Noonday Getaway Concerts
Take a break from the office or shopping and let yourself be inspired by a half-hour of beautiful music presented by outstanding performing artists.
Wednesdays
October through May
12:10 pm
All Noonday Getaway Concerts are held at Grace Church, which is located at the intersection of Mamaroneck Avenue and Main Street in downtown White Plains.
Our 2010-11 series of performances is as follows:
October
6 From the First Chair – Laura Hamilton, principal associate concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, is joined by pianist Jerome Rosen in sonatas of J.S. Bach and Cesar Franck.
13 Chopin Anniversary Concert – Acclaimed by the Moscow News as "a forceful mature personality with a phenomenal technique and playing of emotional depth," pianist Alex Ruvinstein returns to Downtown Music to play works of Frederic Chopin.
20 Downtown Music Debut – First prize winner in the Steinway Hall Vocal Competition, soprano Halley Gilbert has been heralded by critics as “a very gifted musician, a person to watch.” Join us for her Downtown Music debut.
27 Music Conservatory of Westchester –Members of the woodwind faculty of the Music Conservatory of Westchester with Lisa Kozenko, oboe.
November
3 Old Friends Return – Nicole Sharlow Diaz, violin, Raymond Diaz, baritone, and Mory Ortman, piano, offer a program of personal favorites.
10 & 17 Chamber Music – The musicians of the Westchester Philharmonic return to present two chamber music concerts. Specific artists and repertoire will be announced on our website, DTMusic.org, in October.
24 NO CONCERT
December
1 Ensemble Breve – Deborah Booth, flute and recorder, and Stephen Rapp, harpsichord. A lunchtime repast of three works, each with varying instruments and styles, from three of G. P. Telemann’s most inventive collections: Tafelmusik, Essercizii Musici and Methodische Sonaten.
8 A Rose in Winter – The women of Angelica present a program drawn from a vast treasury of medieval, renaissance and 20th century music, celebrating the wonder and beauty of the Christmas season.
15 Holiday Cabaret – Mark Levy, a veteran of the celebrated Oak Room Salon at the Algonquin Hotel, sings music of Broadway and Hollywood.
22 Tidings of the Season – Flutist Pamela Sklar and organist Timothy Lewis offer music of Handel, Faure, Debussy, and a gift basket of French noels.
29 NO CONCERT
January
5 South of the Border - A celebration of Latin American Music, featuring trumpet virtuoso Hector “Tito” Rodriguez and his band.
12 Young Artist Series – Jun Sun, prize winner of the New York International Piano Competition, makes his Downtown Music debut with a program of virtuoso works.
19 Downtown Music Debut – Cellist Peter Seidenberg and pianist Hui-Mei Lin perform music of Beach, Shostakovich and Rachmaninoff.
26 Music Conservatory of Westchester – Our collaboration with the artists of the Music Conservatory of Westchester continues with an unusual program of music for Guitar and Sitar, featuring Thomas Flippin, guitar.
February
2 Downtown Music Debut - Pianist David Kim has been heard in concert with the Syracuse Symphony, and appeared on Vermont Public Radio and WNYC in New York. He plays music of Liszt and Ravel for his Downtown Music debut.
9 Downtown Music Debut – Lawrence Craig has earned a reputation for his “fine baritone” and “virtuosic talent” in Europe and the Americas in opera, concert and recital. Program includes works of Strauss, Bellini and Hall Johnson.
16 Lost Gems of the Romantic Era II – Vincent Lionti, viola, and Alex Ruvinstein, piano, charmed our audience last season with a program of musical miniatures from the Nineteenth Century. They return with another assortment of gems.
23 The Lark Ascending – Violinist Dorothy Happel offers a performance of the serenely beautiful Lark Ascending of Ralph Vaughan Williams. Timothy Lewis accompanies on the magnificent Guilbault-Therien organ at Grace Church.
March
A full month of Masters from the MET
(Featuring musicians of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra)
2 Metropolitan Masters - Jeremy McCoy, Associate Principal Double Bass of the Met Orchestra, is a stylish, virtuosic spokesman for his instrument. We welcome his return to Downtown Music.
9 NO CONCERT
16 Metropolitan Masters - Julie Pilant performs frequently with the Metropolitan Opera, American Symphony, Orpheus, and is on the faculty of the Bard College Conservatory of Music. We welcome her Downtown Music debut.
23 Metropolitan Masters – Laura Hamilton, Principal Associate Concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, plays a program of personal favorites.
30 Metropolitan Masters – Stefan Ragnar Hoskuldsson, flute; Vincent Lionti, viola; Jorge Caballero, guitar. The Principal Flute of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra joins forces with two distinguished colleagues for this special concert, concluding our month celebrating members of one of the country’s most distinguished orchestras.
April
6 It Takes Two – Pianists Alex Ruvinstein and Julian Lampert play a virtuoso program of music for piano four hands.
13 Music from the Conservatory – Jean Newton returns to Downtown Music for one of her celebrated harpsichord recitals.
20 Downtown Music Debut – Distinguished cellist Alistair MacRae has toured the globe as soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral principal. He has performed with acclaimed artists such as Boris Berman, Kenneth Cooper, Robert Taub, and members of the Tokyo, Takacs and Emerson Quartets.
27 Take the A Train – The Ear l Brown Quartet with flutist Pamela Sklar offers a program of classic Jazz.
May
4 Fanfare – John Charles Thomas, trumpet, and Bari Mort, piano, return to Downtown music with a program of virtuoso works.
11 Sounds of the Scottish Highlands – Celebrated piper Jonathan Henken returns to Downtown Music with a program of ancient airs and dances of Scotland.
18 Music Conservatory of Westchester – Our annual collaboration with the Music Conservatory of Westchester concludes with a jazz celebration featuring vocalist Alma Micic.
25 Young Artist Series – Sean Yeh, prize winner of the New York Inrternational Piano Competition makes his Downtown Music debut with a program of personal favorites.
(All artists and programs listed in this calendar of events are subject to change without notice.)
