In the 1940’s a group of amateur musicians began playing together in Greenwich, CT. In 1958, several concerts under the baton of Kenneth Wendrich led to the founding of the Greenwich Philharmonia, now known as The Greenwich Symphony Orchestra.
In 1975 David Gilbert was named Music Director and Conductor. Associate Conductor Patricia Handy, who presents the Pre-Concert Lectures and conducts the GSO’s highly acclaimed Youth Concert series, joined in 1979. The Greenwich Philharmonia was renamed the Greenwich Symphony Orchestra in its 25th anniversary season, 1982 to 1983, and the Auxiliary became the Symphony Guild. That season marked the GSO’s first dual concert with the Greenwich Choral Society, and the establishment of the endowment fund, which was greatly enhanced by a gala benefit concert starring Victor Borge. Over the years, the GSO has featured such outstanding soloists as Emanuel Ax, Barry Douglas, Pamela Frank, John O’Conor, Peter Serkin, and Dawn Upshaw.
The Greenwich Symphony Guild is embarking on its thirty-sixth year of service to the Greenwich Symphony Orchestra. Members of the Guild are devoted to classical music and the orchestra, and they actively participate in audience development, community outreach and fund raising for the many activities and programs of the Symphony.
Young People's Concerts are specially designed to introduce Greenwich school children to the music of the great masters and the symphony orchestra. Attending the programs are all children in grades two through seven of all public and private schools in Greenwich. These students are prepared for knowledgeable listening by their schools; music teachers, with the aid of CDs and creative classroom assignments prepared by the Greenwich Symphony Board’s Young People’s Concert Committee.
The Irvington Town Hall Theater is located at 85 Main Street, Irvington, New York 10533. The Irvington Town Hall Theater was built in 1902 in the Classic Revival Style. Designed by A. J. Manning and patterned after the Ford Theater in Washington, DC, the Theater is a multipurpose concert hall/music theater located on the entire third floor of Town Hall in downtown Irvington, New York. The 432-seat theater features an orchestra, mezzanine, balcony and six charming gold leafed boxes, a proscenium stage and thrust complete with five backstage dressing rooms. Theater patrons sit in intimate ambiance. Gleaming white columns and Ionic capitals set off the warm ivory interior. The walls are wainscoted in warm oak. Victorian chandeliers and sconces were copied from the originals, during the restoration to its original elegance in 1980. A plush red stage curtain and a forty-two foot high skylight complete the setting. Architecturally significant, the Theater is listed on the national Register of Historic Places.
With pleasing proportions and marvelous acoustics, the Theater has been touted as “one of the finest municipal halls in eastern New York State” by Alvah French History of Westchester County, “A jewel of a theater on the Hudson” by Robert Sherman New York Times and “Acoustically superb” by Lou Cevetillo Opera Critic Gannett Newspapers. Press "Blue Button" for the Irvington Town Hall Theater - Children's Theater, Box Office, House Map, and more.
The Yorktown Theatre Company, KJK Productions, is a non-profit organization that serves as the major resident theatre program at the Music Hall at Tarrytown. The Yorktown Theatre Company has produced several successful productions which have brought major classic Broadway musicals (including: The Music Man, Phantom, The Sound of Music, Christmas Carol, West Side Story) and live children's theatre to Tarrytown and nearby areas.
The Emelin Theatre is a non-profit institution dedicated to enriching the lives of Westchester residents with a full range of performing arts programs. Since 1972, established artists with international reputations, young rising stars, community performers, and children have all graced our stage and become a part of the Emelin family.
The Emelin Theatre produces theatre that includes productions for Adults, Children and Musical Events to be enjoyed by all. Season productions may include: Bluegrass, Brazilian Jazz, Cabaret, Children's Theatre, Classical Music, Film Club, Plays, Acting Workshops and more.
Riverbank State Park is the only park of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. Inspired by urban rooftop designs in Japan, this 28-acre multi-level landscaped recreational facility is a state-of-the-art park facility. Rising 69 feet above the Hudson River, Riverbank offers a wide variety of recreational, athletic and arts experiences for all ages, interests and abilities.
