The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Jean Sheff

About Jean Sheff

Jean Sheff is a Westchester-based writer and editor. She is also the owner of Inspire Pilates, a studio in Briarcliff Manor.

Now in Mount Kisco: Oral Surgery with a Side of TLC

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Andrew Horowitz, DMD, MD, FACS, has put down new roots in Northern Westchester. As a partner in private practice at the well-established New York Oral, Maxillofacial, and Implant Surgery (NYOMIS) in Scarsdale, he recently announced the opening of a second location in Mount Kisco, New York.

It’s a formidable time in his career. “It feels great to have 15 years of experience under my belt,” says Dr. Horowitz. To complement his procedural experience, Dr. Horowitz is accomplished in using the newest technology available. “Advances in dental technology have made a profound impact on oral surgery,” he says. “Oral surgeons can now offer patients exacting, comprehensive treatment in less time with improved results.”

Education + Training

Dr. Horowitz hails from West Bloomfield, Michigan. In his youth, he wasn’t absolutely sure of his career path, but his father was a positive influence. “My dad was a periodontist, so I’ve been around the dental field my entire life.” Dr. Horowitz earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of Michigan. And yes, he still gets home to catch the occasional football game!

He then headed east to attend the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia to earn his doctorate of dental medicine (DMD). To enhance his education, he earned a medical degree (MD) from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine combined MD/Oral and Maxillofacial Residency program in New York City. While at Mount Sinai, he completed a general surgery internship, a residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery, and served as chief resident.

Oral surgeons are specialists who focus on tooth extraction, wisdom tooth removal, and implants. Oral maxillofacial surgeons are additionally trained in operations to correct injuries and defects of the face, jaw, or mouth. This could include health conditions such as jaw misalignment, tumors or cysts, facial injury, and cleft palate. As an oral maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Horowitz treats the entire scope of dental surgical needs.

Advances in Technology

All dentistry has experienced a growth in technology. Many dentists are now using 3D X-ray machines to diagnose, and 3D printers to create dental crowns.

Oral surgeons are using new technology to assist with dental implants. Advances in technology have contributed to making implant procedures easier and more accurate. One such technology is the cone beam CT scanner. This technology allows the surgeon to take a scan of the jaw structure, which provides information on how to best install the implants. High-tech placement methods mean more people are candidates for prosthetic teeth.

Dr. Horowitz has extensive experience in immediate implant placement procedures called “All-on-4 Technique” and “Teeth in a Day”. These advances help patients avoid what was once a lengthy and costly process that included bone grafting and many appointments.

While Dr. Horowitz says these techniques involve a long day of treatment, patients are only sore for only a few days and the process is much easier for the patient. “We are also well versed in sedation techniques that put the patient at ease and reduce any anxiety that may be present,” says Dr. Horowitz.

Local Life

Like many transplanted New Yorkers, Dr. Horowitz felt the pull to wider pastures. Since he was working in Scarsdale, Westchester County caught his attention. “It was time for a little more space, a bit of land and some trees,” he says. “A good community and a fine school system were are also on the want list.” He settled in Chappaqua 15 years ago and is raising his two children there.

“We are a ski family,” says Dr. Horowitz. And when he’s not on the slopes, you can find Dr. Horowitz attending his children’s school activities, or cooking something delicious.

Designed with peaceful natural tones, his offices exude the same sense of ease he found in Westchester’s natural landscape. “The NYMOIS offices have a serene environment,” he says. He values having time to spend with each patient. “I enjoy providing specific individualized attention and every bit of TLC I offer has a positive impact on my patients.”

New York Oral, Maxillofacial, and Implant Surgery
Scarsdale, Mount Kisco
www.NYOMIS.com
914-689-7550

Finding Their Voice: Hope’s Door Survivor Advocacy Group

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At a Hope’s Door Gala Fundraiser

Holidays can be stressful for everyone, especially for those in domestic violence circumstances. Experts contend that the pressure of the celebrations can inflame emotions and behavior. Other stressors can also contribute to domestic abuse. The National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice reported an 8.1% increase in U.S. domestic violence incidents following the pandemic stay-at-home orders in 2020.

