Each time I work with either Steve or Michael it's absolutely the most musically freeing and organic experience you can have. Neither of them are satisfied with a 'great' performance; they really nudge you to go beyond your normal comfort zone toward a performance that is truly cathartic.

2) Here at Caramoor you and the other Vocal Rising Stars are immersing yourselves in Spanish song. How do you prepare for a week like this, and how does this music differ from what you normally work on?

Well this music is stylistically most similar to Italian music in its character and, aside from learning the many varied changes in pronunciation according to the dialect, it's very straightforward music.

3)What’s the difference between putting on a costume and portraying a character, and just standing on stage as yourself, delivering a song to an audience?

It depends on the character of the piece and the style, or formality, of the evening. I like to look at recital repertoire, as opposed to operatic, as a chance for you to put on display your personal stake in the text as set by the composer. In opera you bypass yourself in a sense and aim your goal toward inhabiting the character. But in recital, just as on the operatic stage, every gesture, glance, breath and step has to contribute to the audiences understanding of the text.

4) Can you tell me about the HBO series “Masterclass” that you were recently featured in? What was it like working with Placido Domingo? How has this opportunity affected your career?

The opportunity to take part in the HBO series came as result of a competition I did in 2006. I was called and asked whether I'd feel about singing for Maestro Domingo within the next three days, my answer was an immediate "Yes!", due to his hectic schedule a last minute filming was all they that would work. After the initial filming in Washington, DC, we spent a day with him in NY at his restaurant and at his east side apartment in Manhattan. I learned many invaluable things from the conversations, but the thing that had the biggest impact was experiencing how much of a nurturer he was. He realizes the place he has made for himself in the operatic pantheon, but he was willing to take time out of his schedule to spend the day with us four young singers. I learned that a career is never too important to forget to be a human being and give back in some fashion. That was a really great affirmation for me.

5)What are your dreams and aspirations?

To continue to sing and sharpen my skills for my craft. My favorite quote of Maestro Domingo's is, 'One is never ready. There is always something more to be found'.

You can leave a comment below with questions or remarks for Carlton.

Meet Vocal Rising Star Andrew Owens

2011-03-07T16:33:00.008-05:00

“Caramoor’s annual Vocal Rising Stars week is underway! The Vocal Rising Stars program focuses on vocal chamber music and the art of song in recital providing singers with an opportunity to form collaborative partnerships with one another, the Caramoor staff, and the coaches/accompanists who also participate in the residency program. We can’t wait for the week to unfold. Each day this week we will present an interview with one of the vocal rising stars; I hope you take time to read what each of the stars had to say. First up: meet vocal rising star Andrew Owens.”

1) How did you become acquainted with NYFOS, and what are you hoping to learn from working with Steven Blier and Michael Barrett?

I sang an audition in New York this past Fall and Steven was present. A couple months later I was in Austria and received a call from him. We spoke about my audition and he said that he was very interested in me for an upcoming NYFOS project. When I returned to the States, I came up to New York and sang through some songs and arias at his home and he asked me if I would be interested in singing on the 'Spanish Gold' program. I was thrilled!

Not being entirely familiar with the Spanish repertoire, I am looking forward to discovering some great new music. Not just mine, but the pieces my colleagues are singing as well! NYFOS is incredible at programming recitals. I attended 'Night & Day/USA' last month. I was floored by how they could take a cluster of songs, each one completely different from the next in multiple capacities, and weave them into a cohesive story. This time, as a performer rather than an audience member, I'll have a 'behind-the-scenes' look at how something like this is accomplished! I'm very excited :)

2) Here at Caramoor you and the other Vocal Rising Stars are immersing yourselves in Spanish song. How do you prepare for a week like this, and how does this music differ from what you normally work on?

I think going in relaxed, well-rested, with a clear head, and ready to work is the best way to prepare one's self for a week like this. I don't have too much experience singing in Spanish, aside from a one-act opera by Manuel de Falla I sang while in school. Vocally, the music suits me quite well and sits in a comfortable range. Steven and Michael are really wonderful at choosing music that showcases their singers and fits their voices.

3) What’s the difference between putting on a costume and portraying a character, and just standing on stage as yourself, delivering a song to an audience?

Well, I think we are always portraying characters, whether or not we are in costume. The challenge for the singer in a recital setting is to be able to tell numerous different stories throughout the course of an evening, each of them lasting no more than a few minutes. In an opera, you just have one character, but a much-longer amount of time in which to develop him/her. A song can be very difficult, because you must condense a character into a 3-minute piece of music.

4) Is coming to the VRS Caramoor/NYFOS program a “career move”, or are you just trying to deepen your knowledge of music

Well, to be honest, it's a bit of both! This certainly is a major step for me, as it is my very first concert appearance on a New York stage, but to go into this process thinking of it as a "career move" can alter your mindset and potentially rob you of obtaining the wealth of expertise and knowledge we have at our disposal in Steven and Michael and the entire staff. I met with Steven to work on some of the music prior to departing for Caramoor. In that short amount of time, I came away with so much, not just in regards to phrasing and the language, but vocal issues as well. We worked on areas where I was having difficulties and made significant progress in that short amount of time. It just made me even more excited to get to work up at Caramoor!

5) What are your dreams and aspirations?

Quite the question! I think "dreams" and "aspirations" extends beyond what I hope for in a professional career. There's a great scene from the film The Shawshank Redemption where Tim Robbins' character says "get busy living, or get busy dying". It's so true. I really have a 'thirst for knowledge', as much as I dislike that saying. I want to learn about a broad range of topics and really enrich my life. Be it art, film, music, dance, religion, history, cooking, auto repair, you name it! Given the resources we have at our fingertips these days, many of these goals are easily attainable. I also have a fierce fascination with languages, especially dialects. I hope to learn a number of them before my time is up. So singing a recital of Spanish songs, with some of them being in Catalan, Galician, and Basque, is more than I could hope for as an aspiring polyglot :) Many people say that they "just want to be happy". If I can look back on my life and know that I kept busy and was learning new things every day, I will be happy :)

You can leave a comment below with any questions or remarks you have for Andrew.

Snow Day Survival Kit: Think Summer Sun and Music

2011-02-17T15:30:00.001-05:00

Last week, with the dawn of yet another snow day that closed schools and set off a new round of cabin fever, came the discouraging news that our school district may be forced to shorten spring vacation to make up for the many school days lost to “inclement weather.” Our family’s “snow day survival kit,” the collection of board games, craft projects, and ample reliance on TV time, has been in need of replenishment for some time now.

Luckily, on that very same day Caramoor announced its Family Fun schedule, bringing a welcome boost to the “survival kit’s” emotional component. After spending all morning chipping away at the ice-encrusted driveway, I happily took a break to schedule my summer plans, which thanks to Caramoor now include several hot options:

Dancing at Dusk, an outdoor concert series on four Wednesday afternoons, will feature traditional Celtic fiddle tunes, a Bouzouki band, the Southern Italian music of I Giullari di Piazza, and a sampling of Brazilian samba music. These concerts, which appeal to grown-ups and kids alike, offer a chance to dance in the summer sun while learning about other cultures and musical styles. Ah, the mere thought of summer sun, not to mention wonderful music, melts the ice of my frozen February heart

This year Caramoor is offering half-price tickets for kids under 16 during “Independence Day” week, which includes a concert on Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello; an evening of American Roots Music; and the annual Pops, Patriots, and Fireworks celebration. The fireworks concert—on Sunday, July 3—usually sells out, so get your tickets now!

Caramoor’s al fresco concerts, scheduled for Sunday afternoons on the picnic lawn, offer a chance to introduce your family to high quality “grown-up” music at an affordable price. This summer’s concerts include a performance by the Emerson String Quartet; a focus on Mahler’s Vienna; music from the Copland House; and a Sonidos Latinos presentation of Brazilian music.

On July 16, Caramoor’s annual Family Concert features Katie Kresek and Kaleidoscope, who will present Finding Your Way through a Concert. Kaleidoscope, which is the Teaching Artists Ensemble of the New York Philharmonic, promises to teach “how to navigate through the complex and dynamic world of classical music” by “engaging children and their families through rhythmic activities, singing, close listening, questioning, and movement.” Family concert host, Katie Kresek, will help audiences “create their own “listeners survival kit” so that they'll never get lost in a classical music concert again

If only they could contribute to my “snow day survival kit”!

Christina Horzepa

Caramoor Contributor

Bring on the Chocolate

2010-03-30T09:39:00.000-04:00

I am always trying to get my kids to eat healthy food. They, in turn, are constantly looking for new ways to finagle sweets. I have tried all sorts of devious tricks to sneak healthy ingredients into their meals; their tactic in this decade-long battle consists of constant attempts to exhaust my resolve. If they ask for candy 100 times, they know I’ll eventually give in on 101.

This year I’m making one last attempt to encourage healthy eating habits. We’re going to grow our own garden—perhaps a venture in veggies will spur a gusto for green. I’m hoping backyard cultivation will lead to dinnertime consumption.

Caramoor’s Annual Plant Sale is my inspiration. Scheduled for Wednesday, April 28 through Sunday, May 2, the sale features all sorts of wonderful vegetables, flowers, and succulents from Caramoor’s greenhouse. There are some especially tantalizing tomatoes, like the "Tomatoberry,” which is the same size and shape as a strawberry with an intense tomato flavor, and a native plant referred to as "Strawberry Spinach," which boasts edible leaves and a mulberry-like fruit. Despite its name, I doubt the "Chocolate Tomato" plant will fool my candy-crazed kids, but I’m sure once it’s growing in our backyard, I can convince them to sample its fruit.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Rave Reviews for Vocal Rising Stars

2010-03-23T10:35:00.001-04:00

Read what Roger Evan's had to say about his first hand experience with this year's Vocal Rising Stars when he visited Caramoor last week. Read his blog at http://rogerevansonline.com/2010/03/20/rising-stars-ligh-the-sweetest-path/

Roger Evans, based in New York, is engaged in promotion of music and musicians through imaginative use of media, especially with some of the fine composers at Peermusic Classical.

Continuing Ed

2010-03-23T10:32:00.001-04:00

While most people initially think of Caramoor as a performance venue, education also features prominently in its mission. This summer Caramoor’s family programs—designed to educate as well as entertain—will feature music from all over the world.

Here’s a preview of what’s to come, arranged as a quiz to test your musical knowledge.

Match the instrument to its country (and be thankful you don’t have to pronounce their names!):

Instrument                  Country
1) Uillean pipe          a. Sweden
2) Bouzouki              b. India
3) Tabla                    c. Greece
4) Doumbek             d. Ireland
5) Nyckelharpa         e. Turkey
6) Balafon                 f. Guinea

Answers: 1:d; 2:c; 3:b; 4:e; 5:a; 6:f.

On July 17 Sandra Wong and The New Trad Trio perform traditional folk music from around the world played on over a dozen different instruments, including the Swedish nyckelharpa, the Irish Uillean pipes, and the Greek bouzouki.

A concert by Djinn on July 14 will include belly dancing and beatboxing set to the pulsing rhythms of the doumbek, a drum that’s popular in Turkey, Egypt, and other Middle Eastern countries.

One of the most respected balafon players in the world, Famoro Dioubate, from Guinea, will introduce this West African xylophone to Caramoor audiences on July 28 with the group Kakande.

An August 11 concert features Layakari and the Indian tabla.

These are just a few highlights from the 2010 season; for a full listing of family concerts, visit Caramoor’s website.
Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Musicality

2010-03-15T16:39:00.001-04:00

As someone with no musical talent, I’ve watched in awe as my kids have mastered basic piano. However, I’m keenly aware of the difference between technical ability and musicality, or musical expression. My kids may be able to improve their technique by boosting the hours they spend practicing, but how can they learn musicality? According to the Jasper String Quartet, Caramoor’s 2009-10 Ernst Stiefel String Quartet-in-Residence, teaching it is tricky.

