Saugerties Pro Musica

WHO - SAUGERTIES PRO MUSICA
WHAT – Iva Bittova & Tony Fajt (Piano, Voice & Violin)
WHEN -- Sunday March 13th, at 3 PM
WHERE -- Saugerties United Methodist Church
SPONSORED BY -- Saugerties Pro Musica
CONTACT -- 845-246-5021  or Contact us

Saugerties Pro Musica anticipates Spring with the original vocal stylings and violin compositions of  the Moravian virtuoso, Iva Bitton, accompanied by pianist Tony Fajt, on Sunday, March 13th, 2011, at 3PM. Iva Bitton will be performing classical as well as original works to be announced during the concert.

Iva Bittova studied with Professor Rudolf Šťastný, the primarius (first violin) of the Moravian String Quartet. The violin has become her life’s passion and the most inspiring musical instrument in her professional life. Iva shares her home as well as the stage with her younger son Antonín (Tony Fajt) who is also a dedicated musician. Together they continue Saugerties Pro Musica’s eclectic season of unconventional, but inspired, musical performances.

FUTURE CONCERTS - in the Saugerties Pro Musica series include an April 3rd performance by the Piano Trio di.vi.sion, with selections by Haydn, Bush and Roussel; and for the final concert of the season, the May 15th annual appearance of The Catskill Glee Club.

PREVIEW - the 2011/2012 Season will include performances by the Harmonic Brass of Munich on September 18th, and – back by popular demand - pianist Leon Livshin appears on October  16th, and the Sima Trio has promised to return in the Spring!

To learn about all our concerts, please visit our website, www.saugertiespromusica.org.  All concerts are on Sunday at 3 PM, at Saugerties United Methodist Church on the corner of Washington Avenue & Post Street. Admission is $12 for Adults, Seniors $10. Students are always FREE - kindly invite some to join you at our concerts. For more information please call: 845-246-5021 or visit www.saugertiespromusica.org

5/2 & 5/16 

Two Saugerties Pro Musica Concerts in May

WHO: Two May Concerts: West Point Brass & Catskill Glee Club
WHAT: Saugerties Pro Musica Concert
WHEN: May 2nd & May 16th , 2010 Sundays at 3 PM
WHERE: Saugerties United Methodist Church
HOW MUCH: Admission is FREE for Both Concerts
CONTACT: 845-246-5021  or hopefarm@hopefarm.com

The last two concerts of the Saugerties Pro Musica season are the West Point Brass on May 2nd and the Catskill Glee Club on May 16th. Both May concerts are FREE. They present a wonderful opportunity to share great music, refreshments, and a sense of community with your neighbors without spending the fortune other venues charge.

On May 2nd, the Regimental Brass Quintet from West Point, composed of SFC Stephen Luck, Trumpet, SSG Carla Moebius, Trumpet, SSG Nicole Caluori, Horn, MSG Martin Tyce, Trombone and SSG Scott Beaver, Tuba, will perform pieces from Bach to Sousa in an afternoon of lively musicianship. The annual free West Point Concert is always a popular crowd-pleaser and should not be missed.

Then, on May 16th, Saugerties closes its season with the presentation of popular vocalization by the venerable Catskill Glee Club. Please join us for this annual free concert. Then, after a Summer off, our new season begins on September 19th, 2010 with a classical piano performance by Marc Peloquin. For a full calendar of concerts visit our web site at www.saugertiespromusica.org or call 845-246-5021.

Each year Saugerties Pro Musica awards a $500 Herman R. Ash Memorial Music Scholarship in memory of our founder, Dr. Ash. If you know a Saugerties student who plans to continue his or her music studies after high school, now is the time to apply for the 2010 scholarship.

Copies of the application form can be downloaded from http://www.saugertiespromusica.org and are available by mail. Please send a SASE to: Saugerties Pro Musica, PO Box 276, Saugerties, NY 12477.

Saugerties Pro Musica sponsors the concerts which are held at the Saugerties United Methodist Church, on the corner of Washington Avenue & Post Street. All concerts are on Sunday at 3 PM. Students with ID always FREE!

4/25 Pipe Organ Concert

On the NEW DATE of Sunday, April 25th, at 3 PM, Saugerties Pro Musica celebrates the return of the organ virtuoso, Gregory D’Agostino. His pipe organ concert of two years ago packed the Methodist church during an ice storm! Hopefully we’ll have better weather this year, but there can be no better playing from this internationally recognized and incredibly talented organist. Gregory d’Agostino will again coax his brilliant sound out of the historic antique pipe organ at Saugerties United Methodist Church.

Gregory D’Agostino came to national attention as a concert organist when he performed two different back-to-back memorized concerts for the 100th anniversary of the American Guild of Organists before overflowing crowds of 3,400 at New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine and Church of St. Mary the Virgin. The New York Times praised his “deft, powerful performances” for his recital series at New York’s famed Riverside Church and The Washington Post has likewise acclaimed his playing as “brilliant” and “impeccable.”

With a vast repertoire including the complete works of Bach, Liszt, Handel, Schumann, and Brahms, Mr. D’Agostino performs from memory music of the Renaissance to works written by today’s outstanding composers. He has a special affinity for the music of Liszt and the French romantics, and his performances of this repertoire achieve a “stunning, controlled delirium” (The American Organist, national convention review).

To learn more about the organist and hear some recordings of his past performances, tune in to WAMC FM radio (locally 90.3 & 90.9) on Friday 4/23 at 11:34am when Sarah LaDuke will interview him.