Maya Lloyd, MPH, director of Outreach and Development for Hope’s Door, has witnessed this phenomenon. To help, she has formed the Hope’s Door Survivor Advocacy Group. “The purpose of the group is to include former and active Hope’s Door clients in policy advocacy and give them the opportunity to use their voices and talents to support other survivors, educate the public, and amplify their stories,” says Maya.

Survivor Advocacy Group members volunteer to take part in speaking engagements, media interviews, agency outreach, fundraising events, and to provide support to others as they navigate the court system. “It’s empowering for members to speak their truth and help others,” says Maya, “It helps them find their voice, take their power back, and break the cycle of abuse.”

A Voice Found

Melisa Dean* learned about domestic and relationship violence in high school health class. What she learned was merely a chapter from what turned out to be a very complicated book. “We were taught that it can happen in any home,” says Melisa. “We learned some red flags, but you never think it will happen to you.”

That’s one reason Melisa joined Hope’s Door Survivor Advocacy Group. “When I was presented with the opportunity, I knew it was important to share my story,” she says. “It was very hard to open up, yet I knew if I didn’t do it now, I might not have the guts to do it in the future.”

Sharing her story has allowed her to spread the word on the seriousness of domestic violence. “I know sharing my story is 100% helpful to others,” she says. “It’s so common to be in denial. On average, it takes seven attempts for a victim to leave their abuser. If my story can help someone, that’s all for the better.”

Melissa knows because she was that person. At just 19, she found herself wooed into a relationship with a man 10 years older. She was one of the lucky ones who reached out for help and escaped with the assistance from a local police detective who sent police escorts to help her leave the home. “That was the most emotionally and physically draining day of my life,” she says.

The transition was rough. At first, Melisa says she was in denial about needing additional help. But once she reached out, she was glad she did. “Hope’s Door helped me build a new life,” she says. They helped her with the legal and court processes, and she saw a counsellor there for almost a year. She says Hope’s Door also helped her answer the big questions that she was left with in the wake of her experience–where does she stand in the world? Can a relationship ever be safe?

The End of Silence

Lilliana Estes* also knows that building a new life is a challenge. The manipulation she suffered in an abusive relationship distorted her reality. “You think you are the only one to be in this situation, you feel ashamed, and that shame keeps you silent,” she says.

She was confused but trying to find her way out when, on one of her visits to the local police precinct, an officer asked Lilliana if she wanted him to pass her name on to an organization that could help. She said yes, never expecting to hear from anyone. “I got a call from Hope’s Door the very next day and that call changed my life,” she says.

The physical violence and mental abuse she suffered had worn her down, but through counselling at Hope’s Door, Lilliana began to understood trauma bonding. She became committed to her emotional growth and the personal responsibility she had to take for her life. “In my case, I came to understand it wasn’t just about choosing the wrong partner, it was deeper than that,” she says.

For her, joining Hope’s Door Survivor’s Advocacy Group is part healing and part helping. “I had become wired to be silent, but now I have a voice, and I am going to use it to help others.” Lilliana says.

* name changed to protect anonymity

A local nonprofit, Hope’s Door runs a 24-hour bilingual hotline, 888-438-8700. The agency’s confidential and free services help with safety planning, offers counseling, legal assistance, and emergency shelter to those in need. hopesdoorny.org

7 Ways You Can Help at the Holidays … and Beyond

1) Select Hope’s Door for your #GivingTuesday charity of choice on November 29, 2022.

2) Shop for Hope’s Door through AmazonSmile Charity Lists. This is a meaningful way for you to shop and donate items directly to Hope’s Door. In addition, AmazonSmile donates 0.5% of your eligible Charity List purchases to the organization at no cost to you.

Hope’s Door Donation List on Amazon.com features items such as bedding, clothing, shoes, household items, and toiletries that can help domestic violence victims start a new life. The process is simple. Just visit smile.amazon.com, select Hope’s Door and start shopping.

3) Donate from the Hope’s Door Wish List. Gift cards to local supermarkets, drugstores and department stores are always welcome. See hopesdoorny.com for more information.

4) Attend the Gala Fundraiser events held each fall and spring or organize your own event to support Hope’s Door.

5) Volunteer to join the Friends Committee and help plan and organize Hope’s Door major fundraisers.

