By Caitlin Hawke

Check out our website's calendar for some highlights of the Bloomingdale School of Music's 2016-17 Season.  Or scroll down to see the partial list.

Free music. At your feet.  Reason #751 that we just happen to live in the greatest city in the world.

All concerts at FREE!
Most are Fridays at 7pm in the David Greer Concert Hall
Bloomingdale School of Music, 323 West 108th Street
Make sure to check all details directly on the BSM calendar.

10/28/16 The Frog, the Cat & the Fiddle: Music in 17th century Germany
Beneath the cheerful animal noises and jovial array of mimicked instruments lies a demanding virtuosity and intricate technique that ultimately influenced the violin music of J.S. Bach.  This concert presents the vivid programmatic music of the most important composers of violin music in 17th century Germany.  Join us as we explore these rarely heard works in an intimate setting.
Marina Fragoulis, baroque violin Margalit Cantor, baroque cello* Gabe Shuford, harpsichord

11/4/16 Around the World
Celebrating her 20th season teaching at BSM, Kaoru Hinata will celebrate the occasion by playing a recital of music she loves from around the world.  Featured on the program will be one of the most beloved flute pieces, the “Sonata for Flute and Piano” by Francis Poulenc.  Also to be performed is a collection of Hungarian folk songs and dances by Bela Bartók, a flute and guitar piece based on an Indian raga by Ravi Shankar and a beautiful lesser-known work by Otar Taktakishvili from the country of Georgia. Kaoru Hinata, flute* Junko Ichikawa, piano Giacomo Baldelli, guitar

11/11/16 BLOOMINGDALE BIRTHDAY BASH!
Broadway Presbyterian Church, 601 West 114th Street at Broadway, 7pm
Bloomingdale School of Music celebrates its 52nd year with a festive birthday concert representing the incredible diversity of its musical community. The first half of the concert will feature BSM Assistant Director and trumpeter Brandon Vazquez with a faculty jazz ensemble in a performance titled Happiness Now. They will showcase various musical genres such as Dixieland, Bebop, Fusion, Bossa Nova, and Funk. The second half will feature BSM voice faculty member Jocelyn Medina and her group in works from her latest recording, Common Ground, music from Africa and Brazil.  Listeners will be taken through a cross-cultural musical journey where the boundaries of vocal jazz are extended to include the rhythms, improvisations and instrumentation of diverse world-music traditions.
Join us as we celebrate 52 years of incredible music making at BSM and look forward to the next 52 years and more!
Happiness is Now Brandon Vazquez, trumpet* Nick Finzer, trombone* Michael Cochrane, piano* Kevin Farrell, bass* Jeremy Noller, drums*
Common Ground:  Music by the Jocelyn Medina Group Jocelyn Medina, voice* Art Hiraharam piano Evan Gregor, bass Mark Ferber, drums Steve Gorn, bansuri flutes


11/18/16 Voice of the Violin: Myths and Fantasms, Colorful Creatures and Characters
Tales of far-away lands and people have travelled over centuries to our ears through the voice of the violin. This concert is a musical journey beginning in the land of lotus-flowers, soon meeting goblins and dolls, dancing with Armenian sabers, and dancing tangos in Spain.  The concert closes with Szymanowski's major work, “Mythes”, about the ancient Greek myths of Arethusa and the nature-god Pan. The shimmering colors of the violin take us out of everyday life and into these fantastical worlds.
Claudia Schaer, violin* Julia den Boer, piano* Alejandro Cote, guitar* Eduard Laurel, piano

11/20/16 16 Silver Keys:  Music for the traditional (and not so traditional) flute
Sunday, November 20, 3:00 p.m. David Greer Concert Hall
BSM flute faculty member Tia Roper showcases the flute through its versatility and captivating style. The musical selections will embrace a combination of classical, contemporary, and popular modes from South America to Europe. You will hear works of great virtuosity and lyricism highlighted by extended techniques, 21st century nuances, and contemporary lyrical genres, bringing to light the complete and modern capabilities of the flute.
Tia Roper, flute* Alejandro Cote, guitar* Mitchell Vines, piano

12/2/16 Music for the Movies
Faculty members Naho Parrini and Marc Peloquin perform music written for the movies by composers from around the world.  From a silent movie score by Saint-Saens to Darius Milhaud's 'Le boeuf sur le toit' and John William's music to 'Fiddler on the Roof' and 'Schindler's List', this program will explore the rich diversity of music written for the silver screen.
Naho Parrini, violin* Marc Peloquin, piano*

12/9/16 Jose Maldonado- Guitar Recital
BSM guitar faculty member Jose Maldonado presents a program of music spanning centuries and continents.   He will perform rarely heard works for the guitar from Spain and France as well as one of the masterpieces for the instrument, the “Second Suite for Lute” by J.S. Bach.  He will also present a piece by a composer from his native country, “Three Danzas of Puerto Rico” by Leonardo Egúrbida.  Join us for this world tour of fascinating music for the guitar.
Jose Maldonado, guitar*