The Jaspers will be at Caramoor this month to lead the Student Strings program, which offers workshops for middle- and high- school string students. Students at participating schools will benefit from hands-on instruction as the Jaspers work with them to demonstrate technique and encourage musical expression.

According to the Jasper's cellist, Rachel Henderson Freivogel, the Student Strings program is rewarding for the quartet as well as for the students. "Not only do we get to share what we've learned, but the program also encourages us to figure out how to talk about music," she explains.

Unlike me, the Jaspers are good at talking about music. According to reviews, they excel at performing. On March 20, when they appear at Caramoor, their Student Strings protégés-as well as the general public-will be able to witness how technique and musicality come together to create inspiring music.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Meet the Vocal Rising Stars

2010-03-08T16:48:00.004-05:00

This year's Vocal Rising Stars:

Charlotte Dobbs, soprano

Rebecca Jo Loeb, mezzo-soprano

Matthew Peña, tenor

John Brancy, baritone

The Vocal Rising Stars are rehearsing at Caramoor all week under the guidance of Artistic Director Steven Blier, and vocal coach Michael Barrett. During a staff lunch today, we got to meet these rising stars and ask some questions about themselves. Here are their responses:

What are you hoping to gain from your week-long residency at Caramoor?
Charlotte Dobbs: A deep understanding of these songs and insight into the French repertoire.

Rebecca Jo Loeb: Hopefully I'll finally learn how to sing this week.

Matthew Peña: Pride that I worked, stretched, and rose to the occasion of performing with such an inspiring group of smart, intelligent, and talented musicians.

John Brancy: Develop a close relationship with the French repertoire both textually and emotionally. Also, fall in love with NYFOS and Caramoor.

What is the most challenging piece you ever had to sing?
Charlotte Dobbs:
It’s a tie: Rosina in the Barber of Seville, which takes a lot of focus, stamina, and attention to detail, and Governess in Turn of the Screw—she almost never leaves the stage so there’s no time to relax during the opera! Both are grueling but tremendously rewarding roles.

Rebecca Jo Loeb: Das Andreas Garten – Ursula Mamlock

Matthew Peña: Sober Karaoke

John Brancy:
The most challenging work was a recent undertaking of new music composed by Evan Fein—13 new art songs composed entirely in the Icelandic language.

Who is your favorite contemporary artist?
Charlotte Dobbs: Lorraine Hunt Lieberson

Rebecca Jo Loeb: Bobby McFerrin

Matthew Peña: De Kooning
John Brancy: Stevie Wonder

Describe yourself in three words.
Charlotte Dobbs:
Steve Blier says I am: ethereal, unique, and brilliant. Michael Barrett says I am: luminous, empathetic, and intuitive

Rebecca Jo Loeb: Stubborn, Engaging, Funny

Matthew Peña: “Grande dark roast”

John Brancy: Creative, Burgeoning, and Seve Blier says “precious.”

When Good Plants Go Bad

2010-03-02T09:28:00.000-05:00

The other day I ran into Caramoor's gardener, Clifford Dickson, who happened to mention that a few of his tropical plants had died recently. Knowing how much he loves plants, especially the tropicals, I expressed my sympathy. To my surprise, he smiled and brushed off my concern. "It just means it's time for something new," he explained.

When my houseplants die, as they seem to do with disconcerting regularity, I take it personally. My conversation with Cliff convinced me that I need a new philosophy. Maybe my questionable gardening skills aren't always to blame. After all, many of my plants have lasted for years, and continue to thrive, no matter what I do. When an occasional plant withers away, maybe it simply means it's time for something new. With this in mind, I’m looking forward to Caramoor’s annual garden sale, scheduled for late-April/early-May, to give my green thumb a fresh start.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

The Sweetest Path

2010-02-23T10:26:00.001-05:00

For me, the "sweetest path" is the route that leads from my house to the school bus stop, and my progress along this well-worn route each school day is punctuated with cries of "Hurry up, run! We're late!"

But for the singers who participate in Caramoor's Vocal Rising Stars Program, the "sweetest path" might be the one that meanders through Caramoor's gardens. Last year, during rehearsals for the inaugural Vocal Rising Stars concert, the four young singers chosen to participate in the mentoring program could be spotted after-hours strolling along Caramoor's paths, pausing to sing at various stops along the way. Their spontaneous outbursts of song-after full days of coaching with mentors and rehearsing with directors Michael Barrett and Steven Blier-make complete sense at Caramoor, where the lush gardens and Renaissance atmosphere inspire flights of artistic fancy.

Last year the vocalists focused on Irish poets; this year's concert celebrates French art song, with works by Gounod, Fauré, Bizet, and Chabrier, in a program titled "The Sweetest Path." This year's singers-Charlotte Dobbs, Rebecca Jo Loeb, Matthew Peña and John Brancy-are all young professionals on the brink of promising careers.

As part of the Caramoor Classics series, the March 13 concert is appropriate for families with children over age eight. After the concert, you won't catch me strolling and singing. But you might find me meandering and murmuring, "Hey guys, stop for a minute and check out these sprouting daffodils!"

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

"I Do"-Over

2010-02-09T10:26:00.000-05:00

Every now and then I get the urge for a wedding do-over. Usually it’s triggered by sartorial regret—I’ll come across a dazzling dress or really striking shoes. But upon hearing last week that Caramoor was rated by local brides and voted The Knot Best of Weddings 2010 Pick, I developed a severe case of do-over blues. Instead of picking a convenient Connecticut country club for my celebration, it’s clear I should have chosen a more meaningful site. After all, in my first decade of married life I haven’t once returned to the site of my wedding reception (and why would I? I don’t golf!). Not only does Caramoor offer the most romantic setting for a wedding, but it also features an emotional connection, a built-in reason to return year after year. I certainly can’t afford a complete do-over, or even a tiny trace of a do-over. But maybe this year I’ll celebrate my wedding anniversary with a concert and picnic in the gardens. I’ll wear white and carry calla lilies.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Living Like Lucie

2010-01-11T14:43:00.002-05:00

Last year, for the first time ever, I managed to achieve my new year’s resolutions. Granted, I aimed low, with a very simple—yet surprisingly satisfying—vow: listen to more music.

Among other things, my “to do” list included getting tickets to Caramoor’s spring concerts and Summer Festival; visiting iTunes regularly; and subscribing to a few music magazines. I also checked out some online radio stations, thereby expanding the variety of music playing in the house, making everyone much happier.

This year, I plan to broaden my scope, taking a cue from one of Caramoor’s founders, Lucie Rosen. Lucie and her husband, Walter, built Caramoor in the 1930s as a showcase for art and music. They entertained friends with music performances and fine dining before opening their home for public concerts in 1946. Although my house is sorely lacking in the art department, and the music is likely to be piped in via broadband rather than live, there’s no reason why I can’t live large (on a small scale). So in 2010, I will try to live more like Lucie: more parties, more visits with friends, more socializing, and more music!

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Rave Reviews

2009-12-17T09:52:00.001-05:00

The Jasper String Quartet is Caramoor's 11th Ernst Stiefel String Quartet-in-Residence. Somers High School participated in this year's Student Strings program. Below are some essays written by the students who experienced working with the quartet and their reaction to the Nov. 22nd concert.

Review #1 - The concert amazed me! I was surprised by my reaction to the music. I enjoyed it more than I expected. I enjoyed the wonderful music, the skills of these musicians and the stories behind the music.

I love the second piece! I can get the idea that it was written by a composer who was sand and depressed. It was dark and deep with a lot of crescendo in it. It’s a lot different from Beethoven’s music. There’s a lot of pp and subito forte in it. The cello gave a strong support while the violinist played the main melody. It became happier and brighter toward the end.

As an audience, I prefer the third piece of music. It’s from “The Life”. It has three movements. This piece is not as dramatic as the second piece. It’s easier to hear the melody of the music. It has a more narrow range than the last one. Most of the notes concentrate in the low-pitch area. In addition to the lower pitch, there’s more weight put on the cello. It makes this piece of music more powerful and energetic than the last one. The middle part of the second movement gives me a sense of comfort with humor and happiness.

I have been to a lot of concerts before. But these four musicians make me believe that music is not only an organized sound, but also a way to express emotion, share one’s ideas and tell a story.

Review #2 - I was very surprised at the concert. Usually when I thought of violins and cellos, I thought that it would be boring to listen to. But, it wasn’t as boring at all and I actually really liked it. The music was a lot brighter and more intense then I thought it would be. I also thought that the way the musicians performed very enthusiastically really brighten up the whole performance. I thought it was really cool how the musicians were able to use their instruments to sound like ice, a train, or like the accordion. I never knew how exciting the violin, cello, and viola really are. I thought I wouldn’t like it because it would be too classical for me, but I actually really enjoyed it.

Review #3 - When I walked into the auditorium, I expected an okay or so, so performance. When they began to play, I was blown away by their talent. This was the first time that I’ve seen a string performance up close. The energy and passion for playing was greatly shown when they were into the song. I enjoyed it way more than I expected to. It was an amazing and remarkable performance that I will remember for a long time. To me, the four musicians looked like they had a special and unique connection when they not only played with each other but when they were speaking to the audience. I would love to watch them play again. Music to them isn’t just their job, it’s what they are passionate for and their career. Mrs. Harris, I am glad that you gave me the opportunity to watch the Jasper String Quartet perform.

Review #4 - This concert was not what I expected it to be because it was more interesting than I thought. I was surprised by the music because they played their song on the bridge of the instruments. I enjoyed it more because when I think of a concert I think of being bored, but they played some exciting things than I expected. I enjoyed the song where they played on the bridge because that gave me the feeling that I was experiencing what was actually happening.

Review #5 - The concert was much more interesting than I had originally thought it would be. It was very intense, I always pictured a string quartet as very dull and lifeless, however now, I see it as very emotional. I enjoyed the story aspect of it. I hate when I hear music and I just can’t grasp what it’s talking about. This quartet was like a journey. The man telling the story prior to the piece was also helpful. I would have to say that my favorite thing while listening to a piece like this is layering such as when the cellist plays a long, low note and the violins/violas are playing high, piercing ones, almost like notes that are dancing around. This was shown early in this piece.

Review #6 - The music was somewhat what I expected. I expected classical music but I didn’t know how much I’d like it. My reaction to the music did surprise me, due to the meanings of the songs but it made me happy. It was someway in which they played this supposed to be sad music in a happy way. I loved how they moved with such passion while playing. Also, how they were like a sports team; they worked together.

TIme for the Top Ten

2009-12-07T12:02:00.004-05:00

As the year ends, people like to look at top ten lists. Here are my favorite things about Caramoor’s 2009 season:

1. The Pops and Patriots Concert: musical fireworks inside the tent and a fabulous display outside for a wonderful Independence Day celebration.

2. Doc Wallace Trio Dancing at Dusk. Now every time my kids hear a banjo, they happily recall “that band we saw at Caramoor.”

3. Pam Frank’s exuberance when she works with Caramoor’s Rising Stars.

4. Béla Fleck and Oumou Sangaré: What a combination!

5. Susan Graham kicked off the Summer Festival and Sumi Jo kicked of the Indoors season.

6. Chick Corea, playing solo.

7. Paquito D’Rivera, playing anything with anybody anytime.

8. Alisa Weilerstein plays Caramoor in July; The White House in November.

9. Peter and the Wolf--Gotta love that Wolf.

10. The Caramoor Cavalcade. Even in the rain Caramoor shines!

11. The New York Philharmonic, with Alan Gilbert, takes a field trip to Caramoor.

12. This View:

Yes, I know I’m over the limit. But 2009 was an especially good year!

