The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

music

Music Conservatory Students Meet a Master

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itzak
Photo credit: Kate Koenig

Music Conservatory of Westchester students were thrilled to meet internationally renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman following his performance at the Westchester County Center on Jan. 30. Pictured behind Mr. Perlman (left to right): cello student Kaseme Leckie, viola student Cen Chen, Executive Director Jean Newton, and adult violin student Harry Bright. The Conservatory, a not-for-profit community music school, is located across the street from the County Center at 216 Central Ave. in White Plains.

A Hearty Bravo to Chappaqua Orchestra’s First “Children’s Story Concert”

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Article and Photos by Matt Smith

As you make your way toward the red velvet seat in the newly refurbished Wallace Auditorium, clutching your program to the Children’s Story Concert, which boasts the titular characters of the evening’s respective pieces, you hear the faint murmurs of the Chappaqua Orchestra tuning up, and almost immediately feel a rush of excitement. You pause to breathe, look around, and take it all in; you’re preparing yourself for the journey on which you are about to embark.

Upon exiting the building, you’ll snap back to reality and remember you’re indeed in Westchester, but inside the auditorium, that detail is sure to be easily forgotten. With your eyes closed, the sound of the orchestra makes you feel like you’re at Lincoln Center… and you are, in fact, after all, witnessing “the Jewel of New Castle” perform one of the most popular and well-known pieces in the history of classical music. In short, it’s an incredibly moving experience you’re sure to remember. co story.best

The November afternoon began with The Runaway Bunny, a musical adaptation of the classic children’s story by Margaret Wise Brown, as composed by Glen Roven–who, it should be noted, was in attendance at the event. Narrated by WQXR’s Elliott Forrest, the composition was accompanied by a series of illustrative projections, which guided the audience visually through the titular bunny’s journey–from the trout stream to the mountains to the circus. The arrangement itself provided a beautiful instrumental background to the story, that served to set the tone of the piece, establish a musical theme for each location, and punctuate significant moments in Forrest’s narration, with either a blast of a trumpet, a flourish of a flute, or the pluck of a violin string–by famed violinist Kinga Augustyn, no less, who served as a soloist on that selection.

The second orchestration kicked off with an introduction of the characters and their representative instruments–Peter (strings), the Bird (flute), the Cat (clarinet), the Duck (oboe), the Hunters (timpani & large drums), Grandfather (Bassoon), and of course, the Wolf (french horns)–before the orchestra launched into the string refrain so familiar and reminiscent of our childhood.

To end the program, conductor Michael Shapiro gave each section of the orchestra their own individual recognition, a gesture met with a rousing, well-deserved standing ovation from the audience.

Overall, “the concert was a success,” comments David Restivo, Executive Director of The Chappaqua Orchestra. “We know the people who came really enjoyed themselves.” He adds that TCO is planning to arrange another Children’s Story Concert in 2016, and hopes to make the program a bi-annual event in the years following.

It certainly seems like a great idea, as the first concert was very well received. Reiterates Restivo: “Anyone who missed this show really missed a great performance!” So, keep an eye out next year: it’s a truly one-of-a-kind experience… and it’s right here in Chappaqua! How could you lose?!

Restivo also wishes to thank sponsors Kiwi Country Day Camp and the Westchester Conservatory of Music who provided guests with activities such as face painting, bead-making and tic-tac-toe, and the instrumental “petting zoo,” respectively — and the Town of New Castle for supporting such a significant event.

“It is so vital for children to see these types of concerts [live and in person],” he continues, “and to realize these things don’t just happen on TV or on their iPads.”

Shapiro reiterates the importance of “bringing professional level music of all kinds to our local community,” especially for the kids, because “it’s essential” to instill the youngsters with a deepened appreciation and “enthusiasm for music.”

And with a program like this winter’s Children’s Story Concert and an orchestra as lively as TCO, it doesn’t seem like too hard a goal to achieve!

The Wallace Auditorium is located within Chappaqua Crossing, at 480 Bedford Road, just off of 117. For more information on The Chappaqua Orchestra, visit www.chappaquaorchestra.org.