12/16/16 Imaginative World
Three diverse composers for the piano come together for this program: Prokofiev, Debussy, and Schumann.  All three share in common an imaginative musical language and style. The first movement of Prokofiev's “Sonata No.4” evokes images from Russian fairy-tales.  In Debussy's “Reflets dans l’eau” we can imagine shimmering reflections in the water.  Schumann's “Humoreske” is a grand fantasy in which moods are constantly changing from joyful to melancholic.
Anna Khanina, piano*

1/13/17 Celestial Mechanics
George Crumb's “Celestial Mechanics” for piano four hands uses a groundbreaking musical language and incorporates various extended techniques such as playing directly on the piano strings.  Each movement is titled after the names of stars and creates, in the words of the composer, a “cosmic choreography”. Also presented will be two works by composers who greatly influenced Crumb and set the stage for his harmonic innovations:  Debussy's “Petite Suite” and Faure's “Dolly Suite”.  Join us for a sonic celebration of the piano.
Andrea Lodge, piano* Julia Den Boer, piano*

2/3/17 The British are Coming!
There has been an intimate connection between poetry and music in Great Britain for centuries.  Their love of poetry includes well-known poets such as William Shakespeare as well as living poets of their time.  The composers' admiration and friendship for their literary counterparts is apparent in their musical settings.  This evening’s program will include two of England’s greatest composers, Benjamin Britten and Ralph Vaughn Williams, in their musical settings of poetry by Edith Sitwell and A.E. Housman.
Lisa Pike, horn* Naho Parrini, violin* Christopher Lilley, tenor* Elizabeth Rodgers, piano

3/3/17 The Music of Chick Corea
Join three of BSM’s jazz faculty members led by pianist Michael Cochrane in a concert of music by Chick Corea, one of the most significant jazz pianists and composers since the 1960s.
Michael Cochrane, piano* Kevin Farrell, guitar* Jeremy Noller, drums*

3/17/17 True:  Part One, Acoustic
BSM guitar faculty member Mark Mollica presents a concert of diverse sound worlds. The program is inspired by acoustic and folk music and incorporates an improvisational and conversational style.  You will hear various American influences such as blues, jazz, church hymn, and country which will converge in this acoustical musical exploration.
Mark Mollica, acoustic guitar* Nate Radley, acoustic guitar TBA, upright bass John Ellis, saxophone

4/28/17 Beethoven Violin Sonatas
Violinist Rolf Schulte and faculty pianist Judith Olson perform two contrasting Beethoven Sonatas:  the dramatic and passionate Sonata in C minor, Op. 30, No. 2, and the gentler, more intimate Sonata in G Major, Op. 96.  The C minor Sonata was written during a period of extraordinary distress for the composer as he was forced to accept the inevitability of his deafness.  The G Major Sonata contains many characteristics of Beethoven's late style:  a heartfelt slow movement derived from the simplest materials; a sharply-focused and almost brusque scherzo; and a theme-and-variation finale of unusual structure and complexity.  Come hear these contrasting sides of Beethoven’s musical genius.
Rolf Schulte, violin Judith Olson, piano*

5/12/17 The Piano Recital:  A Journey Through Time
BSM piano faculty member Allison Lander presents a recital of music spanning the 18th to the 20th Century. Included on the program is a C.P.E. Bach sonata, which unfolds like a miniature drama with sudden changes of mood. Liszt, known for an unsurpassed technical prowess and cult-like star power, wrote works that evoke images of his experience travelling in Italy and Switzerland.  Alexander Scriabin composed his piano sonatas at a time when artists were disillusioned by the atrocities of war and sought through music to create a new spirituality. American composer Frederic Rzewski has also written music with a distinct political consciousness and profound directness.  Join us for this pianistic journey through time.  Allison Lander, piano*

5/19/17 MUSICAL LANDSCAPES OF THE 20th CENTURY
Broadway Presbyterian Church, 601 W. 114th Street at Broadway, 7pm
Join us in a very special joint concert exploring the richness of music in the 20th century.  Some of the greatest composers of that time gave voice to various historical events that would shape generations to come.  Hear how music can both express and transcend our world and enrich the experience of time and place. The first half will feature three members of the BSM piano faculty in a program of music from France, The United States, Japan, and Russia.   From Parisian ballets at the start of the 20th Century to a passionate reaction to the turmoil of World War II, this program follows some of the cross-currents that span a century of dramatic and evocative music in works by such composers as Igor Stravinsky and William Bolcom. BSM piano faculty member Sara Sherman will lead the second half as she takes us through a tour of Russian musical history.  From folk music of the Russian shtetl to songs of protest from the politically oppressed Soviet Union, you will journey through Russia's sprawling musical landscape. Sara will be joined by BSM trumpet faculty member Rebecca Steinberg in a performance of Dmitri Shostakovich's virtuosic “Concerto No. 1 for piano, trumpet, and strings.   Don’t forget your passport!
Echoes of a Century Laurie Merchant, piano* Mina Kusumoto, piano* Tim McCullough, piano*
Russia’s Musical Landscape Sara Sherman, piano* Rebecca Steinberg, trumpet* Halcyon String Quintet