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Mission Possible

2009-11-30T14:30:00.000-05:00

We are so close to reaching our $500,000 goal set forth in a matching gift challenge made by Mr. and Mrs. Donald M. Kendall! The gifts we receive in support of this challenge help to further Caramoor’s mission of presenting exhilarating year-round performances, reaching thousands of children annually through our arts-in-education programs, and mentoring the next generation of talented musicians. In these uncertain times, we are finding that Caramoor is even more essential to concert-goers, musicians, school children, and families, and we are so thankful for the support of our donors for making our mission a reality.

Lindsey Paro, Acting Membership and Special Events Associate

Gift Giving (and Getting)

2009-11-17T10:48:00.000-05:00

According to a recent New York Times article, this holiday season consumers are expected to cut their spending on gifts, which means I’m not alone in my quest to economize. I’ve decided to give practical gifts, yet I don’t want to appear stingy or sanctimonious.

My solution? Caramoor gift certificates, which will allow my favorite friends and family to experience a wonderful concert—of their choice—at a day and time that’s convenient for them. They’re available through the box office at 914-232-1252. While I’m at it, I’ll throw in a guilt-free gift for myself by purchasing a family membership, which allows access to Caramoor's grounds for picnics, deals on tickets, and other benefits.

As for my far-flung relatives who live too far away to visit Caramoor, I’m sure I can find something for them at the gift shop. Located near the Rosen House entrance and open during concerts and holiday musicales the shop offers a charming selection of art- and music-themed gifts.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Making Progress

2009-11-10T10:20:00.001-05:00

Since the matching gift challenge, issued by Mr. and Mrs. Donald M. Kendall, was announced to the public in early August, we have made great progress towards our goal of raising $500,000 before the end of 2009. It is very exciting to think of that little (or maybe not so little!) thermometer filling up, as we continue to receive gifts every day to help us achieve this ambitious matching grant. Because the Kendall’s will be matching all donations dollar-for-dollar, every gift we receive will have double the impact. With the continued support of our donors, we will fill that thermometer in no time!

Lindsey Paro, Acting Membership and Special Events Associate

Secret Spot

2009-11-10T10:16:00.000-05:00

If you’re looking for a great spot for a party, here’s the best-kept secret: during select times when no concerts are scheduled, Caramoor’s beautiful venues are available to rent for special events.

So if you’re planning a lavish celebration for early spring or late summer, consider Caramoor. The neo-Renaissance terraces and courtyards—surrounded by lush gardens, rolling lawns, and majestic woodlands—offer a spectacular setting for any celebration. Not only is the location stunning, but it’s also easy to plan a party: Caramoor’s exclusive caterer, Great Performances, can help you design an event to accommodate the most creative needs.

Meanwhile, if you have something more modest in mind, here’s another secret: Caramoor’s Holiday Tea Musicales can be booked for groups. So if you’d like to host a few of your friends to an afternoon of tea and music, call in advance to arrange for group tickets.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Rising Stars ~ Day 5

2009-11-06T09:28:00.000-05:00

This is last day of rehearsals for the group before their performances this weekend. Tickets are still available for Saturday and Sunday's concerts.

Three words to describe your experience at Caramoor:

Emily Deans: Caramoor = Crazy Cacophony of Contentment

Narek Hakhnazaryan: Amazing, Amazing, Amazing

Tessa Lark: Refreshing, (a) Blast, Inspiring

Laura Lutzke: Inspiring, fun, passionate

David McCarroll: Beautiful, Inspiring, Rewarding

Dimitri Murrath: Friends, Passion, "Stuff"

Arnaud Sussmann: Enchanted, Judy Evnin, Amazing

Yu-Wen Wang: Fun, inspiring, intense

Pam Frank: Inspiring, Intense, HOME

Rising Stars ~ Day 4

2009-11-05T09:37:00.000-05:00

What are you listening to now?

Emily Deans: BRITTEN! Lots and lots of it... HE IS AWESOME

Narek Hakhnazaryan: Amazing chamber music in Caramoor

Tessa Lark: Pam Frank blabbing at the lunch table...

Laura Lutzke: Schuber A minor quartet! Also: Elliott Smith, Explosions in the Sky, The Beatles

David McCarroll: Apart from classical music, I enjoy Radiohead and The Beatles

Dimitri Murrath: My colleagues!

Arnaud Sussmann: Hartink - Concertgebouw, Beethoven 7th

Yu-Wen Wang: I like listening to silence.

Pam Frank: Joke - the sound of silence. Real - silence!

Rising Stars ~ Day 3

2009-11-04T09:45:00.003-05:00

What is the most challenging piece you ever played?

Emily Deans: Anything by Schubert especially when Pam and Isserlis are coaching!!!

Narek Hakhnazaryan: Joke: minor scale / Real: Kodalys solo cello sonata

Tessa Lark: I'm having the hardest time with Beethoven op. 131 right now! Worth the struggle though.

Laura Lutzke: Maybe Bartok 4th string quartet or Beethoven violin concerto.

David McCarroll: Late Beethoven quartets and Bartok Solo Sonata

Dimitri Murrath: Ligeti Sonata

Arnaud Sussmann: Berg Lyric Suite

Yu-Wen Wang: Everything I learned are hard in some way.

Pam Frank: They are all equally challenging if you want to play them well.

My Favorite Time of the Year

2009-11-03T12:30:00.000-05:00

It’s time for Rising Stars at Caramoor!

This program was founded by Andre Previn in 1992—the year I started working at Caramoor. Having been trained and employed as a French Horn player previously, I had a somewhat limited knowledge of the chamber music repertoire. I knew many of the greatest works: string quartets of Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, piano trios by Beethoven and Schubert and Schubert’s incredible Quintet. Of course I knew brass and wind quintets from having played them but I was really an orchestra kind of guy. I liked the bold, brassy statement (what a surprise) and rarely sought out the intimacies of chamber music.

All these years of working with the Rising Stars, to say nothing of collaborating on the Festival and Indoors programming, has brought this genre into sharp focus for me and enriched my life immeasurably. But when we get to Halloween and the Rising Stars Workshop returns to Caramoor, the experience and emotions deepen appreciably.

The program’s mentors, the Distinguished Artists who coach from within the ensembles, have included a panoply of the greatest chamber musicians of our time. The trio of artists this year, Pam Frank, Arnold Steinhardt and Tim Eddy, belong in that category to the nth degree. Although I don’t play horn any more, I learn so much about music from watching the rehearsal and coaching process they implement for the young artists. Music is a trade/craft/skill/art that is always passed down from master to student and the understanding leading to performance of chamber music is part of that process.

When Pam or Tim or Arnold share their knowledge and intuition with the Rising Stars, I can hear the voices of past generations of musical masters, some of whom I heard forty or more years ago in performance and some whom I can listen to on recordings from even earlier times.

So I attend rehearsals, share stories and life experiences at lunches and dinners, and attend the concerts at the end of the week, and I reflect and wonder at the part each of us plays in the continuation of this precious art form. This is an enterprise that ultimately allows performers to bring deep emotional experiences contained in compositions from today or from three hundred years ago--the most intimate expressions of people we may never know except through these works--and give them to audience members, perfect strangers, to enrich their lives immeasurably. Think about that for a minute! Any wonder that I love this time of year?

Paul Rosenblum, Managing Director

Rising Stars ~ Day 2

2009-11-03T10:25:00.004-05:00

Who is your musical idol?
(Be sure to scroll down and check out the answers to yesterday's question.)

Emily Deans:
Pam & Claude Frank (especially when playing together!!!), Steven Isserlis, The Beatles, James Brown, and Nora Jones AND Michael Jackson.

Narek Hakhnazaryan: Charles Aznavour

Tessa Lark:
My violin idol, at the moment, is Anthony Marwood.

Laura Lutzke:
Bernard Haitink

David McCarroll:
There are many, but right now I am especially iinterested in the music of Schumann, Bartok and Britten.

Dimitri Murrath: PAAAM!

Arnaud Sussmann: Pam Frank

Yu-Wen Wang: Peter Wiley

Pam Frank:

Joke - Michael Jackson
Real - Michael Jackson

Day of the Dead

2009-11-03T09:20:00.000-05:00

November 1st marks the Day of the Dead, and it seems to be well timed. The clocks fall back, the light falls away, the leaves fall down, my energy falls off. I am in mourning, missing the sunlight, the warmth, the fresh air.

I’m not the only one. According to Caramoor’s gardener, Clifford C. Dickson, my houseplants are in mourning too. And I should let them mourn, he says. After spending the summer months outside on the patio, soaking up sun and rainwater, they react badly when I bring them inside for the winter. They go into shock, dropping leaves and wilting in the most worrying way. This is normal, Cliff tells me, and rather than reinforce them with fertilizer and water, as I had been doing, I should simply leave them alone. While Cliff recommends “cleaning up” the garden soil, replacing it with bagged potted-plant soil, beyond that, he says there’s not much to do. While each species is different, with some requiring more or less light and water, in general the best approach is to bring houseplants inside when nighttime temperatures start dropping to into the 50s and then just leave the plants alone for a week or so while they adjust to the dry indoors air and indirect sunlight. During the short winter days the plants will go dormant, requiring just a bit of moisture, until around February, when they’ll come to life again. Meanwhile, to treat my dormant period, Cliff recommends a trip to Florida.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Meet the Rising Stars

2009-11-02T15:43:00.002-05:00

The Rising Stars are rehearsing at Caramoor all week under the guidance of Artistic Director Pamela Frank, and Distinguished Artists Timothy Eddy and Arnold Steinhardt. Every day this week a new question will be answered by these young artists and posted here. Learn something new about our Rising Stars.

How long have you been a practicing musician?

Emily Deans: 20 years

Narek Hakhnazaryan: since age 6

Tessa Lark: If bluegrass counts, it’s been about 17 years now

Laura Lutzke: 18 years

David McCarroll: Since I was 4 (for 19 years)

Dimitri Murrath: 23 years

Arnaud Sussmann: Never (but really 18 years)

Yu-Wen Wang: Since age 8

Pam Frank:
Joke – I’ve never practiced, and I don’t intend to start now. Real answer – age 5

A Lot to Learn

2009-10-26T13:51:00.003-04:00

As the newest member of the Development department at Caramoor, and to the field of fundraising in general, I have a lot to learn. When it was announced that Mr. and Mrs. Donald M. Kendall were issuing a matching gift challenge in the amount of $500,000, needless to say, I was blown away by such an act of generosity. What was equally as amazing to me was the immediate response we received from our donors to answer the Kendall’s call to action. Not only did we receive major gifts from our donors, but also, nearly every day a member would send an additional donation, or a ticket buyer would donate an extra $25 over the phone. It didn’t take long for me to learn that Caramoor’s donors are a very dedicated and special group of people. No matter the size of the gift, it is clear that our donors care deeply about Caramoor, and despite the times, find it within themselves to express unwavering generosity and support.

Lindsey Paro, Acting Membership and Special Events Associate

A Reading Party

2009-10-20T09:11:00.000-04:00

As I struggle to help my kids with their piano homework, trying to decipher whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes while mentally reciting “Every Good Boy Does Fine,” (or is it “Good Boys Do Fine Always”?), I can’t imagine anyone reading music for fun. But, as Pamela Frank reminded me, real musicians actually like to read music.

Ms. Frank, who is the director of Caramoor’s Rising Stars program, was explaining how she runs this exceptional mentoring program. Each fall, a group of eight young musicians are invited to spend a week at Caramoor, where they work with her and other established musicians to master a new repertoire. Although these students are young, they are professionals—emerging artists who are building their careers. Ms. Frank emphasizes that they hit the ground running, and she credits them with bringing a fresh perspective to the music.