6) Invite the Love Shouldn’t Hurt Workshop to your school or organization. This interactive Hope’s Door workshop is designed for middle schools, high schools, colleges, and community-based sites to educate students and residents.

7) Volunteer your talent. Volunteers are needed to help with childcare, translation services, and administrative duties. If you have a skill–sewing, resume writing, self-defense training–offer to share it.

Danielle’s Dreams: Sprinkling Joy Through Art and Adventure

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On an early summer day in 2019, Danielle Leventhal stepped into room 205 at Seven Bridges Middle School in Chappaqua. Danielle, a 2012 graduate of Horace Greeley High School, had attended Seven Bridges, as did her younger brother Alex. 

In a story that embraces the remarkable twists and turns of fate, Danielle was returning to Seven Bridges–on her actual 25th birthday–to speak to Brian O’Connor’s fifth grade class as a part of his curriculum on the CNN Heroes program. 

Brian O’Connor’s Seven Bridges Middle School teacher’s wall of CNN Heroes

Celebrating Heroes

For 12 years, O’Connor’s social studies class has watched CNN Heroes and discussed the 10 everyday heroes and their amazing accomplishments. Students then write a letter to one hero, sharing how they were inspired by their story. “We have sent out 5,000 letters in the last 12 years,” says O’Connor, who will teach the program for the 13th time this year. Many heroes write back and have even come into the classroom to meet the students and share more of their story. 

CNN’s production team got word of O’Connor’s program and visited the school to film a three-minute segment for their 10-year anniversary special. O’Connor attended the live event at the Museum of Natural History in New York. There he met and connected with Brad Ludden, a 2016 Top 10 CNN Hero and the founder of First Descents, a non-profit organization that provides life-changing outdoor adventures for young adults impacted by cancer. 

Jennifer Leventhal (Danielle’s mother) had stayed in touch with O’Connor over the years. When she saw the segment, she reached out to offer congratulations. “Jennifer also shared that Danielle had been diagnosed with cancer, had gone through treatment, and was going to take part in a First Descents program,” says O’Connor. O’Connor later invited Danielle to come to speak to his students about her powerful First Descents experience, which is what she joyously did that summer day in 2019. 

Danielle on O’Connor’s wall of CNN Heroes

Diagnosis

 After high school, Danielle, a gifted artist, graduated in 2016 from the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis with a double major in painting and art history. She was busy painting and working in the art world when, in 2017 at 22, she noticed a pain in her shoulder and chest. It impacted her breathing on her runs, so she went to urgent care, but the EKG showed nothing. Danielle wasn’t satisfied. She requested a chest X-ray. It revealed a softball-sized mass near her aorta. “Danielle had excellent body intuition and her follow through helped save her life for another four adventure-filled years,” says Jennifer. 

Despite the diagnosis of a rare sarcoma, Danielle had unrelenting hope balanced with a firm grasp on reality. “If you looked at a snapshot of Danielle and her high school friends and asked which kid could handle adolescent cancer the best? I’m sure Danielle’s name would not have come up,” says Jennifer. “She was gentle and perhaps even delicate, but she was indeed fiercer than we, or even she knew and funnier than she had ever been.” 

William D. Tap, M.D. chief of Sarcoma Medical Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) was Danielle’s oncologist. In addition to surgery, her treatments included proton therapy, a radiation treatment used to shrink the tumor, followed by chemotherapy, studies on acupuncture and eventually clinical trials of new drugs. 

Sarcomas are a rare group of malignant cells that begin in the bones or soft tissues says Dr. Tap. “There are some 60 different sarcomas and for each sarcoma subtype there may only be a few hundred to a few thousand people diagnosed in the United States each year,” he adds. 

Because sarcomas are so rare, and because youngsters often have lumps and bumps that are not given adequate attention, sarcomas are often misdiagnosed or receive a late diagnosis. “Sarcomas present with a remarkably wide range of symptoms from belly pain to shortness of breath,” says Dr. Tap. “Honestly, they are easy to miss.” Treating sarcomas in the young adult range (age 15-39) is very challenging. “The survival rate of pediatric cancers has increased greatly, but we need more research to discover how we can positively treat these rare cancers that are affecting young adults.”