5/26/17 Bach-Beethoven- Barber & Fugues
One of the most exciting features of music for the piano is the combination of fugues with other compositional forms, the most notable being J.S. Bach’s preludes and fugues in “The Well Tempered Clavier”.  By the early 19th century Beethoven began including fugues as final movements in his piano sonatas, a practice he continued and perfected throughout his life.  The 20th century American composer Samuel Barber also included a fugue as the final statement in his celebrated “Piano Sonata” from 1949.   This program illustrates the influence and treatment of fugue within a broader compositional spectrum by three masterful composers spanning 200 years.
Monica Verona, piano*

6/2/17 Transcendental Heart Strings
Faculty members Katherine Copland, Margalit Cantor, and Marc Peloquin collaborate on this concert-showcasing repertoire written specifically for the combination of voice, cello, and piano.   Featuring the works of great composers from Purcell to Previn, the recital will highlight compositions through the ages written for this combination. . We hope you can join us for a transcendental program that aims to pull on the listener's heart-strings.
Katherine Copland, soprano* Margalit Cantor, cello* Marc Peloquin, piano*

6/11/17 Spirit of Argentina:  Piano Miniatures
Sunday, June 11, 3:00 p.m. David Greer Concert Hall The centerpiece of this concert is a performance of Ginastera's set of eight charming “Children's Pieces” from 1934.  The pieces have been recorded, but this will likely be the first live performance of the complete set in the United States. Ginastera, the leading Argentine composer of the twentieth century, is well known for incorporating Argentine national characteristics into an eclectic variety of contemporary styles. Guastavino and Gianneo, inspired equally by Argentine traditions and European Romanticism, worked with a more conservative harmonic palette inspired by the guitar.  Their colorful and vibrant music remains relatively unknown outside of Argentina.  Join us for a concert of rarely heard music that embodies the spirit of Argentina.
Judith Olson, piano* Students of Judith Olson

By Caitlin Hawke

If you've beeen in our neighborhood long enough to appreciate that we boast "Humphrey Bogart Place" or long enough to remember the town square feeling of The Movie Place, our much-missed video store, you already know Gary Dennis.  Or at least you've benefitted from his encyclopedic knowledge both of history and of cinema. Now come hear the dulcet tones of his voice at the next presentation by the Bloomingdale Neighborhood History Group when Gary will dazzle us with tales of our neighborhood in lights.  The lights of the silver screen.

You won't want to miss it.  And if you are dubious about the connections to Hollywood, let me remark that this is just the first in a series of talks about our little cinecittà.

Live in the neighborhood?  Spread the word by sharing this post: w102-103blockassn.org/blog.  Also, if you enjoy these occasional blog posts, tell a friend to subscribe.  There's a lot more in store.

Readers will know the house I am talking about from our homepage -- that great shot by Ozzie Alfonso.  One of the things I have always loved about it is the color of the brick.  It's an eye-poppingly red-orange terra cotta, paired to perfection with lemon chiffon trim.

Terence Hanrahan had a front row seat across the way in his home where he saw firefighters stabilizing the remaining masonry, and he took some of these shots. Now, of course, a sidewalk bridge has gone up.  But I sure hope our Brick Dame will be restored quickly.

Online reports - either the West Side Rag or DNA Info -- mentioned vibrations that perhaps had jarred the keystone loose.  But this house is a tough cookie; she withstood a lot worse over her 132 year life.  If you scroll down, you'll see a shot of the Queen Anne style house when it was brand new and sat in the lot 25 feet south of W. 102nd Street (before 855 West End Avenue was built).  It sat right on the "avenue."  Then it was but a two-story house consisting solely of the current second and third floors which you will see in the side-by-side photos -- they superimpose perfectly!  That old circa 1888 shot came to me by way of Hedy Campbell who acquired it from a longtime Bloomingdaler Marilyn Buckland.

Built in 1884, the Ralph S. Townsend house sat on West End (depicted in the black and white photos below) until 1893 when it was moved to its current site at 302 W. 102nd Street by Clara Delafield. And there it has sat for a century and a quarter.

Alas, the beautiful brick lady is missing a tooth now.  But she's got good bones, that we know.  To my way of thinking, she's the Maggie Smith of Bloomingdale, and she darn well better outlive us one and all.

Come wander by some day and behold her beauty!

Note how these two buildings superimpose perfectly: take the first and second floor of the building in the black and white immage and imagine them bumped up a story to become the second and third floors of the building above in the color picture, and you've got it.  The front door from 1888 became a set of quirky asymmetrical windows.  A new first floor and an additional floor at top -- a mansard roof -- were added when the house rounded the corner in 1893.

Live in the neighborhood?  Spread the word by sharing this.  Also, if you enjoy these occasional blog posts, tell a friend to subscribe.  There's a lot more in store.