The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Christine Pasqueralle

A Small Village, A Big Sound – Inside the Pleasantville Chamber Music Society

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Manhattan String Quartet
PHOTO BY JON CUNNINGHAM

It is often said that music has the power to soothe the soul. If you’ve ever had a bad day, perhaps one of the first things you might do upon arriving home is blast some of your favorite music and dance around to help lighten and brighten your mood. Music can calm us and make us feel happier in an instant. A certain song can bring up nostalgic memories and allow us to remember good times of the past.

According to Psychiatry.org, music can have a number of positive effects on a person’s mental health and well-being. This includes mood regulation, healing trauma, building resilience and fostering social connections and support. The use of music therapy can provide a safe environment for those looking to heal trauma and help decrease anxiety levels. Research has also shown that engaging in music-making activities can provide participants with an emotional release and even create a sense of community.

That sense of community is evident within the Pleasantville Chamber Music Society and its place within Pleasantville. This year, the Society will be celebrating its 50th anniversary season (2026-2027). The Society has been spreading the joy of live music in Pleasantville for half a century. It was founded in 1976 in part by the late Joe Goodman, a music professor at Queens College and Pleasantville resident. The group of music lovers who founded the Society did so because they believed that high-quality music should be available to all and open to the public for free.

The Society has operated on a free admission basis since its founding thanks to donors and contributions. Each season, four concerts are presented at the Pleasantville Presbyterian Church on Bedford Road. Robbin Levy, an amateur cellist in her own right, is the Program Administrator of the Society and books the groups as well as plans out each season. Pleasantville Mayor Peter Scherer is the Society’s President. Speaking with Scherer, one gets the sense of the passion he has for the Society as well as the prospect for an increase in public knowledge and support.

Scherer sees the importance of the Society in helping to bring live classical music performances to those that may not be able to experience it otherwise. “Plenty of people come, that may not be able to go to concerts in NYC,” he says. The Society runs on a small scale with no staff or overhead – just an ask for donations once a year. “It’s all run by a small group of people – a simple organization with simple goals.”

Scherer’s involvement spans 35 years. “I lived on the same street as Goodman, and he convinced me to join. I appreciate music and have come to know the musicians. It’s given me a respect for what great musicians can do. We have an appreciative audience and one who is always interested to hear more about the pieces from the musicians who play them. It has been very rewarding.”

Some of the recent groups performing for the Society include Hui-Mei Lin & Friends, Pleasantville Flute Quartet and Frisson Winds, playing works by Mozart, Debussy, Dvořák and more.

Those interested in learning more can visit the Society’s website (pvillechambermusic.org) – and sign up for their email list. As Scherer says, “It’s a nice story of a non-profit that harkens back to a simpler time. We have a straightforward mission presented in a straightforward way to those who appreciate it.”

The Pleasantville Chamber Music Society (PCMS) and Friends of Music (FOM) in Sleepy Hollow have joined hands to cross-promote one another’s spring concerts, expanding the concert options for their respective memberships. Visit their website to learn more: www.friendsofmusicconcerts.org.

Pleasantville Chamber Music Society & Friends of Music Collaborate

Joint Calendar, Spring Concerts

Date/Time Concert Sponsor
Sunday, 2/22 – 3 pm Frisson Winds PCMS
Sunday, 3/22 – 3 pm Calidore String Quartet FOM
Sunday, 4/12 – 3 pm Bennett Tsai & Noreen Polera duet FOM
Sunday, 4/26 – 3 pm Manhattan String Quartet PCMS
Sunday, 4/26 – 3 pm Stefan Jackiw, & Kevin Ahfat duet FOM

PCMS concerts are performed at the Presbyterian Church, 400 Bedford Road
FOM 3/22 concert will be held at Ossining High School. 4/12 & 4/26 concert will be held at Sleepy Hollow High School

One Resident’s Story of Hope & Healing

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PHOTO BY DONNA MUELLER

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines courage as “the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.” This word certainly applies to lifelong Pleasantville resident Yvette Ferrao Smyth. Last year, Smyth went through a serious medical condition. But with courage, faith and a sense of humor, she has come out the other side and wants to help bring awareness to others. When talking to Smyth, her sense of joy for life and her gratitude really shine through.

“Pleasantville is my hometown – I formally lived on Lake Shore Drive, in the first house ever built on that street.” Smyth’s late husband inherited the home from his paternal aunt, and they loved living in that neighborhood. Smyth has always loved gardening – everything from vegetables, flowers, herbs and berries, and her neighbors proclaimed hers the best garden on the street. But on a few occasions last Spring, she had a fall in her garden. “I thought, maybe I’m doing too much but there came a point I couldn’t go up the stairs in my house.” She started eating better but her health wasn’t improving, and things were getting worse with Smyth taking to sleeping downstairs and losing the ability to cook and other simple tasks.