After a week of focused rehearsals—and lots of reading—they perform at Caramoor. According to Ms. Frank, last year’s group so enjoyed interpreting the scores that they scheduled extra reading sessions—parties, she called them—and stayed together late into the night reading music. Ms. Frank, a renowned violinist who has played all over the U.S. and Europe, said she especially enjoys the Caramoor program because it reminds her that she and her students make music for pleasure. Their pleasure is evident in their playing; you can hear for yourself on November 7 with a program of Mozart and Mendelssohn, and on November 8 with Schubert, Dvorak, and Brahms.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

A New Holiday Tradition

2009-10-13T10:15:00.000-04:00

Every family has its holiday traditions. During my childhood, no holiday season was complete without the post-thanksgiving family portrait, typically taken outside on one of the coldest days. For my husband, the season began with an annual trek through the woods—typically on the coldest day—in search of the perfect Christmas tree.

Now that we have our own kids, I’m looking for a new tradition, preferably something a little warmer. Since we all like singing, last year we tried caroling with the girl scouts. It was great fun (despite our noticeable lack of talent!), but it turned out to be a one-time occasion, not an annual event. And it was a little chilly; ideally my new tradition will take place indoors.

This year I’m considering one of Caramoor’s holiday tea musicales, which just might fit my “new tradition” criteria. Scheduled for various weekend afternoons throughout December (allowing for flexibility in our already overburdened calendar), these music-filled events include a recital and sing-along, complete with dessert and hot chocolate. The kids will love it, and I’ll stay warm. Since it’s an annual event, it should work year after year. Perhaps by the time they’re teenagers we’ll be singing in key!

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Give up the Ghost

2009-10-06T09:33:00.000-04:00

Recently, in anticipation of Halloween, my kids complained that our home was not exciting enough. Perhaps they were expecting more decorations or a pre-Halloween candy sampling. No, they explained, our house is not exciting enough because we lack a ghost. “Give it up,” I told them, remembering how the last mildly scary movie sent them scampering to my bed in the middle of the night. With two cats and a big, hairy dog, the last thing our house needs is another pet generating dust balls, even if the kids are anticipating Casper rather than the Amityville Horror. If they really want to scare themselves, all they need to do is head down to our basement and glance at the unholy mess stored there.

Yet I sympathize with them. Halloween is a great holiday, and not just because of the candy. It connects us with the outdoors and sparks the imagination. Getting a ghost might be overkill, but indulging in some scary stories—at someone else’s house—is the right speed. At Caramoor, a performance of "spooky" Halloween tales promises to shift the focus from candy consumption to creative expression. Storyteller Lorraine Hartin-Gelardi will conjure up an imaginative cast of goblins and ghosts; the ornate Music Room provides the perfect backdrop. The event, scheduled for Friday, October 30 at 4:00 p.m. also acts as a dress rehearsal so we can make sure our makeshift costumes hang together okay.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

The Mozart Effect

2009-09-29T09:20:00.002-04:00

I’m looking forward to an upcoming lecture—on October 29—by Dr. Richard Kogan, a Harvard-trained concert pianist and psychiatrist who studies the music and minds of the great composers. At Caramoor he will discuss the impact of Mozart's complex personality on his creative output and will explore whether Mozart might have suffered from bipolar disorder, Asperger's Syndrome, or Tourette's disorder. Better still, Dr. Kogan—lauded as a “superb musician” whose playing is “eloquent and compelling”—will perform some of Mozart's most glorious music.

"It seems almost supernatural," Dr. Kogan says about Mozart. "Beethoven filled wastebaskets with discarded drafts, and even his finished manuscripts are full of crossing out and revisions. Mozart worked out everything in his mind, even while playing billiards or talking with friends. Then, he just wrote out finished masterpieces."

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Renewed Enthusiasm

2009-09-21T13:01:00.001-04:00

As the kids boarded the bus for school, I couldn’t help wondering how long their enthusiasm would last. Today, in their haste to be first aboard, they practically ran over the poor kindergarteners, but by the end of the week I bet my kids will be dragging their feet. I’m guessing by October they’ll miss the bus entirely and I’ll have to drive them in. But then, on October 3, we’ll get a shot of adrenaline as Caramoor holds its daylong Cavalcade, part of a Fall Festival that also includes weekend performances by Chick Corea, Sumi Jo, Emanuel Ax, and the New York Philharmonic. I’m hoping the Cavalcade, a family-oriented event that features music and storytelling in Caramoor’s beautiful gardens, will return us—however briefly—to a summer mindset, thereby reinvigorating our excitement for the early a.m. school routine.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Music 101: From Screamers to Jazz Masters

2009-09-15T09:13:00.001-04:00

The start of a new school year brings a renewed focus on education, and in my mind, that includes music history. I’m sure the schools have it covered just fine, but since it’s so much fun, I try to reinforce the learning at home, by playing different genres or composers at dinnertime. For instance, a recent article in The New York Times about great rock ‘n roll screams inspired a raucous dinner dominated by samples of James Brown, Bjork, Iggy Pop, the Pixies, the Who, and more. Other nights it has been more subdued, with a focus on the classical canon. Exploring different versions of the same song can be especially fun; one night we compared Janet Jackson’s “What Have You Done for Me Lately” to a version by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. I doubt my kids actually learned much, but we had a great time! And unlike real homework, I’m not forced into it—I can make it up as I go along and skip it whenever I lack the energy.

Typically these home-schooling projects lose steam as the real homework piles up. (Our home “cooking class” lasted about a week and a half, until we ran out of ingredients and interest!) But this year I’m determined to stick with the routine, introducing some new music at least once a week. And to keep the enthusiasm going, we’ll take a “field trip,” beginning with jazz legend Chick Corea at Caramoor on October 3. He’ll be playing solo—a rare occurrence—so the concert will be especially insightful, at least for my older daughter, who should be able to sit still long enough to absorb something. And even if she doesn’t get the nuances of great jazz, I’m sure to enjoy the show!

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

GNO

2009-09-01T10:21:00.001-04:00

My tween-age daughter’s social life is far more robust than mine. Her days are filled with playdates, birthday parties, sports events, and all sorts of fun activities, while my calendar consists of little more than reminders to chauffer her around town. Which explains why I’m a little resentful that I will miss Caramoor’s special Grandmothers and Granddaughters Tea, featuring pianist Jeewon Park (hailed for her “viscerally exciting and intellectually satisfying” playing). I know my mother will jump at the opportunity to bond with her granddaughter—just the two of them enjoying a very grown-up traditional tea and concert. Sure, I could go along with them; certainly no one would mind if a mere mother (or aunt, or sister, or even grandfather) attended this annual event on September 19. But I don’t want to intrude on their time together. So that leaves me looking forward to my own G.N.O. (tween-speak for “girls night out”) in November, when Miley Cyrus (hailed for her ability to yell) comes to town.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Houseguests

2009-08-24T11:15:00.002-04:00

The prospect of houseguests puts me in a panic. In theory, of course, the idea is lovely. In reality, of course, it works out differently. If I’m extra ambitious, I might be able to clean the house—or at least the guest room—enough to pass a board of health inspection. But despite my best efforts, the omnipresent dog hair and inescapable Legos (each with mysterious regenerative properties) spoil everything. Inevitably the weather balks, and after spending a rainy day cooped up in the house—even with the best of friends—the conversation gets strained.

So I send my guests to Caramoor. Although the Summer Festival has ended, there’s still plenty to see and do. A tour of the magnificent Rosen House is only $10 and it reveals an entirely different, more refined world. On Thursday & Friday, Afternoon Teas (with a tour included) are available, further enhancing the European feel. My strategy is twofold: not only are my friends entertained for an afternoon, but they also can’t help noticing the stark contrast between my house and the Rosen House. Next year they’ll book a hotel.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Genius vs. Insanity

2009-08-24T11:11:00.003-04:00

Creativity can be maddening. As artists we frequently stand on the edge, gazing into a beckoning abyss while still clinging to shrouds of normalcy. A mere waft of inspiration can toss us over the ledge and into the depths of our minds. Sometimes this venture is brief, but more often the cavernous subconscious is too perplexing to be abandoned. Thus, we brood. We dream. We feed on our senses in order to foster our creativity and we chase a fleeting inspiration in hopes of magic. There is no end to this mania, and so often the creative process is both exhilarating and exhausting.

This process is extreme and often poses the question: as an artist, do you have to be crazy to transcend the norm? Is genius inextricably linked with insanity? There may be no absolute answer to these questions, but opening a dialogue may illuminate aspects of great artists that would otherwise go unnoticed.

On October 29th lecturer Richard Kogan will examine the relationship between genius and madness as he talks about the work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Join us for a discussion that will surely inspire all!

Alison Shearer, Caramoor Box Office Staff and Contributor

My Turn

2009-08-17T13:35:00.000-04:00

After a summer of catering to the kids and pets, my accidental career as recreation director is about to end. Or at least shift back into low gear as the professionals at the local school district take over. In a few weeks school will start again and I can take a break. Sure, my job description will still include cook, waitress, maid, and chauffer duties, but at least I won’t have to answer to the complaining chorus of “there’s nothing to do!”

School starts on a Tuesday. Conveniently, Caramoor offers a series of Wednesday morning concerts, so I won’t have to wait long to resume my self-centered ways. After shedding a few (joyful) tears as the school bus departs, I’ll head to Caramoor to enjoy an 11 a.m. concert—sans kids—followed by a Rosen House tour. If I really want to indulge, I can even order lunch. By the way, these concerts—which range from classical violin to flamenco—are held every Wednesday (and you can bring well-behaved children).

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Let the Year Begin

2009-08-10T14:41:00.003-04:00

Heading back to school always gives me butterflies. As an elementary school student I agonized over school supplies—which marble notebook was JUST RIGHT, were mechanical pencils cooler than regular ones, would I get the BEST teacher. My outfit for the first day of school was always picked out months in advance, and every year I BEGGED my mom for a new backpack. Needless to say, my concerns have shifted as I’ve grown older. Now a student at Manhattan School of Music, I anticipate the New Year with a different kind of excitement. August is spent practicing scales and preparing for the rigorous year ahead. But as September approaches, the same little butterflies make me feel like I’m preparing for elementary school again.

At the very least, Conservatory life is intense. We hear, play, and breathe music all day every day. Emotions run high as students throw themselves into their work without hesitation, often forgetting to eat and sleep while under the spell of practicing and rehearsing. At the end of the day, there’s nothing better than a breathtaking performance to put a budding artist on cloud nine.

Making music is the best feeling in the world, but young students are often daunted by the demands of music school. When I heard about the Student Strings program at Caramoor I was overjoyed. Caramoor offers a rare opportunity for students to work with young professionals in workshops and master classes. These intensive sessions offer students a glimpse into the life of a musician and allow them to see how exciting the musical world can be. I can’t wait to hear more about the Student Strings program as it gets underway this year. The anticipation might even give me butterflies.

For more information on Caramoor’s Student String’s Program check out the Education section of our website.

Alison Shearer, Caramoor Box Office Staff and Contributor

But Wait . . . There’s More!

2009-08-04T10:43:00.001-04:00

After this week’s Dancing at Dusk concert—alas, Caramoor’s last this summer—I was worried that I’d be on my own when it comes to entertaining the kids. Poor kids (with their limited capacity to sit in the hammock and read), I worried. More important, poor me (with my limited ability to withstand whining). I shuddered.

Luckily, we won’t have to flounder for long. This year, for the first time, Caramoor has planned a Fall Festival, which includes the New York Philharmonic, Chick Corea, Sumi Jo, and the Caramoor Cavalcade, a day-long family friendly event that highlights Caramoor’s music, gardens, and art. And if there’s a rainy day between now and then, we can always visit the Rosen House, for a tour.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Ariel String Quartet to the Rescue

2009-07-28T10:22:00.001-04:00

The lazy days of summer, devoid of routine and punctuated by entire days at camp or on playdates, have completely wiped out my kids’ meager musical ambitions. They have abandoned any pretense of practice.