Following Gregory d’Agostino’s concert, the last two concerts of the season are the West Point Brass on May 2nd and the Catskill Glee Club on May 16th. Both May concerts are FREE. They present a wonderful opportunity to share great music, refreshments, and a sense of community with your neighbors without spending any money. For a full calendar of concerts visit our web site at www.saugertiespromusica.org or call 845-246-5021

WHO: Lee Shaw Trio
WHAT: Saugerties Pro Musica Concert
WHEN: March 21st, 2010 Sunday at 3 PM
WHERE: Saugerties United Methodist Church
HOW MUCH: Admission $12 - Seniors $10 - Students Free
CONTACT: 845-246-5021  or hopefarm@hopefarm.com

Saugerties Pro Musica heralds Spring with an afternoon of swinging, exciting, acoustic jazz music led by a woman who not only expands the tradition, but helped to create it! On March 21st the Lee Shaw Trio will perform the jazz classics they helped to turn into the “standards” we all know today.

Lee Shaw is a youthful octogenarian who has more energy, passion, and intellectual curiosity than many people a fraction of her age. With bassist Rich Syracuse, and drummer Jeff (Siege) Siegel, who began playing with her in 2001, Lee Shaw continues her tradition of over 40 years of performing the “Greatest Hits” of jazz.

The next concert after the Lee Shaw Trio will be organist Gregory D'Agostino. NEW DATE - Gregory D'Agostino’s concert has been moved to April 25th in an attempt to avoid conflicts with other events.

Future concerts include West Point Brass on May 2nd and the Catskill Glee Club on May 16th. Both May concerts are FREE. They present a wonderful opportunity to share great music, refreshments, and a sense of community with your neighbors without spending any money. For a full calendar of concerts visit our web site at www.saugertiespromusica.org or call 845-246-5021

Each year Saugerties Pro Musica awards a $500 Herman R. Ash Memorial Music Scholarship in memory of our founder, Dr. Ash. If you know a Saugerties student who plans to continue his or her music studies after high school, now is the time to apply for the 2010 scholarship.

Copies of the application form can be downloaded from http://www.saugertiespromusica.org and are available by mail. Please send a SASE to: Saugerties Pro Musica, PO Box 276, Saugerties, NY 12477
Saugerties Pro Musica sponsors the concerts which are held at the Saugerties United Methodist Church, on the corner of Washington Avenue & Post Street. All concerts are on Sunday at 3 PM. Admission - Adults $12, Seniors $10, and Students with ID always FREE!

2008 Dr. Herman R. Ash Memorial Music Scholarship Winner Performs in NYC

Local student, Alec Sullivan, (center, top row) performs in NYC with the Cornel Glee Club.

On January 16th, Saugerties Pro Musica board members Richard Frisbie & Edward Leavitt attended a vocal concert at Alice Tully Hall, part of Lincoln Center in New York City. The Cornell Glee Club was the guest performer with the University Glee Club of New York City in the newly renovated concert space. Saugerties’ own Alec Sullivan, recipient of the 2008 Herman R. Ash Memorial Music Scholarship, was on stage singing with the other Cornell students.

Saugerties Pro Musica is proud of the small part they had in helping to make Alec Sullivan’s performance possible. Each year Saugerties Pro Musica awards a $500 Herman R. Ash Memorial Music Scholarship in memory of our founder, Dr. Ash. If you know a Saugerties student who plans to continue his or her music studies after high school, now is the time to apply for the 2010 scholarship.

Candidates must:

1.      Be a Saugerties resident pursuing an education in music or a related field. Strongest consideration will be for students just beginning their college careers; i.e., graduating from high school this year.

2.      Have demonstrated dedication to their education and their avocations.

3.      Display compassion and concern for the community, classmates and fellow citizens.

Students should complete an application and forward it, with a letter of recommendation from a music teacher or mentor, to Saugerties Pro Musica. Teachers may nominate more than one student by copying and submitting separate applications. Copies of the application form can be downloaded from http://www.saugertiespromusica.org and are available by mail. Please send a SASE to:

Saugerties Pro Musica

        PO Box 276

Saugerties, NY 12477

WHO: Palisades Virtuosi
WHAT: Saugerties Pro Musica Concert
WHEN: February 28th, 2010 Sunday at 3 PM
WHERE: Saugerties United Methodist Church
HOW MUCH: Admission $12 - Seniors $10 - Students Free
CONTACT: 845-246-5021  or hopefarm@hopefarm.com

Saugerties Pro Musica presents an afternoon of music to warm the depths of winter with a February 28th concert by the trio, Palisades Virtuosi. Flutist Margaret Swinchoski, clarinetist Donald Mokrynski and pianist Ron Levy combine standard repertoire with new works, all performed with virtuosic and passionate flair. They are an ensemble that cares deeply about connecting living composers with living audiences. Palisades Virtuosi plays well-known music, too, but the heart of nearly every concert is the premiere of a commissioned work.

Palisades Virtuosi was established to promote and enrich the repertoire for flute, clarinet and piano. During over seven years of performances, the musicians known as Palisades Virtuosi have delighted audiences throughout the northeast. They have presented concerts at many important venues, performing newly commissioned works from the top composers of our times, including Pulitzer-Prize-winning, Paul Moravec. In addition, they have commissioned arrangements or transcriptions of existing works, as well as having been gifted with works by many composers.

The next concert after the Palisades Virtuosi will be on March 21st, when the venerable jazz group, the Lee Shaw Trio, will perform. Future concerts through May include organist Gregory D'Agostino, West Point Brass, and the Catskill Glee Club. For a full calendar of concerts visit our web site at www.saugertiespromusica.org or call 845-246-5021

All concerts are on Sunday at 3 PM. Saugerties Pro Musica sponsors the concerts which are held at the Saugerties United Methodist Church on the corner of Washington Avenue & Post Street. Admission - Adults $12, Seniors $10, and Students with ID always FREE!