“On May 30, 2025, I couldn’t get out of bed. The young couple next door suggested I go to the hospital,” said Smyth. A few days prior, she had noticed a golf ball-sized bump on her right thigh, which she assumed was merely a bruise. “I had the courage to think positive, I didn’t want to give up, thinking surely this will pass.” But Smyth was admitted to Northern Westchester Hospital for what would be a series of procedures to save her life.

She was first diagnosed with a hematoma – essentially internal bleeding and immediately had surgery. Smyth also needed a blood transfusion as well as a mesh inserted into her thigh. In addition, there were other issues to be dealt with. Smyth was also diagnosed with a parathyroid issue and had a transsphenoidal surgery to remove a benign tumor that was pushing her pituitary gland. She also required a right frontal VP shunt insertion. ”I had just gotten out of the ICU and then had to go back in.” She credits Dr. Danilo Otavio De Araujo Sliva, Director of Neurosurgery, with saving her life. “I met with him and immediately took a liking to him. He is my hero. He said, ‘there are always risks in surgery, but you’ll be alright’ and I trusted him.” All of Smyth’s children had flown in to be with her after her first surgery but at some point, had to go home to their families. “I was petrified and alone, but I had courage – faith and prayers. I said, I am going to make it through this, and I did.”

Smyth’s faith and courage through adversity helped her get through a very tough time in her life. “Am I going to be OK? I’ve always been so vibrant, going out and about in Pleasantville. I’m not going to give up. I promised myself I would be the same person again.” After her surgeries, Smyth was taken to Phelps Memorial Hospital for physical therapy, though she was still having trouble walking when she returned home in June 2025. After turning 74 in August, she was still not feeling 100% and decided to put her house up for sale. Relocating to an apartment in the center of Pleasantville has been the right move for her. “I live right above Chase Bank, and I think to myself – I’m sitting upon other people’s millions,” she says with a smile.

She can now walk and jog and calls it a miracle. “I had the courage and faith to go through this recovery. A positive attitude, faith and prayers help. With God’s help you can make it through and things work out.” And as for her longtime status in Pleasantville Smyth says, “I feel blessed and fortunate to be in Pleasantville, I couldn’t ask for a better place to live. You grow where you’re planted.”

Color in Motion – Discover Pleasantville’s Walking Mural

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Pleasantville has always been known as a walking village. Whether catching a train, seeing a movie or grabbing a bite, residents enjoy the walkability of their hometown. Now that distinction is being celebrated in a larger-than-life way – through the new Walking Mural. The idea to create a mural in town originally came from artist Stuart Vance and Marlene Canapi, Chair of the Pleasantville Public Arts Committee (PPAC). The Walking Mural has been brought to life through the work of artists and a multitude of volunteers so the entire community can enjoy it in the way it’s meant to be – on foot.

Located on Jackson Alley in back of the Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC), the idea for the project was sparked a few years ago. As Vance states, “Marlene and I had the idea of creating public art in Pleasantville. Jackson Alley cuts through the center of town and is a busy pedestrian thoroughfare and we wanted to celebrate Pleasantville as a walking area. The concept of the mural is very site-specific, it’s in a pedestrian-only area and it’s about walking.”

ArtsWestchester issued a request for proposals and 26 were submitted. As Pleasantville Mayor Peter Scherer states, “We sought community input on the finalists and were pleased that the winning submission was from Stuart Vance and Greg Nemec, a Pleasantville team. And our Assembly member, MaryJane Shimsky, provided a grant for Pleasantville, administered by ArtsWestchester.”

The mural itself depicts a variety of figures on an almost heroic scale – the largest figure being 13 feet tall. As people walk by, it’s as if they’re walking with the figures, making for an intimate experience. “The mural can only be seen by walking through the alleyway, we didn’t want it to be viewed from a distance or while driving,” says Vance.

Chad Kraus, a photographer and Pleasantville resident of over 25 years photographed the subjects for the mural at the JBFC’s Media Arts Lab. “I captured photos of their movements walking along a wall. The goal was to get as much of a diverse representation of the community as possible. As a Pleasantville resident, it’s special for me to be a part of this.”

The Walking Mural is the first (hopefully of many) public art pieces in Pleasantville, and the organizers want it to have a big impact on the community. Each of the 11 figures depicted on the mural has its own color palette and space with prismatic shapes behind them. They are abstract but when seen from afar, pull together and become almost photo realistic. “The meaning of the prisms celebrates all the different kinds of realities we both share and also live individually. It’s symbolic of the diversity of our community, living together harmoniously,” says Vance.