Housed in five major buildings are an Olympic-size pool, a covered skating rink for roller skating in the summer and ice-skating in the winter, an 800-seat cultural theater, a 2,500-seat athletic complex with fitness room, and a 150-seat restaurant.
Outdoor sports amenities include a 25-yard lap pool, a wading pool, four tennis courts, four basketball courts, a softball field, four hand/paddleball courts, and a 400-meter eight-lane running track with a football/soccer field.
Riverbank also boasts spectacular promenade views of the Hudson River, the Palisade Mountains and the George Washington Bridge. At water level, there is a 900-seat amphitheater and docking facilities for excursion and fishing boats.
Points of Interest: The "Totally Kid Carousel", created by Milo Mottola and 37 young children.
Parks attractions include: Carousel, Food, Gymnasium, Hiking, Ice Skating, Performing Arts Theater, Picnic Tables, Playground, Playing Fields, Pool, Recreation Programs, Showers, Tennis
Blueberry Pond Theatre Ensemble is the only professional theatre company in Westchester County whose season consists solely of original work, and as such we fill a unique place in the community and indeed in the tri-state area. The company is developing cutting-edge, provocative works in an ensemble process involving actors, directors, and writers.
The Ensemble had its origin in the summer of 2001 at the Croton-on-Hudson estate of Blueberry Pond, the residence of Stephan Summa, a businessman, and Jean-Paul DeVellard, a writer, food critic and playwright. According to Mr. DeVellard, "We knew a group of very talented artists, and my idea was to bring them together as the nucleus of a theatrical ensemble along the lines of the original Actors Studio. We all knew playwrights, actors, directors, that it would take a cooperative effort to bring our dream of original and bold and indeed provocative theater to life. Our commitment is to creative cooperation and support for new and exciting visions which reflect the world in which we live."
Originally built as a 1025-seat movie palace by Publix Pictures, a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures, the Peekskill Paramount Theatre first opened its doors to the public on June 27, 1930.
The Inaugural program featured an overture by the Paramount Symphony Orchestra, an appearance by the village mayor, and “A Paramount All-Talking Picture”, The Big Pond, starring Maurice Chevalier and Claudette Colbert. Publix Theatres was recognized as a leader in the theatre building industry, and the Peekskill Paramount was constructed as a state-of-the-art facility for the times. The Paramount building is a designated Westchester County Landmark, declared eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Paramount prospered for decades despite the Depression and World War II. However, it was the advent of shopping malls and television that brought on its demise as a movie theatre. Paramount sold the building in 1973. Eventually the building was acquired by the City of Peekskill in 1977 due to a tax default.
The Peekskill Paramount Center for the Performing Arts presented its first series of performances in the spring of 1982. Its mission was to bring cultural and educational programming to the northern Westchester and Putnam County area at affordable prices. Since 1982, what was a grass roots “Save the Paramount” campaign has grown to become a true center for the arts, with live performances, arts-in-education programs, films, and visual art exhibitions, serving over 50,000 people annually.
The Hudson Valley Philharmonic features among the finest classically trained musicians in the area. This regional orchestra has set the standard for classical music in the Greater Hudson Valley for over forty years.
The Bardavon 1869 Opera House is a leading performance venue that presents touring artists of the highest quality in theater, dance, music, opera, and other performance genres. The Bardavon also strives to foster the development and presentation of new works. Each season the Bardavon's diverse offerings include Mainstage shows, Hudson Valley Philharmonic concerts, educational Daytime Performances, School Residencies as well as Community Service events. This variety ensures that the Bardavon is accessible to all who seek entertaining and inspiring live performances.
Press "Blue Button" for Children's Events and more about Bardavon in the Hudson River Valley.
For more than a quarter century, The Performing Arts Center at Purchase College has provided residents of Westchester County, Fairfield County, and nearby surrounding areas with diverse performing arts programs of the highest caliber. A vast array of stellar performances has graced its stages-from the established to the emerging, from the exquisite to the outrageous, from the traditional to the avant-garde. There are performing arts programs available for every interest and all enrich us by expanding the boundaries of our imaginations.