(L-R): Narrator Elliott Forrest (WQXR), Conductor Michael Shapiro, Soloist Kinga Augustyn
(L-R): Narrator Elliott Forrest (WQXR), Conductor Michael Shapiro, Soloist Kinga Augustyn

MUSIC & MILES: CHANGING MINDS

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MusicAndMilesFinal-2-4

A pre-show benefit reception to raise funds and awareness about mental health and suicide prevention among young adults with a special appearance by members of the funk band Lettuce

Saturday, January 23, 2016 Garcia’s at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY

Tickets Go On Sale Friday, November 20 at Noon

Friends, family, and members of Westchester County’s music-loving community will gather for MUSIC & MILES: CHANGING MINDS, a pre-show benefit reception supported by the funk jam band LETTUCE in Garcia’s at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY on Saturday, January 23, 2016 from 6:00pm-8:00pm.

MUSIC & MILES: CHANGING MINDS is an evening to celebrate life and support music education and performance while bringing attention to the importance of emotional health and suicide prevention among teens and young adults.

All proceeds from the reception benefit The Jed Foundation and The Miles Applebaum Music Scholarship Fund at Lagond Music School, established to honor and remember Miles Applebaum, 21-year old jazz guitarist from Armonk, NY and former Lagond student, who suffered from depression and took his life in 2014.  The scholarship will help provide disadvantaged aspiring musicians an opportunity to ignite their passion and study music at Lagond where Miles received his training.

“As a teenager, Miles found a passion and haven in music at Lagond that set him on a life time direction, ” says Rosanne Lana, Executive Director – Lagond Music School. “He was inspired to continue his studies at Temple University’s Boyer School of Music and Dance in Jazz Guitar and performance. Mental illness cut his life short, but his passion and memory can live on. Miles’s story was felt throughout the county and beyond. Unknowingly it touched all the people we have asked to come together for this very special event.”

MUSIC & MILES: CHANGING MINDS benefit reception takes place in Garcia’s and includes an appearance by members of LETTUCE in advance of their headlining performance at The Capitol Theatre that evening, open bar, silent auction, gourmet food and live music by Lagond Music School faculty and students with special guest artists plus a General Admission or Reserved Loge ticket for the LETTUCE concert. Benefit tickets are $125 (GA) or $200 (Reserved) and available online at Ticketfly.com, by calling 877-987-6487 or in person at The Capitol Theatre Box Office.  Tickets go on sale Friday, November 20 at Noon.

Rosanne Lana continues, “I want to thank the JED Foundation, Lettuce Band, C3Management and Garcia’s at The Capitol Theatre for acknowledging the need to get information out in the hands of those in need and to keep the legacy alive of a beautiful but brief life.”  

About The Jed Foundation (www.jedfoundation.org) A leading nonprofit working to protect the emotional health of teenagers and colleges students. Our programs are inspiring a new national dialogue on mental health, encouraging millions of young people to speak up and take action, and changing the way academic institutions create healthier campus communities and prevent substance abuse and self-harm.

About LETTUCE: (www.LettuceFunk.com) Formed in 1992 at Berklee College of Music in Boston, LETTUCE have brought a new vitality to classic funk, matching their smooth and soulful grooves with a hip-hop-inspired urgency and mastery of beat. They have developed into a can’t miss festival act with a worldwide reputation for highly danceable rhythms, infectious energy, exceptional songwriting and explosive live performances. Founded on a shared love of legendary funk artists like Earth, Wind & Fire and Tower of Power, LETTUCE is currently touring in support of its newest album, Crush. The band is drummer Adam Deitch (Pretty Lights), guitarists Adam Smirnoff and Eric Krasno (Soulive), bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes, keyboardist Neal Evans (Soulive), saxophonist Ryan Zoidis (Soulive), and trumpet players Eric Bloom (Pretty Lights) and Rashawn Ross (Dave Matthews Band).

About Lagond Music School: (www.Lagondmusic.org) Located in Elmsford, New York, Lagond Music School is a charitable not-for-profit organization dedicated to music education and live music performance, serving a diverse community of students throughout Westchester and surrounding counties.