So I’m turning to the Ariel String Quartet for inspiration, hoping their youth and enthusiasm will reignite my kids’ interest in music. It’s a long shot, I know, but the quartet, which performs on July 30, plays with such intensity, and they are so young—barely in their 20s—that my kids just might relate to them.

As Caramoor’s 2008-09 Ernst C. Stiefel String Quartet-in-Residence, the Ariels have worked with kids before, through a program called Student Strings. In the spring and fall the quartet visits area middle- and high- schools to instruct students; later the students are encouraged to hear the quartet at Caramoor. Although my kids aren’t string students—they struggle with the piano—and they won’t receive any direct instruction, they might nonetheless benefit from seeing the quartet in action.

And if not, I will certainly enjoy the performance, which includes the world premiere of a work by an equally young composer, Yohanan Chendler.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

News flash! Don’t miss Semiramide

2009-07-22T16:58:00.002-04:00

Semiramide may be Rossini’s greatest opera. Nobody ever gets to see a live performance of this work, easily making it the greatest opera never done. It’s never done because it requires four or five singers who excel in Rossini’s most florid style to be in one place at the same time, and that almost never happens.

It is happening right now in a studio in mid-town New York and it will become public on July 31 at Caramoor for one single, solitary performance.

I sat in on the first talk/sing through of the principal cast members on Monday afternoon. Here’s the story.

The cast are Angela Meade, Semiramide; Vivaca Genaux, Arsace; Lawrence Brownlee, Idreno; Daniel Modds, Assur; and Christopher Dickerson, Oroe. This group, plus Will Crutchfield, Rachelle Jonck, and Mike Zasslov, pianist, gathered in the studio and began at the beginning of Act I.

For several hours I sat and listened as, one after another, the five principals dazzled each other, the company directors and the onlookers by literally uncorking one bottle of vocal champagne or igniting one pyrotechnical display after another. None were totally polished but none were in any way less than spectacular. As the rehearsal proceeded it seemed inevitable that there would be a “can you top that” attitude coming forward accompanied by much more giddiness than I could ever have imagined during a rehearsal of a serious work.

If ever there was an opera guaranteed to amaze a modern audience and bring forth endless ovations it’s this one, as long as the singers can really sing what’s in the score plus the over-the-top ornamentation that is an intrinsic part of the proceedings. These singers are the real deal and I urge anybody who loves opera not to miss the performance. You’ll be shouting “bravi” at the top of your lungs, too.

Paul Rosenblum, Managing Director

Design Inspiration

2009-07-22T16:53:00.000-04:00

My favorite shelter magazine, Domino, folded a few months ago, leaving me on my own for home décor inspiration. Each month I had looked forward to a new issue, with its tantalizing design solutions; if nothing else, reading it offered a brief escape from my own haphazard home décor, which relies too heavily on dog-hair dust balls and childproof accents. Domino showed how an unexpected color combination via something as simple as a new tablecloth could completely transform dull décor.

Now, happily, I’ve discovered a new source of inspiration: Caramoor’s Rosen House. Sure, the Rosens’ ornate 17th and 18th century décor is a far cry from Domino’s clean, modern look. But the House’s architectural details--along with its amazing art collection--are guaranteed to inspire on some level.

On July 26, the House is hosting an “Upstairs Downstairs” tour that will take guests beyond the publicly accessible first floor. The upstairs, with a more rustic design sense and charming 18th century hand painted Bavarian furniture, has a completely different ambiance and look from the downstairs. I’m hoping some of those pieces will feature an unexpected color combination that I can use to freshen up my house.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

First Act Finale

2009-07-20T11:06:00.002-04:00

On Wednesday, July 8, The Caramoor International Music Festival began its third week of performances and by Sunday we had reached the mid-point of the Festival. It was appropriate then that the Friday rehearsal I attended was of the Act I finale of Semiramide.

Finales, especially Act I finales, whether of plays or operas, are usually carefully constructed to move the plot to a certain point of tension and semi-resolution while at the same time setting up the action for additional revelations and completion in the second or concluding acts. In Semiramide, Rossini and his librettist, Gaetano Rossi, are able to fulfill these requirements while providing music and action that involves all of the principal singers, the chorus and the entire orchestra including brass and percussion, as well as lightening, earth tremors and a terrifying ghost possessed of a properly sepulchral voice.

At our choral rehearsal, we were joined by the Young Artists assigned to cover the principal roles: Vera Savage (Semiramide), Elisabeth Bieber (Arsace), Stewart Kramer (Oroe), Rogelio Penaverde (Idreno), and Djoré Nance (Assur). By having them sing the principal parts, we were able to run the entire scene and become familiar with the interactions between the choral music and the rest. It certainly made the process interesting and enjoyable. The covers sounded great and seemed pleased to have an opportunity to sing the roles in context. When you’re a cover (understudy) everyone, except you, hopes that you won’t get to sing the role at the performance.

The scene begins with a big chorus of the people joyfully anticipating the naming of a new Babylonian king and the restoration of national glory. They are joined by the magi (priests) invoking the blessings and assistance of the gods.

Semiramide, the Queen, announces her readiness to name the new king but first requires everyone to swear to the gods to obey her commands and to swear homage and loyalty to the new king. The music for this oath comes from the slow horn quartet played near the beginning of the overture—a most solemn and beautiful moment that turns ominous, as each principal character swears in turn, quickly, however, becoming tremendously grandiose and triumphant on the text “giuro omaggio e fedeltà “ with chorus, brass, cymbals and drums adding clamor and punctuation (rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat, boom, boom, boom, bang!).

Having prepared everyone to properly receive the announcement of the new king, she rather casually announces that he will also be her husband, and as they quietly and with consternation process that news, she even more casually drops his name, Arsace, which prompts cheers from the crowd and some serious mutterings from some of the other principals. As the Queen commands the high priest to marry them, the ground trembles, lightening strikes, rumbles are heard from the tomb of the dead King Nino, and everyone steps back and wonders what these signs might mean.

As the tension mounts, the suspense is broken with the appearance, out of the tomb, of King Nino, in ghostly form. Part Hamlet’s father’s ghost, part Don Giovanni’s Commendatore, he proceeds to announce that Arsace shall reign but that first someone will be sacrificed in vengeance for Nino’s murder.

The finale concludes first with everyone barely singing, so stunned are they, then with everyone giving loud, agonized voice to their anxieties, and with the audience wondering how this will play out in Act II. As for Caramoor Festival 2009, Act I, it ended with three great recitals by violinists David McCarroll and Ayano Ninomiya and the mezzo, Susan Graham, continued with a superb collaboration between the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and cellist, Alisa Weilerstein, and concluded on Sunday with a quintessentially perfect performance by the Brentano Quartet.

Act II of the Festival began with a recital by violinist, Tessa Lark, the Caramoor debut of the legendary Cuban pianist Jorge Luis Prats, a tribute to Handel in this anniversary year, by the Aulos Ensemble with Dominique LaBelle, soprano, and, on Sunday, Paquito D’Rivera with his Next Generation Cuban Jazz Band.

Oh did I leave something out? On Saturday the Bel Canto at Caramoor opera company showed up and gave a whiz-bang show—Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore. Everyone sang their hearts out, the orchestra was terrific and the audience ate it up. Kudos to Maestro Crutchfield, Rachelle, Lucy, Francesca, all the principal singers and all my Young Artist and Apprentice friends who did a superb job in their afternoon recital of ensemble pieces and on stage in the Theater as the chorus for the opera performance.

Paul Rosenblum, Managing Director

Semiramide

2009-07-20T10:54:00.002-04:00

As the new school year approaches, I become evermore excited about spending my fall semester in Italy! As part of my university’s study abroad program, I shall be spending four months in Florence…the cradle of the Renaissance. With more art per square inch than any other place on earth, Florence will be sure to aptly stimulate my visual senses. Not only that, but Florence (located in the heart of Tuscany) is within comfortable traveling distance of both Milan and Rome, as well as many other notable cities. By the time I return to New England in December I hope to call Florence my second home. Working at Caramoor this summer reminds me of my upcoming trip every day, especially with the origin of our upcoming opera. Indeed, spectacular composer Gioachino Rossini composed Semiramide for his beloved Italy.

Florence has a long and rich history in the world of Opera. It was during the early part of the seventeenth century that the genre of opera was first created by a group of composers in Florence. Later composers also took advantage of the city’s many musical delights. In fact, Rossini even lived and composed there for a time in the mid 19th century. With so much melodic heritage, it’s no surprise that Italy is one of the top destinations for music lovers from all over the globe. I like to think of this season’s final opera as a little harmonic preview of the wondrous country which will be my home for the remainder of the year. Caramoor’s presentation of Rossini’s Semiramide on July 31st should be an enchantment for the ears and a delight for the senses. When we are immersed in the passionate sound of Rossini’s native land something inside of us stirs and, for a few shining moments, we all become Italian.

Marianna Gorbenko, Box Office Staff

Imagination, Musical Literacy, and a Great Tale

2009-07-13T13:38:00.001-04:00

What is it about reading to children that immediately puts me to sleep? The material seems to make little difference—whether soporific or scintillating, the results are the same. While my audience seems as engaged as ever, I immediately enter the zombie zone. For me, reading aloud—whether at bedtime, mid-day, or early a.m., fully charged or tired—yields nothing but yawns. Yet we all recognize the importance of reading to kids—not only to foster literacy, but also to encourage imagination. So any chance I get, I foist the chore on someone else: teachers, babysitters, grandparents, and, whenever possible, professionals. Naturally, I’m looking forward to July 25, when Caramoor presents Peter and the Wolf, the ultimate in imaginative tales. In addition to verbal literacy, this classic also introduces musical literacy. For once, a story I will enjoy as much as the kids!

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

The New Meaning of Take Out

2009-07-07T15:13:00.000-04:00

Before I had kids, “take out” was one of the major food groups. On the days that you didn’t dine out, you ordered take out, choosing from among any number of delightful dishes from nearby restaurants: Chinese, French, Indian, Japanese, Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese, etc.

Now that I have children (and have come to view ketchup as a major food group), “take out” food has a new meaning. Instead of picking a restaurant and calling in an order, “take out” now means raiding the fridge, packing a cooler full of cold cuts and juice boxes, and taking the food out to enjoy. The variety may be limited, but the cleanup is minimal. Now that the weather is cooperating, dining al fresco is completely delightful—even when the food is less than inspiring.

On the next few Sunday afternoons, I can make the most of our “take out” experience by backing up the dining with music, thanks to Caramoor’s “Al Fresco Sundays.” These afternoon concerts—the Brentano String Quartet on July 12; Paquito D’Rivera on July 19; and Vladimir Feltsman on July 26—offer opportunities for families to enjoy music from the lawn and picnic area—an ideal setup for youngsters who may be unlikely to sit still for an entire performance under the big tent. Tickets for these events, at 4:30 p.m., are only $10. So while my little friends enjoy their ketchup and roast beef sandwiches, I can listen to first-rate music with some grapes, cheese, and sips of wine.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Festival begins, chorus begins, Festival Week Two had some new features

2009-07-07T09:50:00.010-04:00

I attended the first Semiramide chorus rehearsal last Tuesday. I’d hoped to write about this sooner, but with the opening weekend of the Festival, the Gala, two concerts, etc., there hasn’t been any time.

Despite the extraordinary amount of rainfall, we were dry on the weekend and the events were great and very successful artistically, socially, and financially. Best of all, they were filled with high energy and great excitement. We had never seen 450 people dancing in the aisles of the Venetian Theater till Tiempo Libre performed here on Sunday.