Greg Nemec co-created the Walking Mural with Stuart. “We came up with the concept, did the photoshoot and I digitally re-drew the images so that people could paint them on the wall. We transferred the images onto the wall using VR headsets,” remarks Nemec. He also brought in David McShane from Mural Arts Philadelphia to act as an advisor on the project. Nemec sees a bright future for Pleasantville as an arts destination. “People walk by as we’re painting and they’re already positive about it. The goal is to activate the space as an art space and have Pleasantville become known as a place of murals.”

The mural was presented at a ribbon-cutting ceremony last month. And completing it has been thanks in part to a myriad of volunteers. “We’re working with a young artist from Pleasantville, Devon DelCastillo, a recent graduate from the School of Visual Arts. She’s helping, painting and making sure things go smoothly,” says Vance. There was also a community-wide mural painting day held in September. Almost 100 people showed up to paint, which really helped progress the project.

Ultimately, the mural is about making others feel something. Vance believes Pleasantville can positively benefit from the Walking Mural. “Mostly it will make people happy when they see it. As a work of art, it fulfills its duty in that it surprises and delights and could engender a feeling of community – that’s my hope. For people to say yes this is us, this is who we are, this is Pleasantville.”

The Nicholas Center: Open Minds – Open Hearts

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TNC Community Service – Westchester Children’s Museum

What do you do when the school bus stops coming? This was the question posed by three Co-Founders of The Nicholas Center (TNC). The non-profit offers innovative programs and services that allow autistic individuals to work, learn, live and ultimately thrive in their communities.

With locations in Port Washington, Long Island and Pleasantville, TNC is helping bridge the gap between high school graduation and the real world for a number of autistic individuals. TNC was founded in 2011 by Stella L. Spanakos, Nicole Ferrara and Patrick Bardsley. The trio collectively had over 30 years of experience in autism education and nonprofit work. Their vision was to create a program model to help serve those seeking an alternative to a traditional “day habilitation” program – one that’s person-centered and community-fueled.

TNC Provides Pantry Program – Stocking Shelves at Hillside Food Outreach Pantry

This year TNC is celebrating five years in Pleasantville. “Pleasantville has been perfect for us. We are so happy to have found this location”, says Lee Anne Vetrone, the Director of Development. TNC is currently working with 35 families in the region. “Once autistic individuals age out of the school system, there are limited opportunities for skills training and community integration. Our programming and support are a real game changer for individuals, families and the community – In New York State, individuals with special needs can attend school until the age of 21. What are the opportunities available after they age out of school is the question. This is where TNC helps to fill in the gaps.”

TNC’s Coffee Cafe
Revolutionizing the way autistic adults learn, live and work in the community -this is TNC’s tagline and part of their core values. Vetrone states, “ One of The Nicholas Center’s core values is to be “folded into the fabric of the community,” – active and engaged, not sheltered.” TNC offers a Supported Employment Program (SEMP) which provides job development and job placement services based on the individual’s interests and skills. Being supported at work allows individuals to build confidence, gain independence and ultimately secure internships and meaningful employment. TNC works with a variety of community partners and vendors to help nurture these relationships.

Jeremy Scalchunes is the Associate Executive Director of Programs at TNC. He shares that the mission of TNC is threefold – vocational training and job placement; learning and social development programs such as classroom instruction, Media Arts, Health and Wellness; and community inclusion. He states, “We’re out there at networking events, the Chamber of Commerce, local parades and more. We are looking to create as many partnerships with our individuals as possible. We have 30 partnerships in Westchester with food pantries, community gardens, state parks and more. Participants volunteer at these organizations. While they help out, they receive valuable vocational experience and neighborhood engagement. The community has been very receptive to us.”

TNC Supported Employment – Second Mouse Cheese Shop

Some of TNC’s community partners include The United Way, Rockefeller Preserve and St. John’s Episcopal Church – where they are currently working on creating a Respite Cafe to serve those with dementia. “The Pleasantville community has embraced TNC with open arms,” says Vetrone. “We’ve engaged with many local non-profits, including the Pleasantville Music Festival, Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC) and the Westchester Children’s Museum. For some this may be their first experience working with autistic individuals. TNC has recently been asked to create an art installation at the Westchester Children’s Museum. The exhibit, “Keep Our Seas Plastic Free,” was created using found materials. The exhibit will remain up through December.