This demographic also has a diverse range of needs, worries and concerns, specific to their age group says Dr. Tap. There are questions regarding their education, career, future fertility, and emerging independence. “For well-rounded care, it’s important that the medical team understand these unique psychosocial aspects and how they affect the patients’ life,” says Dr. Tap. 

Danielle was an inaugural participant in Tap’s Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) program at MSK. The program brings together care experts across specialties along with the patient’s oncologist. This can be a social worker or fertility expert–whatever is needed. “They usher the patient through treatment and assist with the stressors of their diagnosis,” says Dr. Tap. “The program also creates a peer group environment where patients can have meaningful dialogue and combat the isolation the patient may be feeling.”

When Danielle lost her hair, her friends all wore wigs to her 23rd birthday party so she wouldn’t feel alone.

Dr. Tap praises Danielle’s ability to grow with her cancer diagnosis. “She gained an agency and confidence that strengthened her relationship with her family and friends and that was dramatic to see,” he says. Her dedication to help develop the program for others to benefit even when her disease was threatening her life showed strength and resilience, which Dr. Tap says is a testimony to Danielle as a person.

Donut Paintings for Project Bakesale, 2021. Acrylic on Wood Panels. Each square painting was created in exchange for a donation to Blue Georgia runoff candidates.

Her mother recalls an early lesson Danielle took home from AYA. She learned that it’s your journey. How much you want to share is your choice, she says. “If you look at cancer as a slice of pie, it’s a small part of the whole pie. It’s not nothing, but it’s not everything either,” she says. As she got sicker, Danielle shared more. She wanted to create a legacy with intentions of being helpful to other young adults with cancer. 

Sharing opened new doors. One day in New York City Danielle spotted Suleika Jaouad, who at 22 was diagnosed with leukemia and documented her journey in The New York Times column, “Life Interrupted”. Danielle thanked her for her articles and later hand delivered a portrait she had painted of Suleika. It was Suleika who encouraged Danielle to go on a First Descents trip. “She said it would change her life,” says Jennifer, “and it did.”

First Descents

Brad Ludden, a professional kayaker, was in his teens when his young aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer. He took her and her friends on a kayaking adventure and learned that outdoor adventure could be profoundly healing. Ludden founded First Descents to offer healing adventures to young adults impacted by cancer and other serious health conditions. 

“First Descents” is a term used widely in adventure sports. It’s a feat that someone has completed before anyone else and merits respect, as in kayaking white water rapids that have never been descended,” says Emily Burick, First Descents development officer and now an ambassador for Danielle’s Dreams Adventure Program.

Burick says First Descents encourages participants to make the most of the time you have, in the places you are in, and the people you are with. Their tag line, Out Living It, is a play on words celebrating the spirit that participants embrace. 

In 22 years, some 10,000 young adults have gone through the core program, which includes a weeklong adventure free of cost. Adventures range from rock or ice climbing to whitewater kayaking and surfing. Participants develop an unwritten bond and become like a second family and can continue to adventure with peers through the #Out Living It project. 

Burick met Danielle on her weeklong First Descents ice climbing adventure in Ouray, Colorado. She knew her as Donut. “It’s a tradition that everyone gets a nickname. It happens sometime from when the staff picks you up at the airport and you arrive at the lodge, says Burick. “From then on you introduce yourself as that nickname. The beauty of it is that it allows you to assume a new identity and be free.” 

Jason “Buck” asked Danielle which of her paintings were her favorite and she said, “A donut”. She had made many paintings, but her favorite was a series of donuts. The name stuck. 

“Donut was kind, radiant, and joyful,” says Burick. “She took part in everything, and it was not without fear.” The program helps participants learn what they are in control of, and what they aren’t, how they can take on the challenge and how not let cancer define them.

“It was important for Donut to be an advocate for herself and others, she became so involved and that was very characteristic of her,” says Burick. Danielle/Donut introduced First Descents to Soul Ryeders, a Rye-based organization that offers resources, programs and community support to those impacted by cancer. The two organizations have since established a partnership. “She didn’t want her experience to just be about her, she wanted it also to be about others, that was who she was to her core,” says Burick. 