 

MUSIC & MILES: CHANGING MINDS

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Benefit Reception:   6:00 – 8:00pm

Garcia’s  at The Capitol Theatre

149 Westchester Avenue  – Port Chester, New York

For additional information, please visit www.musicandmiles.org

 

 

Chappaqua’s Jon Cobert on the Language of Music

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Jon endorses Nord and Casio keyboards.
Jon endorses Nord and Casio keyboards.

By Jon Cobert

Self-expression. What is it, exactly? There are billions of people on this planet, and every one is unique. We all have our own view of the world, and our own way of communicating our thoughts and feelings. There are ballerinas, artists, sculptors, orators, architects, and poets. People who express themselves in solitude, and others who perform in front of thousands.

I am a musician.
I have been for as far back as I can remember. There was always a piano in the house, so that’s what I gravitated towards for my own personal form of self-expression. Of course I can speak and write and draw and even paint a little (no dancing please!), but music has always been the most personal and effective way for me to express myself.

Jon and Bruce Springsteen
Jon and Bruce Springsteen

Playing an instrument is like learning a language; you have to practice and play for long enough that it becomes second nature. If you have to think about what your fingers are about to do, then you’re not really making music; you’re kind of painting by numbers. When I play, I feel like the music is already out there, and I’m collecting it and letting it be heard through the piano.

As a musician, I’m the sum of all the influences I’ve encountered over the years. It’s been quite an eclectic journey. I started taking piano lessons when I was 9. Ted Harris, my wonderful teacher, came to the house every Wednesday afternoon. He taught me how to read music, how to play scales, and also how to improvise, since he was a composer and a jazz pianist.

I learned Haydn, Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven, Bartok, and Schoenberg. Then Fats Waller, Scott Joplin, and Earl “Fatha” Hines. After that we went into popular music: Beatles, Bachrach, Beach Boys.

Mr. Harris showed me how to appreciate music, and how to communicate it my own way. He encouraged me to improvise, and I spent many hours at that piano, with the lights out, just experimenting and discovering new harmonies and melodies.

When I got into college, I had to decide if this ability and love of music could be my living, or just something to do after work. At NYU, I had two majors, Music and Biology, because I liked science and wanted to see if I could do that for a living. My passion was never in my schooling; I always had rehearsals with my band after school, and that’s where my heart was. I continued to study Bio and Music, waiting for a “sign” to help me decide.

In my Junior year, my band signed a management deal with Record Plant Studios, a famous recording studio where all the big names did their albums. John Lennon was recording his Wall and Bridges album there, and I soon began recording and playing with him.  So much for the Biology major. That was the sign I needed, and there was no turning back.

Today my musical life is rich and varied. I play many styles, and do various things. I write music for TV and radio, commercials and sports themes. I write songs, also in many styles, and I play lots of different types of engagements. I play in several bands in clubs around the area, doing rock and roll, soul, jazz, and blues (my own band is called Cobert Operations). I tour the country with Tom Chapin, playing music for families as well as folk music for grown-ups. I play in Churches and Synagogues and yes, even Carnegie Hall.

And I play and sing solo at Crabtree’s Kittle House in Chappaqua every Thursday night. It’s the solo work that gives me the most freedom of self-expression. When I play with a band, arrangements have to be agreed upon, so the musicians are on the “same page”, and it sounds cohesive. While that is enjoyable, and carries its own set of skills like listening and collaborating, it does limit my freedom.

When I’m solo, I can interpret the songs however I feel, depending on my mood and the mood of the crowd. I can take a Beatle song and do it bluesy, or in the style of Leon Russell, just for fun. I am truly the luckiest man to be able to express myself freely, and earn a living at the same time.