Back to opera. I left Caramoor at mid-day on Tuesday to get to the rehearsal studios in mid town for a one hour choral run through. Rachelle Jonck, Bel Canto at Caramoor’s assistant conductor and a brilliant vocal coach, is the chorus master for both operas being presented this summer. Rachelle and I have worked together for many years and I love her dearly. Technically, I am her boss so it was a great switch to be able to change roles and commit to trying to do everything her way.

Rachelle is from South Africa and, when coaching or rehearsing, has a big presence, a droll sense of humor, a hearty dramatic delivery and a pronounced accent with some Dutch sounds in it. She’s altogether inimitable and withal extremely efficient and effective.

The singers, young artists and apprentices, are not attending the opera program for the primary purpose of singing in the choruses for L’elisir and Semiramide. Their choral participation is optional but most have agreed to do so in addition to the coaching they receive and singing opportunities they are given in the course of the program. The chorus will be supplemented in the final week of full rehearsals by professional singers paid specifically for the purpose.

Singers pursuing a solo career can still learn some important lessons from singing in the chorus, according to Rachelle. She demonstrated this thoroughly during the course of this brief rehearsal, concentrating on the very subtle yet most important aspects of Italian pronunciation, musical dynamics and vocal sound and blending. My head ached by the time we finished but I’ve found myself able to remember and apply most of what she told us while going over my part by myself.
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I started this blog entry last week and have not been able to get back to the studio since. I think I can make it later this week. I’ve been kept away because we had an insanely busy Week Two of the Festival. We had five events from Wednesday through Sunday, including a family event, Dancing at Dusk which, thanks to the first dry weather in weeks, featured hundreds of kids frolicking on our big lawn, Friends Field. We had an intimate guitar recital Thursday and chamber music with the Pacifica Quartet and Joyce Yang, pianist on Sunday. On Friday, banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck, brought his Africa Project to the Venetian Theater with Malian singer, Oumou Sangaré, the Songbird of the Wassoulou, and her band. They were amazing and, for the second time in two weeks, everyone in the Theater got up and danced. Saturday was simply incredible as we packed the Theater for a pops concert with Michael Barrett conducting the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, followed by the first ever fireworks display at Caramoor. It was the hugest rush to see the chrysanthemums, waterfalls and all the rest and the salutes were incredibly loud. Fortunately, we had warned all of our neighbors in advance.

I have wanted fireworks at Caramoor for all of my eighteen years here but never thought we had the space to use them safely. This year Christine Bosco and I researched the issues carefully and got the all clear to proceed. My reward to myself was the igniting of the very first rocket. Phil Gauvin, of Pyro-FX, dressed me in full safety gear and handed me a lit flare. He wouldn’t let me light the fuse till he took my picture. I’ll post some pictures of me and two very tall friends and some of the fireworks. You’ll have to wait to see the one of me “lighting up.”

Paul Rosenblum, Caramoor's Managing Director

The Elixir of Love

2009-07-06T10:53:00.001-04:00

While driving to work this morning, with my revered ipod in shuffle mode, the famous aria "Una furtiva lagrima," from Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love, came streaming through my speakers. Although I have listened to Elixir countless times, the glory and grace of the music never fails to overwhelm me. With a light rain hitting my windshield, the glow of my headlights illuminating the way, and a gorgeous tenor voice flowing from my speakers I was transported to a small town in 18th century Europe. The Elixir of Love is one of the most frequently performed of all Donizetti's operas, an unsurprising fact when one considers the comic charm of the story.

Indeed the exploits of the two infamous lovers, Adina and Nemorino, are gobbled up by Opera buffs and first-timers alike. I find myself cheering for the romantic Nemorino to win Adina’s heart at every turn, even if it is through the help of a supposedly magical love potion. And, of course, who could forget the sheer wit of the quack doctor Dulcamara as he attempts to swindle the unsuspecting Nemorino by disguising ordinary wine as the great Elixir of Love! This year’s bel canto performance is sure to entertain and amaze; it’s quite difficult to go wrong with Donizetti! The superb tenor Lawrence Brownlee and the enchanting soprano Georgia Jarman provide the perfect pair of voices to bring the magic and wit of the amorous pair to the stage. I am anxiously excited to see the performance on July 18th! Won’t you join me?

Marie Gorbenko, Box Office Staff

Vocal Fireworks

2009-06-30T11:58:00.001-04:00

As much as I’m looking forward to fireworks on July 4th, in what promises to be a rousing riot of patriotism (tickets for children 12 and under are half price!), I’m even more excited about Friday night’s concert, featuring Béla Fleck and Oumou Sangare. At first glance, Bela Fleck’s banjo playing—with its all-American bluegrass accent—seems the perfect prelude to Saturday night’s “Pops, Patriots, and Fireworks.” But on closer inspection, I discovered his most recent project, Throw Down Your Heart, delves much deeper, exploring the African origins of the banjo. With Malian diva Oumou Sangare providing vocals, this concert could in many ways outshine the July 4th fireworks.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

David Leisner

2009-06-29T16:20:00.000-04:00

After a decade of dreaming, I have finally mustered up the courage (not to mention the time) to learn how to play the acoustic guitar. As much as I love playing the piano, I certainly couldn’t carry it with me on the train to New York City. During the school year (I attend university in NYC), it’s sometimes difficult for me to play music due to the limited availability of pianos in my dormitory. That said, I must frequently take trips home to practice on my family piano. With the economy as it is, all of those train tickets can certainly add up! A guitar, however, should provide me with a much more portable way to channel my musical talents.

For the past few months, I have been looking at various New York venues in search of a guitar performance to educate my fingers and entertain my ears. You can imagine the sheer delight that I felt when I discovered that the sensational David Leisner would be coming to Caramoor for a summer evening performance in the Sunken Garden! I first encountered Leisner about four years ago when I attended a showcase at the Manhattan School of Music. During the professor portion of the show I beheld several great artists but none impressed me more than the nimble-fingered Leisner. Since then, I have devoured his recordings and have been equally impressed with both his vast array of work and his miraculous recovery from focal dystonia. I’ll be sure to get a good seat on July 2nd to see David Leisner perform his works as well as those of other composers (including the great Paganini) among the flowers and butterflies. Seeing this outstanding virtuoso in action is sure to inspire my own guitar playing!

Marie Gorbenko, Box Office Staff

One Among Many

2009-06-22T14:38:00.002-04:00

I drove over to Rachelle Jonck’s apartment building in Manhattan the other evening to pick up a copy of the chorus part for the Rossini opera Semiramide, scheduled for performance on Friday, July 31 at Caramoor.

I had volunteered to sing in the chorus for this production and Rachelle and Will Crutchfield graciously agreed to include me. Although I was a professional instrumentalist for many years, before starting on the business side of the arts, I have only sung as an amateur, first in my college chorus and, for the past five years, as a member of the Collegiate Chorale.

Because the Chorale presents an opera in concert form each year at a major concert hall in New York City, I’ve experienced the pleasure and challenge of singing operas in German, Italian and even Russian. I’ve also sung at Caramoor in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Eric Idle’s Not the Messiah, again as a member of the Collegiate Chorale which had been engaged for those performances. But I’ve never participated in a Bel Canto at Caramoor production and I’m pretty psyched about it. In the chorus, I’ll be one among many but I know we’ll make a great sound and a major contribution to the dramatic and musical impact.

Rossini’s Semiramide is one fabulous show, full of great tunes and demanding the most incredibly virtuosic singing by the principle artists. A nice bonus is the role of the chorus, which is unusually active in this opera. I’m pretty familiar with the choruses from listening to recordings but I need to open the book and start learning the bass part, which doesn’t seem very difficult, and the words, which will be the challenging part.

I haven’t asked Rachelle (assistant conductor) or Will (conductor) if the chorus will be “off book” for the performance, but I hope to have most of it memorized regardless. It’ll be much more fun to be looking up and out all the time instead of reading the part. It makes for better musical coordination with the conductor and more involvement with the music. This production is not staged –no costumes, makeup, movement- and that’s fine with me. At this point in my life, I have no desire to start acting.

Although rehearsals for the two opera productions (Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’amore on July 18th is the other one) begin next week, the first chorus rehearsals for Semiramide are not till the following week.

I’ll let you know how my preparation is going and what the rehearsals are like.

Paul Rosenblum, Caramoor’s Managing Director

Drop and Dance

2009-06-22T14:32:00.001-04:00

I’m always looking for opportunities to ditch the kids and have some grownup fun without paying for a babysitter. Unfortunately, short of dropping the little darlings with the grandparents, there aren’t too many options (the nearest Ikea ball pit being some 40 miles away). So I’m thrilled that Caramoor’s family friendly concerts include an affordable option that appeals to adults and children of any age—its Wednesday night Dancing at Dusk series. Now that school has ended, there won’t be any competing extracurricular events to interfere with my social agenda, which favors concerts by professional musicians over elementary-school bands.

The July 1 Caramoor concert, which features texas-style fiddling and promises lots of harmonizing, starts at 5 p.m. and we can bring a picnic. I may not be able to ditch and run, since all kids must be accompanied by an adult. And while I’m tempted to drop and drink, depositing the little loved ones in front of the stage while planting myself on the picnic blanket with a bottle of wine that might lead to some liability issues. Instead I will drop—and dance. The kids will burn off energy, I’ll enjoy some world-class music, and we’ll all have some quality family time. And since the concert is only $20 per carload, I’ll have a wonderful night out, for less than the price of a babysitter.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Opening Weekend

2009-06-22T14:21:00.001-04:00

Recently I’ve noticed that the bounce is back in people’s step. Although the sun isn’t shining more brightly and the rain certainly hasn’t stopped, the residents of Katonah seem somehow a bit a more jovial. Phew! Maybe it’s the graduation buzz. Perhaps it’s the dream of lazy beach days (if the sun ever comes out.) Or maybe it’s the new toppings available at Pinkberry stores in Manhattan. Who knows? All I can say is that after a year of economic-downturn-funk, we all need to shake out the stress and skip a bit.

That’s in part why I’m so excited for this year’s Opening Night. Even more so than in previous years, I can’t wait to see people strut their style around our fabulous gardens. We all need a break from the day to day routine, and what’s better than an evening of breathtaking music to recharge the batteries. Susan Graham’s voice is sure to dazzle and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, celebrating its 30th anniversary season at Caramoor, is always a smashing success. So take a night off! You don’t have to spend a fortune to join us at Caramoor; you can still enjoy the sounds.

Alison Shearer, Box Office Staff

Meet Alison Shearer

2009-06-15T15:40:00.006-04:00

I’ve missed Katonah. While the bustle of New York City can be rejuvenating, the C train stench and the cacophony 3am car alarms and 5am garbage trucks can be quite draining. Don’t get me wrong: there is nothing better than a Kornet’s slice or a SoHo sample sale; but the serenity of Katonah, mosquitoes and all, is a refreshing haven from city life.

This summer marks my fourth year at Caramoor, and this autumn I will begin my fourth (and final!) year as a student at the Manhattan School of Music. After an exhausting year there is comfort in the familiarity of Caramoor. The homegrown tomatoes and hand watered roses are charming, and the magic of butterflies at an open aired performance never ceases to inspire. Of course there is an aura to the Metropolitan Opera and Village Vanguard that some find unmatchable. But on a starry night with birds as back up singers to a 5 star performance, I think we’ve come pretty close.

I think it’s the dichotomy between the two worlds that makes my years feel so complete. Without the fire of NYC I wouldn’t feel alive, but without the serenity of Katonah I wouldn’t feel restored. I am looking forward to being inspired this season. I suggest you take a break from the bustle and join us for an evening of magic.

Alison Shearer, Box Office Staff

Le Rallye des Mille Bornes of New York (a different kind of visit to the Rosen House…)

2009-06-09T09:27:00.005-04:00

A group of friends, mostly French, who are presently residing in lower Westchester, had the vision a couple of years ago of creating the "Rallye" of Westchester. The main objective was to raise money for a charity, while providing a full day of fun to all participants. The day would have events at different locations, therefore giving the opportunity to all of discovering the region in which they lived. So in the spring of 2008, they had the first Rally. It was a successful day in all fronts; they had plenty of fun, and the money raised was donated to their favorite charity "Hour Children Love Makes the Difference."