Sharing and Caring

It was in that spirit that Danielle returned from New York City to Seven Bridges Middle School. “Danielle was an amazing role model, she was so prepared, had an amazing presence, and connected with the students as if she were a veteran teacher,” says O’Connor. She was candid and age-appropriate in speaking about her treatments and her ice climbing adventure with First Descents. She encouraged the students to be kind, appreciate family and friends and reminded them if they didn’t feel well, they must tell someone. 

Danielle did not know that O’Connor had a surprise planned that day. He had invited Brad Ludden to Skype into the session and they all sang happy birthday to her. “In my 22 years of teaching that was the most memorable moment,” says O’Connor. “The room was filled with good vibes and the kids were so happy to honor her. I will never forget it, and I believe the students will remember it too.”

Danielle’s Dreams

When the pandemic hit, Danielle devoted herself to her artwork, painting daily and instead of going out, embracing what she called an “In Living It” spirit. 

Danielle passed away on August 4, 2021, at 27 after outliving terminal cancer for four years. 

Her legacy continues as Danielle’s Dreams works to “sprinkle joy through art and adventure” for young adults with cancer. Two programs, Danielle’s Dreams Adventure Program, First Descents and Danielle’s Dreams Art Programs, AYA at MSK, allow you to support Danielle’s Dreams through tax-deductible donations. 

And this month you can take part in a Virtual Fitness Fundraiser honoring Danielle on her birthday. On Wednesday, June 15, 2022 at 7 p.m. Lauren Chiarello Mika, a fitness instructor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Center and founder of Chi Chi Life, hosts a 45-minute virtual Pilates Fusion Class, which is appropriate for all ages and abilities. 

Lauren is a two-time Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivor who has been cancer free for 13 years. She also took part in a life-changing First Descents adventure and is now mother to identical twin boys born in 2020. 

Jennifer and Danielle took Lauren’s virtual Pilates Fusion class in 2020-2021. “I called them the Dynamic Duo,” Lauren says. “Here was a mother and daughter moving beside each other, bonding physically and emotionally.” Danielle made a painting of Lauren and her boys, which she sent to her along with a meaningful note. “I will always treasure these,” says Lauren. “It shows the spirit of giving that Danielle embraced.”

On the cover:
Lieutenant’s Island
No. 2, Oil on Canvas, 2019, winner of the “Popular Vote” award for the cover of the 2020 Wellfleet travel guide

First Descents Virtual Fitness Fundraiser

Wednesday, June 15, 2022 at 7 p.m.

Take part in a 45-minute virtual Pilates Fusion Class, hosted by Lauren Chiarello Mika. The low-impact, mindful movement class is appropriate for all ages and abilities and supports the mission of First Descents. It’s a perfect way to honor and celebrate Danielle on her birthday and offer adventure to young adults like Danielle impacted by cancer.

Your $45 registration fee includes the virtual class and a custom-designed “Donut” hat in honor of Danielle.

Register or donate today: https://support.firstdescents.org/event/danielles-birthday-fundraiser/e402259

Resources

What’s Love Got to Do with it? For the Shiners… Everything!

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Frank and Suzanne Shiner… with Baker! PHOTO BY Donna Mueller

Maybe you know Frank and Suzanne Shiner. Then again, you might not.

Ask Marlene Canapi, president of the Chappaqua Rotary Club, about the couple and she offers insight. “Frank and Suzanne are extraordinary community members,” she says. “They are always stepping up to the plate to help, but they keep their actions under the radar.” 

Canapi can reel off their many generous measures. “They’ve sponsored amazing benefit concerts, hosted fundraising and celebratory events at their home, and supported many local organizations including the Chappaqua Historical Society and the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center,” says Canapi. “They have given much and their actions continue. Their generosity and community spirit are ongoing.”   

True to their nature, the Shiners were modest, yet very honored, to learn that the Rotary Club of Chappaqua will present them with the Rotary Club of Chappaqua Community Service Award on May 4, 2022. This award is given to a person(s) who most exemplifies the Rotary motto, “Service Above Self.” The award comes with the opportunity for the honorees to make a Rotary sponsored donation to the non-profit of their choice.  

Canapi, who has known the Shiners for eight years, says it’s not only what they do but also how they do it that makes them so special. “They give from the heart,” she says.