Jon Cobert will be playing and singing in the Tap Room at Crabtree’s Kittle House in Chappaqua every Thursday from 7 to 11. He’ll be the musical director for A Tribute to Lead Belly at Carnegie Hall on Dec. 7 and 8, with his band, Cobert Operations, at 12 Grapes in Peekskill on Dec 12, at Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza in White Plains on Dec. 23 and 30, starting at 6, and with Tom Chapin at the Turning Point in Piermont, Dec. 27 and 28. You can check his website at www.joncobert.com or his facebook page.

Jon, Bruce, Tom Chapin, Jackson Browne and Jen Chapin
Jon, Bruce, Tom Chapin, Jackson Browne and Jen Chapin
Jon and John Lennon, copyright 1975, Allan Tannenbaum
Jon and John Lennon, copyright 1975, Allan Tannenbaum

Fun Facts about Jon Cobert…

Jon Cobert is a New York-based composer/arranger/pianist/session keyboardist/vocalist. He got his Music Theory and Composition degree from N.Y.U., and began his career with a bang, recording and playing live with John Lennon (you can see him in the movie “Imagine”). Other recording and touring credits include John Denver, Klaus Nomi, Laura Branigan, Phyllis Hyman, Al Green, Henry Gross, Linder Eder, Leslie Uggams, Harry Chapin, and Dion, among others. He has played with Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Richie Havens, Pete Seeger, and many more. Since 1988, Jon has been working with Tom Chapin, recording, touring, producing, writing, and arranging. He has earned five Grammy nominations for his work as producer on Tom’s recordings. In addition to being a sought-after studio keyboard-player, Jon has also been writing and arranging music for TV and radio, and some of his work includes: The ESPN Baseball Tonight Theme, ESPN College Football Gameday Theme, Dr. Pepper, Pepperidge Farm, Rolling Rock, Budweiser, Arm and Hammer, Juicy Juice, Activia, Burger King, Wendy’s, Capital One, Dannon, and many others.

 

Music to our Westchester Ears

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Former Yankee Mariano Rivera (left) and fellow honoree Robert Heath (right) share a couple of moments before the award ceremony.
Former Yankee Mariano Rivera (left) and fellow honoree Robert Heath (right) share a couple of moments before the award ceremony.
MCW2015-0116
Former Yankee Mariano Rivera (left) and fellow honoree Robert Heath (right) share a couple of moments before the award ceremony.

By Miriam Longobardi

Photos by Cathy Pinsky & Jim D’Angelo

What do you get when you bring together heroes of the New York Yankees, musicians, businessmen and community leaders? The answer is new musical opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds courtesy of the Music Conservatory of Westchester and its benefactors. This past June, the Whippoorwill Club in Armonk hosted the 14th annual Golf and Tennis Classic followed by a reception, silent auction and star-studded awards dinner. This year’s recipient of the Community Vision Award was given to former Yankee All-Star and World Series Champion Mariano Rivera and his wife, Clara. What made receiving the award extra special was that it was presented to them by Rivera’s former teammate and musician, Bernie Williams of Armonk.

Rivera’s former teammate and musician, Bernie Williams (left) and Communications Director, Jon Chattman (center), present the Community Vision Award to Clara and Mariano Rivera.
Rivera’s former teammate and musician, Bernie Williams (left) and Communications Director, Jon Chattman (center), present the Community Vision Award to Clara and Mariano Rivera.

Amid the bustle of eager fans awaiting photo ops, Rivera and his wife took some time to talk about the rebuilding and renovations done to their New Rochelle church, Refugio de Esperanza (Refuge of Hope) Church,  where Clara Rivera serves as pastor. The funding to rebuild the church came from the Mariano Rivera Foundation.  “We are able to work with community doing something that we love,” Mrs. Rivera shared. She added, “We have the Foundation and we both work together to reach people and bring them together.  We have been doing this type of work for many years.”

Rivera feels his calling is helping others. “It has truly been a blessing helping the community as much as we can. I am really happy with what we have done and hopefully we continue to do this work for many years to come,” he said about being honored with the Community Vision Award. When asked about the fact that Williams would be presenting the award, Rivera said, “Bernie has been a friend and a teammate for so long that having him here tonight is really special.” In addition to the work done with the church for his community, his fundraising is enabling two children to receive scholarships to the Conservatory, and they were also in attendance with the Riveras. “It is always rewarding to help children learn music. Music is something that connects all of us.”