TNC’s Supported Employment Program works to pair autistic young adults with a business opportunity, starting with an on-site internship, with the goal to build up to supportive paid employment where the individual can slowly have more independence in their role. Business staff are also trained on how to best support individuals. “We try to serve the individual’s needs and skill level to put them in the right place employment-wise”, says Vetrone. Currently, TNC has individuals working at the JBFC and Second Mouse Cheese.

TNC Media Lab in Action

How participants hear about TNC programs is varied. Some via their school districts, therapists and counselors while others hear of TNC through social media or word-of-mouth. The autistic community is always looking for new opportunities. Says Vetrone, “Parents aren’t always aware of what comes next in terms of opportunities after school is over. We serve as a resource for those looking for opportunities.”

TNC teaches life skills to its participants and offers a safe space to form peer connections. “It’s important to have a community and friends. Once school is over, it can be harder for this population to make these vital connections.” says Vetrone. “TNC creates a space to make and maintain relationships.”

TNC Supported Employment

“There’s a stigma that is often associated with hiring the neurodiverse community”, says Scalchunes. “We have created an inclusive, supportive model. We’re introducing employers to this model, and they see tangible benefits, including the benefits of different ways of thinking and solving complex issues. We create opportunities for participants to get out in the community and get jobs.” TNC’s program in turn helps the nonprofits they work with fulfill their missions and helps to break down stigmas. Concludes Scalchunes, “This is an untapped population that has a lot to offer. If we open our minds to different ways of thinking and being, there are tangible benefits a society can gain. Our mission is to break down these stigmas for society.”

The Nicholas Center
175 Tompkins Ave.
Pleasantville, NY 10570
914-919-9188
TNCnewyork.org

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE NICHOLAS CENTER

Pam Gittleman’s Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times

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We’ve all grown up listening to classic nursery rhymes and if you’re a parent, grandparent or caregiver, chances are you have a rotation of them in your daily reading repertoire with the kids. But have you ever really listened to some of their not-so-pleasant themes? Chappaqua resident and veteran early childhood music educator Pam Gittleman has just released Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times®, Volume 2, her second volume of updated rhymes perfect for the children in your life.

This new collection under the For Kinder Times® brand features nine updated nursery rhymes with storylines promoting kindness, empathy and gratitude. If you’re familiar with the classic rhymes, many of them have dark themes and acts of violence. Kinder Times® rhymes show acts of compassion and help kids (and parents) recognize different emotions and how to regulate them in a fun and whimsical way.

Part of the reason Gittleman wrote the books was to help preserve this genre for a new generation. “As an early childhood music educator, I loved reading/singing traditional nursery rhymes. I loved that they had an inherent musicality, supported imagination and language and were memorable. It concerned me that an important genre for supporting language development and musicality might fade away.”

Says Gittleman, “When I realized that young children and families were increasingly unfamiliar with so many rhymes because their parents and teachers found them too old-fashioned, dark, irrelevant and “cringey” to share with their kids, I set out to provide an alternative that everyone could feel great about sharing with the young children in their lives, hence the creation of Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times.®” They are a fresh take on some not-so-friendly rhymes. Did you ever stop to think what actually happened to Humpty Dumpty when he fell off the wall? In this new version – his friends help him back up and give him a band aid!

Another fun aspect of the book is that it comes with an emoji chart to help preschoolers identify and label emotions that they or the characters in the story are feeling. Each rhyme also has guiding questions to encourage conversations about feelings and emotions while supporting language and literacy. “Nursery rhymes are a genre that can provide fun and memorable ways to support imagination, whimsy, musicality and language,” said Gittleman. “Why not leverage them to deliver messaging that is relevant, positive and agreeable/accessible to people of all backgrounds?”

Having already published two volumes is quite an accomplishment but hasn’t come without its challenges. “The biggest challenge I’ve faced is in convincing a traditional publisher to publish my rhymes. Since the concept of a collection of new rhymes did not fit the typical mold of a children’s picture book, it was a hard sell in today’s market. I ultimately decided to publish with a hybrid publisher (a form of self-publishing).” But it is not without its rewards. “One teacher told me that the use of the emoji chart helped one student admit he was sad and angry about a situation at home. She was able to get help for his family as a result of him learning to identify, label and share his feelings. Having an impact like that on even one child has been extremely rewarding.”

And Gittleman is definitely an advocate for reading with children of all ages. “Reading books with young children helps nurture strong, positive relationships, it helps children begin to link printed to spoken words which is a building block for language and literacy, it reinforces listening skills and allows children and caregivers to engage in a shared experience that is bonding, educational and fun.”

Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times®, Volume 2 by Pam Gittleman, with art and design by Dan and Catherine Markowitz is published by Mascot Kids, an imprint of Amplify Publishing Group, a leading independent hybrid publisher. It is available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. For more information visit pamgittleman.com.