Cello Superstar Yo-Yo Ma Meets Innovative Orchestral Collective The Knights for Family Concert and Colorful Afternoon Program at Caramoor, Sep 27
One of the most famous musicians on the planet, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, comes together with the electrifying collective The Knights for two concerts at Caramoor on September 27, in a partnership that demonstrates the festival’s passion for fostering ground-breaking collaborations and projects. As summer draws to a close the musicians present two varied programs in the picturesque outdoor performance space of the Venetian Theater. At the featured concert of the day, the Knights present Mendelssohn’s youthful “Italian” Symphony and Giovanni Sollima’s Federico II, and are then joined by Yo-Yo Ma for Osvaldo Golijov’s Azul, a “a distinctive and personal contemporary work” (New York Times) that was written for the cellist in 2006. At the 1 pm family concert — which includes interactive games, quizzes and discussion for all ages — Yo-Yo Ma performs Dvorák’s popular Song to the Moon from the opera Rusalka in a special arrangement by The Knights. Mendelssohn’s “Italian” Symphony is then followed by Ascending Bird, an arrangement of a traditional Persian folk melody by The Knights’ Colin Jacobsen and virtuoso santur player Siamak Aghaei that musically retells the fable of a bird’s attempt to fly to the sun. There will be a free shuttle from Katonah train station to Caramoor running throughout the day.
Yo-Yo Ma and The Knights and are old friends. The Knights’ co-founders Colin and Eric Jacobsen are both part of Ma’s innovative Silk Road Project, which the cellist set up to promote musical cultural exchange, and Ma played with The Knights for the first time at Caramoor in 2010, performing Dvorák’s Silent Woods. Last year the group accompanied him in Tchaikovsky’s “Rococo” Variations at the Ravinia Festival, a performance of which Classical Voice North America wrote: “Their enthusiasm and pleasure in performing repertoire from Mozart to more recent works was obvious from their beaming faces and eager glances across the ensemble … That joy in music makes The Knights an ideal collaborator for Yo-Yo Ma.” Eric Jacobsen looks forward to performing with Ma again: “Yo-Yo has been one of my greatest musical influences and to be able to perform a work written for him by his dear friend Osvaldo Golijov in Caramoor’s beautiful and inspiring surroundings is a dream come true.”
The Knights themselves are regulars at Caramoor, visiting nearly every year. In 2014 they performed programs with both jazz saxophonist Joshua Redman and classical violinist Gil Shaham, illustrating not only the great scope of this ensemble but also Caramoor’s support for such dynamic programming. As Caramoor CEO Jeff Haydon commented:
“Caramoor is proud to continue its multi-year residency with the Knights Orchestra. Many of its members started their careers at Caramoor and we are excited to collaborate with the Knights on this project with Yo-Yo Ma.”
This fall/winter season also sees Caramoor offer other wide-ranging musical experiences for both children and adults, including performances by the guitar-and-mandolin duo of Billy Strings & Don Julin (Oct 17); the St. Lawrence String Quartet (Oct 24); pianist Cyrus Chestnut and his trio (Nov 7, presented in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center); the Aizuri Quartet, Caramoor’s newest quartet-in-residence (Nov 15); and cellist Edward Arron and friends (Nov 22).
A detailed listing is provided below, and more information is available at www.caramoor.org.
About Caramoor
Caramoor is a performing arts center located on a unique 90-acre setting of Italianate architecture and gardens in Westchester County, NY. It enriches the lives of its audiences through innovative and diverse musical performances of the highest quality. Its mission also includes mentoring young professional musicians and providing educational programs for young children centered around music. Audiences are invited to come early to explore the beautiful grounds, tour the historic Rosen House and on special Sundays enjoy a delicious Afternoon Tea or unwind with a pre-concert picnic, and discover beautiful music in the relaxed settings of the Venetian Theater, Spanish Courtyard, Music Room of the Rosen House, and the magnificent gardens. Summer concerts take place in two outdoor theaters: the 1,508-seat, acoustically superb Venetian Theater and the more intimate, romantic 470-seat Spanish Courtyard. In the fall and winter all concerts are presented in the magnificent Music Room in the Rosen House. Caramoor’s gardens, also used for concerts and the sound exhibition In the Garden of Sonic Delights, are well worth the visit and include nine unique perennial gardens. Among them are a Sense Circle for the visually impaired, the Sunken Garden, a Butterfly Garden, the Tapestry Hedge, and the Iris and Peony Garden.
Getting to Caramoor
By car from the West Side of Manhattan and New Jersey, take the Saw Mill River Parkway north to Katonah. Exit at Route 35/Cross River. Turn right and, at the first traffic light, make a right turn onto Route 22 south. Travel 1.9 miles to the junction of Girdle Ridge Road. Follow the signs to Caramoor. (For detailed directions call 914-232-5035 and press 4, or visit www.caramoor.org.) Parking at Caramoor is free.
By train, take the Harlem Division of the Metro-North Railroad to Katonah, New York. Taxi service from the station to Caramoor (just five minutes away) is available.
Fall/Winter season at Caramoor:
Sep 9, 11 am
Wednesday Morning Concert: Flamenco in the Courtyard
Spanish Courtyard
Sep 10, 1:30 pm
Afternoon Tea
Sep 12, 1 pm
Grandparents & Grandchildren Tea: The Story of Babar the Elephant by Francis Poulenc
Sep 24, 1:30 pm
Afternoon Tea
Sep 27, 1 pm
The Knights and Yo-Yo Ma Family Concert
Venetian Theater
Sep 27, 4 pm
The Knights and Yo-Yo Ma Featured Concert
Venetian Theater
Sep 30, 11 am
Wednesday Morning Concert: Mediterranean Celebration
Music Room
Oct 3, 6:30 pm
“La Soirée”: Paris Jazz in the Rosen House
Benefit Event
Oct 9, 1:30 pm
Afternoon Tea
Oct 17, 8 pm
Billy Strings & Don Julin
Cole Quest and the City Pickers
Music Room
Oct 24, 8 pm
St. Lawrence String Quartet
Music Room
Oct 30, 3:30 pm
Spooky Tales: Stories to Tickle Your Spine
Music Room
Oct 31, 8 pm
Classical Legends & Rising Stars
Music Room
Nov 1, 4 pm
Classical Legends & Rising Stars
Music Room
Nov 7, 8 pm
Cyrus Chestnut Trio
Presented in Collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center
Music Room
Nov 15, 4 pm
Aizuri Quartet
Music Room
Nov 22, 4 pm
Edward Arron & Friends
Music Room
Dec 3, 2 pm
Holiday Tea Musicale
Music Room
Dec 4, 2 pm
Holiday Tea Musicale
Music Room
Dec 6, 2 pm
Holiday Tea Musicale
Music Room
Dec 9, 2 pm
Holiday Tea Musicale
Music Room
Dec 10, 2 pm
Holiday Tea Musicale
Music Room
Dec 11, 2 pm
Holiday Tea Musicale
Music Room
Dec 12, 2 pm
Holiday Tea Musicale
Music Room
Dec 16, 2 pm
Holiday Tea Musicale
Music Room
Dec 17, 2 pm
Holiday Tea Musicale
Music Room
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www.youtube.com/user/caramoormusic
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© 21C Media Group, August 2015
| All concerts made possible, in part, by ArtsWestchester with funds from the Westchester County Government.
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All concerts made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature |
Photo: Gabe Palacio