This year, I am thrilled to say, Caramoor was one of the locations chosen for a "I Spy" tour in our majestic Music Room and picnicking on our beautiful picnic grounds. Jeanne-Marie Clochard-Bossuet and her Co-Chair, whose name, unfortunately, I can’t remember, had warned Angie and me that all participants, one hundred and thirty five strong, had been divided into teams, and each team had been assigned funky themes, and they, as well as their cars, would be costumed accordingly. We, staff and docents alike, were expecting some fun, but what we got was an exhilarating afternoon Congrats to all!!!

For more information about Le Rallye des Mille Bornes of New York visit their website at http://www.r1000b2009.com/

Merceds Santos-Miller, Rosen House Manager and Director of Rosen House Programs

Meet the Face of Caramoor's Family Programs

2009-06-01T10:51:00.002-04:00

Teaching Artist and violinist Katie Kresek, our new Family Program Designer and Host is the newest member to the Caramoor Family. This Westchester county native is strongly committed to the education of young people in the arts. She holds a Masters degree from The Mannes College of Music and a Masters of Education from Teachers College, Columbia University where her focus was music and aesthetic education.

Katie designed and will be hosting our upcoming Dancing at Dusk series which starts this Wednesday (first Wednesday of each summer month). She has also created a Peter and the Wolf program geared for kids under 6 to complement the family program on July 25th.

Cinco de Mayo

2009-05-04T14:19:00.001-04:00

Although purists will argue that Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday, I’m expanding the scope a bit to celebrate all things Latin American on May 5. So in addition to some delightful chicken mole negro Oaxaqueño for dinner, I plan to add a bit of Caramoor’s Sonidos Latinos to the mix. The 2007 summer festival concert series was taped and posted on Caramoor’s website, where you can download music and interviews. I’m sure my kids won’t eat the mole, but they’ll love the music!

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Garden Trivia

2009-04-27T10:32:00.002-04:00

The rose was one of the favored flowers of antiquity. When Cleopatra entertained Marc Anthony the floor of the palace was covered to a depth of eighteen inches with rose petals. It has also been recorded that Nero spent $100,000 on roses for one of his entertainments.

Tulips came to turkey by way of Persia and to Europe by way of vienna. During the middle of the 17th century "tulip-mania" hit france and Holland and almost wrecked the economy of the latter country. A single tulip bulb sold for $2,500.

Zinnias, natives of Mexico, were discovered in 1750 by professor Zinn.The Poinsettia, also a native of Mexico, was brought to the United states by Dr. Joel Poinsett, the first American Ambassador to Mexico. In Mexico the plant is called "Flor de Buena Noche" - Flower of the Good Night.

Clifford Dickson, Caramoor Horticulturist

It’s Spring Time and the Growing Is Easy

2009-04-20T13:13:00.000-04:00

According to Caramoor’s horticulturist, Clifford Dickson, Caramoor’s plants are easy, meaning that if they can grow in the overcrowded, drafty greenhouse on Caramoor’s estate, attended to by a limited, overstretched staff, then they can grow in my overcrowded, drafty house, attended to by my limited, overstretched self.

Although I’m skeptical—I have been known to forget that I have houseplants—never mind remember to water them—I’m willing to give it a try.

So on Thursday, April 30 I’ll be visiting Caramoor’s annual plant sale to stock up on trouble-free plants. Mr. Dickson recommends succulents, like hens and chicks or sedum for my South-facing, sun-soaked front yard, and jade plants for my living room.

And if the plants don’t survive, I can always use the Talavera pottery he’s selling to brighten up my place.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Mommy and Manners and Me

2009-04-13T10:53:00.008-04:00

My otherwise "perfect" children have atrocious table manners. I've tried all the advice on popular websites: I act as a good role model. I’ve used positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, reverse psychology, bribery, nagging, banishment. I’ve focused. I’ve ignored. Threatened and pleaded. Yet still, over the course of years, they absolutely cannot, for more than one mouthful, chew with their mouths closed. It seems to be a physical impossibility. I’ve successfully tackled other behavioral issues with some of the same tactics, but the bad table manners are intractable.

So I'm trying something new: inspirational motivation. This weekend we will attend Caramoor's "Mommy and Me" tea party, where we will sip hot chocolate at the refined and graceful Rosen House. Which, I am confident, will naturally inspire refined and graceful behavior. Wish us luck!

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Summer Fun

2009-04-06T15:12:00.001-04:00

Like most moms who live in the Northeast, I can’t wait for summer. The first days of spring send me outside with my three-year-old son, recovering from cabin fever and enjoying the slightly muddy great outdoors. These first chilly forays are a taste of fun activities to come—barbeques, trips to the beach, and watching for fireflies in the backyard. This year we’re also looking forward to the Dancing at Dusk summer concerts at Caramoor. We’re going to pack a picnic dinner, bring an old blanket, and enjoy the evening together. Working here at Caramoor, I’ve had an “insider’s” preview of this new series and I know it’s going to be a lot of fun and a great way to introduce my son to live music.

Alithia Dutschke, Caramoor Staff

Hip with Kids

2009-03-30T13:46:00.002-04:00

When I was growing up, my mother would occasionally leave us locked in the car, windows cracked an inch or two, while she shopped for groceries. And I’m sure she took her time, savoring the wide, bright, QUIET fluorescent glow of the aisles without the constant nattering of four children.

Those were the days! Try it today (I have, at the post office) and you’ll get arrested (or at least lectured on your bad parenting)! No! Today, parents must stick like glue to their offspring.

Now, finally, there’s a way to be hip when you’re joined at the hip. Bring your kids to Caramoor for a series of kid-friendly concerts. Note that they must be accompanied by an adult (too bad—I was hoping to drop and run!). But said adult is sure to have a good time, with concerts ranging from string quartets to Cuban jazz. There’s even a series of Wednesday-night dance concerts. You’ll be happy you let them out of the car!

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Caramoor Vocal Rising Stars - Wrap Up

2009-03-23T10:25:00.004-04:00

I had spent the day in meetings in the City, and after just completing a 10-day period of successfully launching Caramoor’s new Vocal Rising Stars program, I decided to stop at the park near my home, and let the fresh air clear my mind. I walked to a secluded, quiet spot where there was a lawn, just greening from the onset of spring. I looked down, and there was an extraordinarily colorful bird, standing quietly on the grass. We eyed one another for a minute or two, not moving. Then I very slowly approached the bird. Coming closer, I got on my hands and knees until I was within a few feet. I extended my hand carefully, and the bird hopped onto it, and quickly crawled up my arm, coming to rest on top of my head. Wow, I thought, this is pretty cool. A small tropical bird has just befriended me in New York! It’s not every day an extraordinary, colorful being enters your life with complete trust. After a few more minutes of playing Benvenuto Cellini (that’s the statue of the Venetian sculptor I see in Central Park, which always has a pigeon on its head), I cajoled the bird into my hand. OK, I thought. This bird has chosen me to be its protector, and I will take it home. I stopped at a pet store and picked up bird seed and a cage. The store manager couldn’t believe my story, and insisted on coming to my car to see the bird with his own eyes. “That’s amazing!” he said. “It’s a peach love-bird. I can’t believe it’s so tame.” At that the bird hopped on my shoulder, and nuzzled up to my ear.

My daughter was thrilled with our new pet. “Now we have four pets!” she exclaimed with pride, adding the bird to our two adopted cats, and small dog. “What’s his name?” “Britten”, I replied. “Like the country?” “No, like the composer Benjamin Britten.” He was colorful and delicate, and I’ve just been playing these very beautiful songs by him, so I named him Britten”. (Benjamin Britten’s “Canticle Operas” were also given their US premiere at Caramoor). Emma made instant friends with Britten, and was completely taken with this gregarious new member of the family. At first, Britten emitted only a few tentative noises, but later in the evening, he ventured into full-throated song.

The next morning my wife Leslie was alerted by a tremendous crash. She ran downstairs to find the bird cage in pieces on the floor, bird seed everywhere, and Britten firmly between the jaws of our cat Milo. She pried the bird from his teeth, and except for the loss of feathers and pride, Britten seemed OK. I arrived home that evening and took Britten from his cage. He seemed a bit traumatized, but was able to fly, and continued to fly to me, situate himself near my ear, and tuck into the folds of my neck. I was still his protector, if a somewhat negligent one (oh, those cats!).

The next morning I awakened and found Britten dead on the floor of his cage. I wept, Emma cried, and wouldn’t have any breakfast before getting on her school bus. It was one of those desolate moments that families remember for years. I wrapped up Britten, drove him to Caramoor in silence, and buried him near our Education Center, where Steve Blier and I had just shared many hours with our Vocal Rising Stars working on the past weeks’ program, enjoying long suppers and late night copying sessions to accommodate the key changes we had made to certain songs on the program. I thought of the brief and enlightening entrance Britten had made into my life, and then thought of our young artists, on the verge of their professional careers, their delicacy, their individual trust in one another, me and Steve, their gregariousness, and their enlightening entrance into my life.

My experience with these remarkable people was so like what I had experienced ever so briefly with Britten. All of them were away from home, full of trust, and most of all, giving. They gave inspired performances all week long, not just at our two concerts. Each rehearsal was special, building on what we collectively knew, discovered, shared, and dared. The concerts were wonderful, but mostly I will remember the humbling experience of having the opportunity to enter into the life of these extraordinary beings, to witness and participate in their talent and future, and the gifts of hope, joy and wonder I received. I miss my bird- we bonded so quickly- and his death will now fix him in my personal mythology. But I can still follow these beautiful talented young people, their lives and careers. They and Britten remind me what I most value about music; its temporal quality, existing only in real time, gone in a flash, and its mirroring of our fragile mortality. What we love most can disappear from one moment to the next. As the final notes of the last concert faded, I became a little heavy of heart, but I’m also excited and look forward to the next encounter with extraordinary musical beings.

Michael Barrett, Chief Executive and General Director Caramoor

Caramoor Vocal Rising Stars - Day 5

2009-03-16T10:47:00.006-04:00

It seemed like a calculated risk to invite Amy Burton to come and give notes at our dress rehearsal—just one day before the performance. Amy had been in the original cast of Irish Poets in 1993 and again when we revived it in 2001. She’s sung at the Met and at City Opera and all over the world, and she’s also on the faculty of the Mannes School of Music in New York. But…the day before a show…hmmm…was this a good idea.

It turned out to be a great idea. Amy is so sharp and articulate, and she really helped everyone with those last, lingering problems that are hard to deal with close to a performance. Because she knows the music so well, she was able to be very specific—Amy is one of the most articulate singers I know. I’d never coached in tandem with her before and I was extremely gratified to have her on our team. Her presence in the hall, watching and listening with so much knowledge, intelligence, and empathy, turned out to be one of the highlights of the week.

We sang some of the show that night at a donor’s house and Amy joined us. I know the cast would have uncaged their inner performance animals in front of an attentive crowd of listeners. But I was tickled to hear the way they absorbed Amy’s notes, detail by detail. In one of the Britten songs, Liza made a nuance exactly the way Amy asked for it. I looked over at Amy, and she winked at me; then I looked over at Paul, who’d caught my moment with Amy—and he gave me the sweetest, broadest smile. Ah, family.