The Performing Arts Center at Purchase College has several theatres which offer the flexibility to present a diverse program of performing arts including: New York Philharmonic, Purchase Symphony Orchestra, Dance Theatre, Talk Cinema, Ballet, live Repertory Theatre, Theatre Arts & Film, Chamber Music and more.
The Performing Arts Center at Purchase College offers residencies for such renowned artists as Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, Bill Irwin, Penn and Teller, Phillip Glass, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, The Dance Theatre of Harlem, Bill T. Jones and many more. Master Classes by many of The Center's artists, including Garrick Ohlsson, Pinchas Zuckerman, Edward Villella, The Tokyo String Quartet and Marilyn Horne.
The theatres at The Center are: The Concert Hall, The Pepsico Theatre, The Recital Hall, and The Abbott Kaplan Theatre and The Organ Room. This diversity of theatres ensures that each performance is performed in the best venue.
The Performing Arts Center at Purchase College offers world-class programming that is conveniently located, affordably priced, with ample parking! The Center also has an Arts-in-Education programs which reach over 15,000 school children each season.
The Ridgefield Playhouse is dedicated to serving Ridgefield, Connecticut and nearby communities in the Performing Arts. Designed in 1938, the auditorium in "the old high school" was once the center of Ridgefield's cultural life. During World War II, residents had the privilege of twice hearing the legendary Arturo Toscanini conduct here. In its new life, The Ridgefield Playhouse has been designed to embrace its former role and more. In an age of multiplexes and stadiums, what a pleasure to be in an impeccably renovated, historic theater with near-perfect acoustics!
Since our opening, enthusiastic, sold-out audiences have enjoyed Peter Yarrow, Marcel Marceau, Barbara Cook, Moscow Boys Choir, Joan Baez, and The Bacon Brothers. Film-goers have seen a range of movies from Oscar-winners such as Traffic and Chocolat to family fare to our international film series. Community events such as the Ridgefield High School Orchestra Concert and the Annual Town Meeting found a new home at The Playhouse.
While we can all agree with Shakespeare that "the play's the thing," we also know that this beautiful theater adds a great deal to the experience of a performance or movie. In an age of multiplexes and stadiums, what a pleasure to be in an impeccably renovated, historic theater with near-perfect acoustics!
Notable Beginnings, Legendary Performances Designed in 1938, the auditorium in "the old high school" was at one time the center of Ridgefield's cultural life. In its heyday, before being abandoned in 1972, it was home to school performances as well as community events and town meetings. During World War II, residents had the privilege of twice hearing the legendary Arturo Toscanini conduct here.
In its new life, The Ridgefield Playhouse has been designed to embrace its former role and more. The interior preserves the hall's excellent acoustics that make it an ideal venue for musical performance and live theater. At the same time, retractable draperies cover the walls enabling the "deadening" effect needed to show movies. Thanks to a generous legacy from Patricia Schuster, founder of the Ridgefield Studio of Classical Ballet, the stage was built to have the resilience necessary for dance performances. Parts of the old stage rigging have been preserved and supplemented to enable use of the stage's large fly space. Stage lights and a state-of-the-art sound system have been installed.
Echoing the importance of the town of Ridgefield in the theater's life is a hand-painted mural covering the lobby walls with familiar scenes of historic Ridgefield. The mural, a gift from a Ridgefield couple, was created by a local artist. Other murals enliven the interior of the performance area as well as the entryway to The Playhouse; all were gifts of Playhouse supporters. Press "Blue Button" to explore the Ridgefield Playhouse."
Stamford Center for the Arts (SCA), a not-for-profit arts organization, is dedicated to serving as the region's premier center for the performing arts. SCA operates the exquisitely restored historic Palace Theatre and the state-of-the-art Rich Forum, both within four blocks of each other in downtown Stamford, Connecticut.
Each season, Stamford Center for the Arts creates, presents and promotes the highest quality entertainment, education and outreach programs that include the best in live theatre, concerts, comedy and dance entertainment from throughout the world.
The Palace Theatre, a 1580-seat Thomas Lamb designed vaudeville house, was acclaimed as "Connecticut's Most Magnificent" when it opened in 1927. The Palace was restored and re-opened in 1983 for live theatre, concerts and art exhibitions in the Sackler Gallery.