The Shiners have had many challenges through the years, but their support of each other and their upbeat attitude along the way is exemplary. To hear Frank tell it, they just don’t get caught up or sidelined by unnecessary details. “When we purchased our home in Chappaqua some 18 years ago, the 9/11 tragedy was still top of mind,” he says. “Our realtor regretfully explained the only available date for the closing was September 11th. That suited us just fine. We are not superstitious.” They loved the 100-year-old home and were excited to move in and raise their three children there, Matthew (33), Jeremy (31) and Lindsay (22). That can-do attitude has always served them well.

Beginnings

The couple met in a New York City acting class when they were in their early 20s. Frank was an up-and-coming actor from Pennsylvania working a day job as a manual elevator operator. Suzanne was a dancer and aspiring actress who had just arrived from Arkansas to the big city. Frank admits he was smitten at once. “This woman (Suzanne) walks into class and I was never dazzled like that,” says Frank. “She was the last woman I ever looked at.” 

However, Suzanne, arriving fresh from a small town with 3,000 residents, enjoyed dating. “People dated back then,” she says. “I was having such fun being wined and dined.”

Frank was living at Leo House, a residence for men, and Suzanne was lodging at Katherine House for young women. Both houses had strict rules, and neither allowed guests. A lone pay phone in the hall was the only source of outside communication. With an enormous stack of quarters and nickels in his hand, Frank telephoned Suzanne. Every three minutes he’d feed the phone another coin. “We talked like that for hours,” he says. After that phone call, they were a couple.

They dated for a year and a half, spending most of their time talking, talking and talking. They’d move from coffee shop to coffee shop to split a cup of coffee, then stroll through Washington Square Park, or roam the streets of the city together. Meanwhile, Frank was getting work as an actor in soap operas and theatre. Suzanne says Frank excelled in Shakespearian roles. With what she calls sheer determination, and we suspect plenty of talent, Suzanne got soap, commercial, and theatrical roles. “It felt like a miracle,” the small-town girl in her says.

It wasn’t long before they had to get married. “There was just nowhere for us to be alone together,” Suzanne laughs. Even the proposal smacked of what would become their way of dealing with the world–focus on what’s really important–namely their love. Frank planned a true New York proposal by arranging a horse and buggy ride through Central Park. Come the day, the weather was miserable, sleet blanketed the streets and wind screeched around every city corner. Instead, Frank whisked Suzanne into the Essex House restaurant. He discreetly told the staff his intentions, and they showed them to a romantic corner booth and treated them royally.

There were no regrets; no mulling over plans gone awry. It was perfect foreshadowing for a life well spent together.

Suzanne found a letter she wrote to her mother when she first met Frank. The wining and dining were low key. “He would pick me up on his bicycle,” she wrote. It was the man he was that won her heart. “He had a passion and a love for life, he was just fearless,” she says. He also loved his parents, wonderful, smart people who lived simple lives and put all their children through college. Suzanne gets teary when she recalls thinking that she knew he could love the family they would build the same way. “He’s a good man,” she says. “He has worked hard every day and has done everything he can do to make a better life for his family.”

Building Their Family

That included giving up his theatrical dreams. Frank was up for a lead in a Broadway musical when the songwriter, Garth Brooks, had to pull out and then so did the investors. With one baby and another on the way, Frank realized he needed a solid job to support his family. Frank admits it wasn’t easy at first. He took a job in sales and sailed forward. He eventually started his own firm. Suzanne provided encouragement and took on the role of office manager and marketer. “He is a brilliant at business,” says Suzanne, “He wound up creating a nationwide company.”

The couple is community minded, and on moving to Chappaqua, they took on the roles of active citizens. They joined the Church of Saint John and Saint Mary in town, got involved in the school system, volunteered at area organizations and enjoyed life in what Suzanne says is “a lovely town where neighbors help neighbors.”

Challenging Times

During this time, their third child was born and when she was in elementary school, Suzanne was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer. It was a dire diagnosis but 10 years and 14 operations later Suzanne is cancer free. It was a grueling, painful decade, but true to form, the Shiners rallied. “So much love came from the community to help us,” says Suzanne. “Complete strangers were delivering food!”