Steve Blier, Artistic Director, New York Festival of Song

We had our first full run thru of the recital today and I think it went very well! From all the coachings and readings we’ve done of my pieces everything feels like it has been allowed to transform from singing the song without mistakes and with good technique to a true artistic presentation rendered by pianist and vocalist. Saturday’s recital will definitely be “fresh,” as it were. Ms. Amy Burton spent the day with us, which was a special treat since she has performed this very recital with Steve numerous times. Coming from outside the week long Caramoor/NYFOS bubble that we’ve created in the Music Room, Ms. Burton was able to give us constructive criticism on all our songs. She was very easy to sing for and I felt comfortable with her comments. We spent a lovely evening at the Evnin residence giving a little concert of current and past repertoire followed by dinner with patrons of Caramoor. It was a very long day, considering we have a recital to give tomorrow, but the company and atmosphere were inviting and pleasant. I think we’re definitely ready for a great show t’mar.

Liza Forrester, Vocal Rising Star

Greetings Caramoor blog-reader! This is the very first blog entry of my sweet young life, so I figure the way to approach it is with modesty—not to swing for the fences, but be content with a base hit, a walk, or even a well-struck ball. Forgive the baseball metaphor, but it is March, and that means two things to an Irish-American such as I: spring training and St. Patrick’s Day. The first glimpses of green on the trees (and in your beer) and the promise of a pennant that spring brings are so glorious because these are the essence of hope. Hope is the lightness that fills the songs of the Irish poets my fellow Rising Stars and I are singing this week.

The miracle of the Irish, it seems to me, is that although they lay claim to a long tradition of oppression and persecution, Irish culture boasts a lightheartedness, openness, and beguiling charm opposite and equal to a history fraught with hardship and violence. Now I am certainly not going to tread into historical-political waters in this, my first-ever blog, but I do want to share an example of this hope from/despite hard experience found in our program this week.

I was moved today when Joelle sang the tradition Irish song, “I Will Walk with my Love.” Joelle sings it flawlessly, but the simple, specific, emotional life she breathes into the song captures its essence and makes it universally specific for us in the audience. In this song, a woman tells of being in love with a decent young man, but he falls in love with another girl. This woman doesn’t mourn the loss or grow bitter by its pain: “Let her make of him all that she can/For whether he loves me, or loves me not/I'll walk with my love now and then.” This character is so deeply touching to me because her hurt and loss do not overwhelm her love and joy. When you realize that loss and pain are certain in life, this is perhaps the most enduring hope we can possess—that love, however brief or flawed, is greater and more constructive than loss is destructive.

So though this is my first blog, this is not my first spring. The Cardinals and White Sox are still undefeated, and the buds are just barely showing on the trees here at Caramoor. Winter won’t let us forget just yet, but hope springs eternal.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Paul Appleby, Vocal Rising Star

Caramoor Vocal Rising Stars - Day 4

2009-03-13T11:55:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we had a visit from composer Russell Platt and poet/writer Paul Muldoon. It was fascinating to have elements of our music present that are normally absent. Unless a vocalist is premiering a piece of music, they never get to meet the forces behind such works. It was amazing to see David perform his Russell Platt pieces for the composer himself, I know I would be intimidated out of my wits! Speaking with Paul Muldoon about his own poetry as well as the texts used in various other works we are performing was a lesson in humility. Mr. Muldoon was an endless font of information within, and out of my grasp: I was in complete awe! It was astonishing to watch this literary giant execute multi-faceted verbal analysis, comparisons, correlations, and explorations into and out of the Irish/Celtic mythological and textual world. I definitely feel more connected to the songs we are preparing to present this Saturday. And we even took a break to have tea and cookies in the shrouding of 15th century décor that is the music room. What a day!

Liza Forrester, Vocal Rising Star

Caramoor's Vocal Rising Stars - Day 3

2009-03-12T09:17:00.005-04:00

Today Steven wasn’t feeling well, but he picked the right day. Chris Layer, our piper/flutist was on hand to rehearse the Britten settings of the Moore Irish Melodies. We’ve made a suite where Chris plays a version of the original tune, or at least one of the ways he’s learned these melodies over the past 3 decades, which leads into the Britten setting of the same tune with piano and words. It’s a challenge, but I think the effect could be quite magical. The Britten, if anything, add a layer (no pun, Chris) of depth and emotion onto these tunes, which morph them into real art works.

Then, our violinist Jessica Lee, and cellist Karen Ouzunian showed up, and we tackled the Beethoven settings of Irish songs for piano trio and voice. The settings are simple, but very rich. Jessica and Karen were terrific. I threw two transpositions at them, and it seemed like childs play for them. Karen even had to tune her C string down a step to accommodate a drone on a low B. They also formed Our little house orchestra for the Balfe Bohemian Girl excerpts. Paul and Joelle will surely stop the show with this, but the strings seem to transport the setting into an old music hall where, I imagine, these kinds of Operettas were performed. It’s an intense experience working in such a concentrated way- putting a program this complicated together in five days. But each day’s progress is quite a reward in itself.

Michael Barrett, Chief Executive and General Director Caramoor

Caramoor's Vocal Rising Stars - Day 2

2009-03-11T14:54:00.004-04:00

What I remember from yesterday:
David McFerrin's face during the postlude to Russell Platt's song "Bran." As he went from a beautiful memory to the sadness of his present life, his expression registered something so subtle and so powerful--it was as if the temperature in the room dropped fifteen degrees in four seconds.

Joelle's work on Barber's "Nuvoletta"; it's such a hard song on every level, and she nailed it (on every level!).

Paul's work on the role of Thaddeus in the scene from Bohemian Girl. The character is such a dolt, and Paul is so smart. Somehow it's a match made in heaven. And he jumps through the technical difficulties of the music like a puppy at play.

Liza in "As I Came Over the Grey, grey Hills." Another difficult, mystical piece. Her artistry is piercing through the fog.

Today I am sick, and have spent most of the day in bed. I am about to rise and attempt to make a little music. No one is allowed to kiss me today. It'll be tough on them, but the young artists must learn to sacrifice.

Steve Blier, Artistic Director, New York Festival of Song

Caramoor's Vocal Rising Stars

2009-03-10T14:01:00.003-04:00

Michael Barrett has asked each of us to write a daily blog about this new collaboration--NYFOS@Caramoor, the "Rising Stars" program. My response to the last 24 hours has been something resembling bliss. The process of getting the program ready--sending music to four singers and three instrumentalists in five cities on two continents, finishing the notes and translations, finding a few spare minutes to practice, packing a week's worth of underwear--was (as always) fraught with anxiety. But the second I arrived, I spotted Liza Forrester framed in a window as she prepared dinner with the rest of the cast. I knew instantly that I was with my family. NYFOS is about music as community--a communion with the audience, and a strong bond between the musicians. When I walked into the kitchen I sensed that the singers were figuring out their new family ties. Liza, Joelle, Paul, and David are a powerful quartet of personalities, and their solo stuff went great today. But how sweet to hear them blend their opera-sized voices as they rehearsed the encore, an a capella rendition of "Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms." The poem talks about the enduring quality of love through the changes wrought by time. The sweetness and gravity of their singing stopped my heart.

Steven Blier, Artistic Director, New York Festival of Song

Making something beautiful. . . .

2009-03-10T09:53:00.001-04:00

In today’s economy, when making a career at anything is becoming more and more difficult, making a career as a singer can be downright impossible! Only a handful of the most talented—and luckiest—will persevere.

The folks at Caramoor have responded to this dearth of opportunities with programs to coach and mentor the brightest young stars. For years now they have encouraged up-and-coming musicians and opera singers; now they’re adding a program dedicated to song recital. Called the Vocal Rising Stars, the program will debut with a concert of Irish music on March 14—just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

The singers chosen for the concert—tenor Paul Appleby, mezzo-soprano Liza Forrester, soprano Joelle Harvey, and baritone David McFerrin—are among the best of their generation, says Steven Blier, who along with Caramoor director Michael Barrett, serves as artistic advisor and will accompany the singers on piano.

Mr. Blier, who is a vocal coach at The Julliard School, knows how difficult it is to make a career in song recital, so he’s excited about the Vocal Rising Stars program. “I’ve worked with so many great singers who have so few opportunities to perform. Caramoor is such a good place to settle in and make something beautiful,” he said.

Come and experience something beautiful on March 14.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

The Festival's Fireworks

2009-02-24T09:39:00.004-05:00

So it’s true: This year, with July 4 falling on a Saturday, Caramoor’s Independence Day concert will feature fireworks!

But the real fireworks—the vocal kind—happen much sooner, when Caramoor opens its 2009 season with the fabulous Susan Graham. Praised by The New York Times for her "glorious vocal tone, keen intelligence, outsize personality and . . . sparkling wit," she will perform with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s on June 27 and return to Caramoor for a song recital of music from her current album, Un Frisson Français—A Century of French Song, on July 10.

The season’s starting lineup threatens to render the July 4th firework display anticlimactic:

Tiempo Libre, a timba band that combines hip-hop and rumba performs on June 28 rhythms (talk about fireworks!);
Béla Fleck “brings the banjo back to Africa” with the Africa Project on July 3.

Fortunately the (aural) fireworks are likely to linger, with Alisa Weilerstein playing Haydn (July 11); Jonathan Biss playing Mozart (July 25); and Paquito D’Rivera (July 19) and Jorge Luis Prats (July 16) performing Cuban-themed concerts.

Operas include Donizetti’s L'elisir d'amore (July 18) and Rossini’s Semiramide (July 31). Peter and the Wolf promises to delight audiences of all ages (July 25). The summer Festival—which includes more concerts too numerous to list here—concludes with two days of jazz in early August. Mark your calendars now!

PS – Tickets go on sale Monday, March 2nd at 10am. Festival Preview

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

Words to Music

2009-02-17T15:10:00.006-05:00

Back in college I was a huge fan of Kate Bush, the English singer whose first big hit, "Wuthering Heights," set the Brontë story to a swelling score. Her next album, in 1989, was called "The Sensual World," and its title song used James Joyce’s writing as a springboard. According to press accounts at the time, Bush wanted to use text from Joyce’s "Ulysses" as lyrics; she thought Molly Bloom’s soliloquy fit her music perfectly. To her dismay, the James Joyce estate denied permission, and Bush rewrote the lyrics to tell the story of Molly stepping out of the book and into the "sensual world."

If you’ve ever read "Ulysses," you could see how Joyce’s writing lends itself to song. As a matter of fact, long before he wrote "Ulysses," the famous Irish author penned a set of poems, "Chamber Music," that he specifically intended to be set to music.

If you’re a Joyce aficionado, or a fan of Irish poetry—or if you simply enjoy the creative discovery of hearing text set to music in novel ways—you should check out Caramoor’s upcoming concert, a collaboration between the New York Festival of Song (NYFOS) and Caramoor’s Vocal Rising Stars.

On March 14, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, the concert features poetry by Ireland’s most esteemed poets, including Joyce, Thomas Moore, W.B. Yeats, and Paul Muldoon, set to music by Beethoven, Britten, Balfe, Barber, and others. The music will be paired with a group of traditional Irish songs. NYFOS co-founders Michael Barrett and Steven Blier will play piano with four up-and-coming young singers: Joelle Harvey, soprano; Liza Forrester, mezzo-soprano; Paul Appleby, tenor; and David McFerrin, baritone.

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor

In Need of a Summer Fix

2009-02-04T16:52:00.003-05:00

Whatever happened to the January thaw—that mid-winter burst of spring-like weather that lasts for a day or so? I count on it to spur me on to spring, inspiring my plans for summer. But this year there’s no end to the snow. The temperature hasn’t edged past 40 degrees, not even for an hour or two. How will I get through February?

Caramoor hasn’t yet posted its Summer Festival schedule—typically the lineup isn’t announced until March. But I really need a summer fix—something to look forward to. So I was intrigued to see a fireworks photo on the website. Could it be true? Could the July 4th concert—a Saturday this year—include fireworks? That’s just the inspiration I need to help me get past these intolerably cold remaining months of winter!

Christina Horzepa, Caramoor Contributor