Rich Forum, which opened in 1992, is an arts and communications center. Rich Forum includes the 757-seat Truglia (proscenium) Theatre; the Leonhardt Studio (black box theatre); the Mercede Promenade; and the front-of-the-house upper level that includes the elegant Rossi Salon and the Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Gallery.
Both the Rich Forum and Palace Theatre seasons include performances by Connecticut Grand Opera and Orchestra, Stamford Symphony Orchestra, New England Lyric Operetta, Ballet School of Stamford, Young Artist Philharmonic, Lumina String Quartet, Zig Zag Ballet, The Perry Players, as well as stage productions specifically for young audiences.
Since its inaugural season (1992-93), Rich Forum most recently presented such productions as the Pulitzer Prize-winning Dinner with Friends, Thunder Knocking on the Door, ART, The Threepenny Opera, and SCA's Fringe Festival. The Palace Theatre and Rich Forum attracted such diverse and luminous events and performers as Lily Tomlin, Peter, Paul & Mary, Tom Jones, B.B. King, Carrot Top, Harry Belafonte, Drummers of West Africa, Vienna Choir Boys, Balanchine's The Nutcracker, Late Nite Catechism, George Winston, It's A Wonderful Life, The Big Apple Circus, Annie, Liza Minnelli, Itzhak Perlman, Johnny Mathis, Michael Feinstein, Emanuel Ax, Yo-Yo Ma, Isaac Stern, Ray Romano, Willie Nelson, Tony Bennett, Judy Collins, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and more.
In 1996, Stamford Center for the Arts established a month-long festival, Celebrate! Black History, which has evolved into a year-round African-American Cultural Series featuring numerous and varied events, many of which are free for local and statewide youths, adults and families.
The Stamford Symphony Orchestra is widely acknowledged to be the finest in Connecticut. It consists solely and entirely of professional union musicians from New York City and the surrounding areas, including Fairfield County and Westchester County. In addition to the SSO, these outstanding musicians currently play with: The American Symphony Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke's, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, New York City Ballet Orchestra, New York City Opera Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra.
A typical Stamford Symphony Orchestra season features: five pairs of Classical Concerts, three Pops Concerts, a student concert designed for elementary students, and a Family Concert Series.
The Stamford Symphony is the resident orchestra at the Stamford Center for the Arts' newly renovated, 1586-seat Palace Theatre. The Palace Theatre is in downtown Stamford in the heart of Fairfield County.
In 1980, Music Director Roger Nierenberg ascended our podium. Maestro Nierenberg's commitment to the SSO and the community has resulted in the expansion of the classical subscription series, the creation of new music and education programs, and the recognition of the Stamford Symphony Orchestra as a musical treasure by the local community, and "a major cultural force" by the New York Times.
In 2003, Maestro Nierenberg announced he would step down as Music Director. Eckart Preu was named Music Director of the Stamford Symphony Orchestra in June 2005. Maestro Preu is a superb musician, an energetic community leader, and an artistic visionary.
Historical Note: The Stamford Symphony Orchestra was first organized in 1919. It ceased operations temporarily after World War II, when many of the orchestra's European musicians returned to their homelands. The orchestra was revived in 1967, and with Skitch Henderson's appointment as Music Director in 1974, the Stamford Symphony became the fully professional orchestra it is today.
Westchester Arts Council, the county’s link between the arts, business, and culture, was established in 1965 as a private, not-for-profit program organization. It is the County’s designated arts council and the largest of its kind in New York State. In partnership with Westchester County Government, municipal governments, and business and community leaders, the Arts Council works to weave the arts into the fabric of Westchester life, strengthen the county’s cultural institutions, and enrich the quality of life for all of Westchester’s residents.
The Arts Council’s underlying belief is that the arts are for everyone, whether in a school or in a concert hall. The Arts Council partners with over 100 arts groups and more than 150 artists to bring the arts into schools, senior centers, daycare sites, after-school programs, and mental health facilities.
Westchester Arts Council is supported by Westchester County Government, the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, the Westchester Delegation of the New York State Legislature, and by foundations, corporations, and individuals.
Click to feature your business or restaurant.