On the way home from a chemotherapy treatment, the couple stopped at a local restaurant. It was open mic night and Suzanne put Frank’s name on the list. Frank says he demurred when he was asked to perform. Suzanne insisted, “Sing for me.” The appreciative crowd, the bandleader’s reaction and the joy of performing propelled Frank back onstage.

Moving Forward

For eight years, Frank was a low-profile singing CEO, and he loved it. After selling the company, Frank and Suzanne turned their attention to performing and giving back. “Everything we make through performances is given to charity,” says Frank. “We’ve come full circle. We don’t have to worry about where our next meal is coming from, but I will never forget how that feels.”

Frank, now an award-winning vocalist, has been delighted to appear in sold-out concerts beside Vanessa Williams to raise funds for the 100 percent scholarship driven San Miguel Academy of Newburgh, at the Sheen Center for Thought & Culture, and the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. He’s also released two albums, appeared with Orchestra 914, and a performed at a wide variety of other professional venues.

For the empty nesters, music is healing. Suzanne says in this last third of their life they are delighted to be doing what they love–giving back as partners. “Frank’s my soldier, my warrior. He’s made a beautiful life for our family and I love seeing him happy.” Frank credits Suzanne for believing in him when he had nothing. “She’s my spark plug, my inspiration, the fire behind everything.”

Others see that devotion. Rotarian Marlene Canapi sums them up, “They are just lovely, incredible people.”

Catch Frank Shiner Live!

Attend Swingin’ into Spring on May 14, 2022 from 7-8:30 p.m. Frank Shiner is underwriting a fundraising concert at Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, Chappaqua, New York to benefit San Miguel Academy of Newburgh. Frank performs with the 22-piece Orchestra 914 Big Band Ensemble under the musical direction of Russell Ger. The evening includes a special performance by the San Miguel Choir. 100% of your ticket purchase goes to benefit San Miguel Program of Newburgh. Tickets are $50 or $75.

To purchase tickets: https://newburghsanmiguel.org/news-events/

To learn more about Frank Shiner Music visit https://frankshiner.com.

Russell Ger, the Dynamic, Towering & Talented Aussie-born Conductor, is Leading Orchestra 914 & Sky’s the Limit!

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PHOTO BY SIMON FELDMAN

In a dark suit and a white open-collar button-down, Music Director Russell Ger bounds down the isle of Pleasantville’s St. John’s Episcopal Church. A small leap and he’s on the podium facing the 41 musicians of Orchestra 914. He lifts his white baton and with a nimble swish the sold-out crowd is soothed by the serene sound of Humperdinck’s Hansel & Gretel Evening Prayer/Dream Pantomime as the fairy tale comes to life on this frosty evening.

Moments before, the Mayor of Pleasantville, Peter Scherer, welcomed the holiday audience to the handsome landmark church. He expressed delight that the rebranded and expanded Orchestra 914 (o914), previously The Chappaqua Orchestra (TCO), has set down roots in Pleasantville. “We welcome Orchestra 914 as they help us usher in this season of hope and opportunity,” he says. “May they do so for many years to come.”

Orchestra 914 Co-Executive Director, David Restivo, explains, “The 2021/2022 season heralds three major changes for The Chappaqua Orchestra (TCO); a new name, a new home base and a new musical director.”

Founded more than 60 years ago by Boris Koutzen, the Chappaqua hamlet has served as home base to TCO’s mix of local amateur and professional musicians who have performed with direction from many notable conductors. In a change of direction, in 2002, under the baton of Michael Shapiro, the goal was to make the orchestra a fully professional orchestra.

BRANCHING OUT

The pandemic curtailed TCO’s performance schedule but provided time for orchestra leaders to develop plans that have been under consideration for some time. One was a name change. “Our goal is to reach a wider audience and a more regional name reflects that intention,” says Restivo, who is also a violinist with the orchestra.

By moving their home base to Pleasantville, o914 plans to expand their community and their audience. Many of the town’s other organizations, the Jacob Burns Film Center, the Pleasantville Music Festival and ARC Stages, are also focused on the arts. o914 does not have a physical facility in Pleasantville.

Right now, their goal is to perform throughout the county. This season, o914 performs at various Westchester venues including Paramount Hudson Valley, Chappaqua Performing Arts Center and St John’s Episcopal Church.

