Explore our connections to the natural world through music of contemporary composers in this intimate performance!

In this era of climate crisis, when caring for our fragile planet is more important than ever, how can music play a role? The works being performed tonight, old and new, portray our connections to the natural world. This program inspires an appreciation of Earth’s beauty, and offers an oasis for reflecting on our commitment to its stewardship. It includes new music by contemporary composers Roberto Sierra and Laura Kaminsky, and beautiful gems from the first half of the 20th century by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, William Grant Still, and Margaret Bonds. Each piece depicts a different natural landscape, or uses imagery from the natural world in an abstract or metaphorical way.

This intimate concert will be held inside our Observatory Hall with limited seating.

Following the concert, Observatory staff will provide guided tours of the night sky (weather permitting) through our many telescopes on site, including the apochromatic Zerochromat telescope in our historic observation dome.

$30 Adult, $20 Observatory Members, Children Under 16 FREE. Attendance to this performance is extremely limited- reserve your seats early!

​Program

Roberto Sierra: Sonata para Violin y Piano
William Grant Still: Pastorela (violin and piano)
Margaret Bonds: Troubled Water (solo piano)
Laura Kaminsky: Undercurrent (violin and piano)
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, arr. Maud Powell: Deep River
Alberto Ginastera: Pampeana No. 1

Kyle P. Walker, a renowned pianist known for his passionate dedication to using music as a tool for addressing societal concerns, stands at the forefront of a musical movement. His career has garnered critical acclaim, with notable performances featured on prestigious media outlets like NPR, WQXR, and PBS. He has graced renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall, Weill Hall, Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, The Apollo Theater, and international stages from Australia's Tantaloona Cave to the Adelaide Town Hall.

In a pivotal moment, Walker's 2023 solo performance marked the debut of classical piano music at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX, making waves in the industry. He is also the pianist of Dara + Kyle, a groundbreaking piano/cello duo recognized with the 2021 Chamber Music America "Ensemble Forward" career grant, devoted to championing underrepresented composers. Kyle is an integral part of The Harlem Chamber Players, bringing classical music to diverse communities, and a founding member of The Dream Unfinished, an activist orchestra supporting NYC-based civil rights organizations.

As an instructor, Walker shares his expertise as a member of piano artist faculty at New York University, the Lucy Moses School at Kaufman Music Center, and The Artist Program at Suzuki on the Island. He engages students and community members in discussions about arts activism and curriculum diversity, reflecting the communities they serve. With a strong commitment to fostering musical talent, Kyle Walker's impact extends far beyond the concert stage, and his unique fusion of J.S. Bach's compositions with those of neglected composers resonate deeply with issues of oppression and inequality. To discover more about his musical journey, visit www.kylewalkerpiano.com.

As a recitalist and chamber musician, violinist Emily Kalish creates emotionally transformative experiences for audiences. She has designed imaginative programs that capture a moment in history (a concert of music all written or premiered in 1924, complete with period costumes and a vintage jazz band for dancing), as well as programs of music by 20th and 21st century women and concerts of music that sits at the crossroads of jazz and classical.

With her duo partner pianist Kyle Walker, she has performed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Storm King Arts Center, New York Society for Ethical Culture, WNYC’s The Greene Space, Erie Cultural Council (PA), and Dayton University’s Social Practice of Human Rights Conference (OH).

​Since its founding in 2015, Ms. Kalish has been performing and producing chamber music for The Dream Unfinished, an organization that engages audiences with issues of social justice and civil rights through classical music. The Dream Unfinished offers performances of works by under-represented composers in partnership with activists and community organizations.

For 10 years she was a member of The Binghamton Philharmonic and for 8 years, a member of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, Emily has subbed with many other ensembles in the region. She holds a master’s in violin performance from Manhattan School of Music, and a bachelor’s degree from the Hartt School.

A committed educator, Emily is on the faculty at Concordia Conservatory of Music in Bronxville, NY and co-founded the Williamstown Orchestra Workshop (WOW!), a non-competitive, creative summer program for students of stringed instruments. She offers master classes and workshops in addition to her mainstage performances.

For The Beauty Of The Earth Tickets, Sat, Oct 5, 2024 at 6:30 PM 

NANCY ATLAS - LIVING LARGE AND PLAYING HARD

OCTOBER 12, 6:30 PM.

BURNED BY STARS & THE ORIONIDS.

OCTOBER 19, 7:00 PM. 

The ambient duo Worst Night Ever debuts their newest album inspired by deep space and the cosmos near the peak of the Orionid Meteor shower!

Ambient duo Worst Night Ever performs Burned by Stars - a transportive, multi-layered soundscape inspired by the wonder and the horror of deep space, the threat of extreme weather, and the hyper-local sounds of NYC and the North Fork. With a mood that oscillates from dread to lightness, it incorporates synth, modular sound, NASA samples, night sounds from Peconic, and field recordings of NYC street cleaning trucks and trashed pianos. This album release event will also feature original light and projection art, and a guided meditation accompanied by the first sound recording of an earthquake on Mars.

The Orionid Meteor shower will also be on view during this outdoor performance, weather permitting, and visible to the naked eye. The Orionids, which peak during mid-October, are considered to be one of the most beautiful showers of the year and originate from Comet Halley.

Following the concert, guests can stay to continue viewing the Orionid Meteor shower on our lawn. Observatory staff will also be providing guided tours of night sky objects (weather permitting) through the many telescopes on site, including the apochromatic Zerochromat telescope in our historic observation dome.

$25 Adult, $20 Observatory Members, Children Under 16 FREE. Attendance to this in-person performance will be limited - reserve your seats early! Due to the outdoor nature of this program, a rain date will be scheduled as needed.

Please bring a blanket or chair to enjoy this outdoor presentation.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

The ambient duo Worst Night Ever (Long Island natives Daniel Giachetti and Arthur Fleischmann) have been writing and performing music together for decades. Their various musical projects together have licensed songs to multiple TV series, soundtracked a runway show for Neiman Marcus, won the 33 1/3 book series home recording contest, charted on college radio, and toured both coasts and the UK.

Arthur Fleischmann has toured internationally and recorded with artists across multiple genres, most recently joining Jon Batiste’s American Symphony at Carnegie Hall. As a production and stage manager he has helped coordinate and produce world-class music festivals including the Essence Festival of Culture, Sol Blume, and Afropunk. Arthur is the Master Electrician for the Emmy Award-winning The Daily Show.

Daniel Giachetti is a musician and visual artist. A graduate of School of Visual Arts, he has art-directed music videos that screened at numerous film festivals including Barebones and SVA Afterschool Special, and won best music video in Spain’s Erotic & Bizarre Art Festival. His design work has appeared at the BAU Gallery in Beacon as well as being sold at the Queens Museum of Art.

Burned By Stars & the Orionids Tickets, Sat, Oct 19, 2024 at 7:00 PM