Bernie Williams (left), Conservatory Executive Director Jean Newton (center), and Mariano Rivera with the first recipients of the Clara and Mariano Rivera Music Scholarship, Dyana Taylor Garcia (left) and Mia Sarai Suarez (right).
Bernie Williams (left), Conservatory Executive Director Jean Newton (center), and Mariano Rivera with the first recipients of the Clara and Mariano Rivera Music Scholarship, Dyana
Taylor Garcia (left) and Mia Sarai Suarez (right).

Another honoree of the evening was Armonk resident and Chairman of the Conservatory Board of Trustees Robert Heath, who received the Distinguished Leadership Award. In addition to serving on the Board for the past twenty years, Heath is on several committees at the Conservatory as well, including marketing, events and the treasurer. He notes that the school is still a business and, having successfully run his own business for over twenty years, that expertise along with the talented faculty and staff help keep the Conservatory thriving. “I like collaborating with other board members.  Rodd Berro and I are a great team. We’ll meet outside the office, go to the Beehive and work over lunch. There’s always a huge list of what you would like to accomplish, but at the end of the day you have to pick what will have the most impact.”

Heath is not only a businessman but an accomplished musician in his own right, and he described a new scholarship program being offered for adult students, particularly qualifying seniors. Like many people who took instrument lessons as a child, Heath stopped playing piano around his teenage years when school and other interests got in the way. “When I joined the board I realized I should be a customer here as well. I started taking piano lessons again at age 50.”  While he had always had a rich musical life, having formed an opera group and conducted, his actual piano playing had taken a backseat. Since then he has performed in over fifty recitals as well as playing in small ensembles with other adult students at the Conservatory. “A lot of the students are really quite talented,” Heath shared. “Like any activity once learned but not done in a while, picking it up again is not super difficult, but it is super rewarding.” Colleagues of Heath’s offered their praise, saying even passing by and hearing him play in a practice hall is like a concert in and of itself.

Board President Rodd Berro elaborated on more programs being offered by the Conservatory.  In addition to expanding their scholarship programs and adult education, another new initiative is the veterans program Healing our Heroes, which offers music therapy. Currently there are nearly 25 veterans participating. Music therapy takes many forms- taking lessons, playing music or just listening–whatever the therapist feels is appropriate for each individual case. Veterans are not the only ones benefitting from music therapy; music therapy has long been proven to help autistic children lower anxiety and improve communication skills.

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Robert Heath (right accepts the Distinguished Leadership Award from Jean Newton (left) and longtime collaborator Rodd Berro, Board President (center); the two friends and colleagues then share a congratulatory embrace.
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Robert Heath (right accepts the Distinguished Leadership Award from Jean Newton (left) and longtime collaborator Rodd Berro, Board President (center); the two friends and colleagues then share a congratulatory embrace.

In his fifth year as president, Berro admits he is not a musician himself although both his children attended the Conservatory. He hopes that the expanded programs being offered will help college-bound students realize that serious participation in music programs is as impressive on a college application as sports and academics. “Music is not just for music’s sake, but can help kids get into college,” Berro said. He takes tremendous pride in the Music Conservatory of Westchester.

Rounding out an evening celebrating all the honorees, Broadway stars were also there lending their vocal talents. Tony award winner Lena Hall, Tony nominee Constantine Maroulis, and Nick Cordero sang and entertained the crowd following the dinner and live auction. It was an exciting night to be among such diverse and talented people, all coming together to share the gift of music. In the words of Rodd Berro, “It’s a great school, we have a wonderful facility and staff, and we just keep moving forward.”

For information on the fall programs and opportunities at the Music Conservatory of Westchester, go to:
www.musicconservatory.org

Miriam is a freelance writer, fourth grade teacher and single mother of two daughters living in Westchester. 
A breast cancer survivor, she volunteers for the American Cancer Society and has completed four marathons and travels the world.  Follow her on Twitter@writerMimiLong.com.