The orchestra also sought the leadership of a new Music Director. “It was a big search,” says Restivo. “Some 80 to 90 people applied from around the world and in the end, it came down to five who auditioned for the position.”

Australian-born conductor Russell Ger made the cut. Ger, who is an alumnus of Symphony Australia, the leading conductor-training program in Australia, also earned a Master in Music in Orchestral Conducting at Boston Conservatory at Berklee. He has conducted orchestral, operatic, and choral music across Europe, North America and Australia. Ger also serves as Music Director for the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra, Norwalk Youth Symphony and Park East Synagogue in New York City.

AN AMBITIOUS DEBUT

For his debut concert with o914, Ger selected an ambitious program, Shubert Death and the Maiden and Schoenberg Transfigured Night, that he says, “put the orchestra through their paces.” He came away acknowledging the orchestra’s “huge amount of ability, and huge amount of possibility.”

As o914 expands their reach, the energetic Ger is excited to have “different communities come together to explore and expose themselves to music of other cultures that they may not have experienced.” A case in point is their upcoming March concert, Celebración! This tribute to Latin-American composers includes the music of Carlos Gardel, Ginastera, Villa-Lobos, Piazzolla and Arturo Márquez.

Ger comes from a musical family including his talented grandmothers, mother and younger sister, who he says has a lovely soprano voice and performs with an a cappella group in Australia. Ger’s baritone, he’s also studied voice, was in fine form at the holiday concert as he encouraged the audience in a grand finale sing-along.

He was introduced to music at a young age. To entertain him during car drives, his Mom, who was passionate about classical music, would play the game “Guess the Composer”. With delight, he recalls he learned if he said Mozart eight out of 10 times, he’d be right. He grew up playing the piano and tuba and was just 17 when he became interested in conducting.

Ger says conducting is the non-verbal reinforcement of what happens in rehearsal. He describes a conductor’s job as someone who establishes and maintains tempo; sets the mood, atmosphere, and energy of a piece; and controls pacing, unity, and precision.

But there is more to it than that. He also says a conductor must be an excellent communicator, have physical endurance, aural perception, and posses the ability to inspire. “A conductor is part musician, teacher, historian, actor, politician, detective and a mind reader all in one,” he says.

CAPTIVATING AUDIENCES

The affable, outgoing Ger seems to have no trouble filling those shoes. To see him conduct is to enjoy how he encourages, inspires, and implores the orchestra to create a sound of unity and beauty. At the holiday concert, his comfort level on the podium, his enthusiasm and his sense of humor all captivated the crowd.

These days Ger lives in Brooklyn with his wife Kirsten Hicks, an Australian painter and Interior architect whom he met in New York, and their two children Caleb, age 4, and Malu, 9 months old. In his good-natured way, Ger says “kids have not slowed us down, sometimes to our detriment.” The couple enjoys cooking, particularly Asian cuisine, and entertaining. When he’s not reading scores or related non-fiction, Ger is a voracious fiction reader. Still, as you might expect of a conductor, most of his life is dedicated to making, inspiring, and enjoying music.

Orchestra 914 Upcoming 2022 Events

Music is Science – (Family Concert)
Saturday March 5 at 3 p.m.
Chappaqua Performing Arts Center
480 Bedford Road, Chappaqua

ORCHESTRAL SERIES:

Celebración!
Sunday, March 20 at 3 p.m.
Paramount Hudson Valley
1008 Brown St., Peekskill

Together in Music (Family Concert)
Saturday, April 23 at 4 p.m.
Chappaqua Performing Arts Center
480 Bedford Road, Chappaqua

Concerto Winners’ Concert
Saturday, May 21 at 7 p.m.
Paramount Hudson Valley
1008 Brown St., Peekskill

CHAMBER SERIES:

Piano/Clarinet
Sunday, April 3 at 3 p.m.
St. John’s Episcopal Church
8 Sunnyside Ave., Pleasantville

O914 String Quartet
Friday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m.
Bedford Playhouse
633 Old Post Road, Bedford, N.Y.

Flute, Clarinet & Cello Trio
Sunday, Oct. 17 at 3 p.m.
St. John’s Episcopal Church
8 Sunnyside Ave., Pleasantville

For tickets and further information visit www.orchestra914.org.