Members' Newsletter - Spring 2015

Members’ Newsletter Spring 2015

Performer, Actor, Educator, Composer, … and So Much More!

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his summer, Caramoor is delighted to welcome Jon Batiste to the Caramoor jazz line-up. Born to a highly musical family with deep roots in New Orleans and the jazz world, this Juilliard graduate released two CDs of his music even before starting college. A prodigious talent, he plays multiple instruments, appeared on the hit HBO series Treme and in Spike Lee’s film Red Hook Summer, composed film and documentary scores, and released his latest album, Social Music, with his band, Stay Human, and was just announced as band leader for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (premiering September 8th)!

70 Years of the

Caramoor Summer Music Festival

Photo by Betsy Newman

1914 Walter Rosen and Lucie Dodge marry

Continued on page 4

1928 The Rosens buy Caramoor property in Katonah, NY from Caroline Moore Hoyt (“Caramoor” is named after her) as a summer and weekend home

1929–1939 The Caramoor farm complex is designed, with Rosen House at center

Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts P.O. Box 816, Katonah, NY 10536

Jon Batiste

Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts Board of Trustees James A. Attwood, Jr., Chairman* Peter Kend, Vice Chairman* Paul S. Bird, Treasurer* Angela Haines, Secretary* Judy Evnin, Chairman Emerita*

In This Issue: Pages 1 & 4

Barry J. Alperin* James L. Amine Jon Bauer Gail A. Binderman Jonathan M. Clark* William Cordiano* Jane Phillips Donaldson Lawrence Elow Patricia Falkenberg Susan W. Freund* Michael E. Gellert* E. Robert Goodkind Mary Ann Hawley Stephen J. Jones Sandra S. Joys* Floy B. Kaminski Cecilia Tay Kellie-Smith Peter Nager* Nancy Offit* Richard H. O’Leary* David C. Oxman* Mrs. Andrew Saul Elaine Schroeder* Paul Sekhri Nina Stanton Richard Zinman*

Jon Batiste: Performer, Actor, Educator, Composer, … and So Much More!

Page 3 What I am looking forward to this summer at Caramoor …

Page 5 Letter from Nina Curley Beethoven’s Ninth Questions

Page 6 Members’ BBQ Beethoven’s Ninth Answers

*Executive Committee Member

Advisory Council Judy Aydelott David Barber Maria Brand Patricia F. Carey Melissa Eisenstat Isabelle Harnoncourt Feigen Effie Fribourg Francis Goldwyn Hélène Grimaud Ellen Grimes Susan G. Groner Maureen Hanagan Alexia Jurschak Olga Kagan Bim Kendall Dr. Lewis Kohl Susan Morgenthau Abigail and Sundip Murthy Edward Pla Rochelle Rosenberg Faith Rosenfeld Zita G. Rosenthal Ann Scheuer Alden L. Toevs Lisa Welch Catherine Ziegler

Page 7 Create Your Legacy at Caramoor

Page 8 Scenes from winter and spring at Caramoor

1930s–1940s The Rosens privately entertain guests in the intimate Music Room, and eventually in the Spanish Courtyard

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1945 Rosens bequeath Caramoor “to maintain a center for music and art for the town of Bedford and State of New York.”

1946 First three public concerts in the Music Room (series was originally called the Westchester Friends of Music)

What I am looking forward to this summer at Caramoor …

Jeffrey P. Haydon

Maggi Landau

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’m looking forward to intimate performances in the Spanish Courtyard this summer. There is such a wide range of programming spanning from classical and opera, Roots and jazz, all the way to indie-classical, that makes it a perfect collection of music. There is a close connection between not only the artists and the audience, but also with the summer evenings and the Rosen House; I feel like I am arriving at the Rosens’ home for one of their special concerts. And, enjoying a picnic on the grounds with friends before each of these Spanish Courtyard evenings is a quintessential Caramoor moment for me.

Paul Rosenblum

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In particular, I’m counting down the days until the following performances, and I hope to see you there: 6/26 Edward Arron & Friends: Always one of the most engaging nights of chamber music at Caramoor and a reminder of the impact we have had in nurturing promising talent.

love the American Roots Music Festival since it gives us the opportunity to feature so many aspects of Roots music — folk, blues, country, string band, bluegrass, gospel — in one day of pleasant listening on Friends Field, in the Sunken Garden, on the East Lawn, and in the Venetian Theater. It’s a great way for grandparents and parents to introduce their kids to these music genres in a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. I’m definitely looking forward to welcoming the legendary Lucinda Williams to headline the roots Festival. And I’m really, really eager to hear the brand new project with stunning harmonies, guitar, mandolin, and fiddle from Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, and Aoife O’Donovan!

Maggi Landau, Artistic Director, Roots Music

7/24 Jon Batiste and Stay Human: This should be a fun night of New Orleans jazz in the Spanish Courtyard.

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his summer, the seventieth year of the Caramoor Festival, I’m looking forward to visiting with many returning friends, both performers and audience members, and making new ones. Caramoor’s artistic relationships are so broad and deep that throughout the schedule you’ll find artists who have appeared here before, many originally as Evnin Rising Stars, Bel Canto Young Artists, or Stiefel Quartets in Residence.

Hearing them make music is like picking up an interrupted conversation and catching up on the latest news. The new acquaintances, soon to become friends, include composers Christopher Theofanidis (Opening Night), Aaron Jay Kernis (June 28), and Patrick Harlin (July 17), all bringing premiere performances of new works.

Among the performers, the amazing thereminist, Carolina Eyck, (July 12), Gabe Kahane and Rob Moose (July 30), and PROJECT Trio (July 2), bring new sounds, and Bel Canto at Caramoor brings new repertoire with La Favorite and Dialogues des Carmélites. New acquaintances or old pals, please bring your friends and join me and my friends at Caramoor this summer.

Paul Rosenblum, Managing Director

7/25 Dialogues des Carmélites: Will Crutchfield and his daughter, Victoria, have put forward a very compelling semi-staged production that was recently highlighted in Opera News.

Jeffrey P. Haydon, CEO 1958 Venetian Theater Opening Night, June 21 with Marian Anderson

1964 Julius Rudel becomes Musical Director of the Caramoor Festival

1969 Beverly Sills performs Handel’s Semele

1974 First children’s concert

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1979 Orchestra of St. Luke’s has its inception at Caramoor, evolves out of St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble

1979 First Caramoor appearances of Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax

Continued from page 1 Notably, Mr. Batiste is a committed advocate for music education, serving as the Artistic Director-at-Large for the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, a Smithsonian affiliate.

He is as passionate about Jazz being an accessible genre for the masses, as he is about it providing individuals with an intimate experience with the art form. Mr. Batiste has described his inspiration for his work at the museum: “People have grown up without hearing jazz music, except when they’re in an elevator … A lot of time you have just one shot … When delivered to them, it has to be

palatable … the music doesn’t come to you, you have to come to it.” (The New York Times, c. 2012).

When it comes to performing, Jon Batiste’s jazz is a breathless, mirthful and kinetic experience, descended from the tradition of New Orleans jazz parades and injected with good-time funk and truckloads of soul. In a world of iPhone screens and ear-buds, this 27-year old keyboard phenom is known for whipping out his melodica (a cross between a harmonica and a keyboard) in New York subway cars, on ski slopes, restaurants, and in peaceful parks to the delight of an unsuspecting public. Even the

moniker of his band, Stay Human, encourages the plugged-in world to unplug, if only for a moment, to become involved with and celebrate the bonds that live performance creates.

On Friday, July 24th, Mr. Batiste and his Stay Human buddies will invade our normally peaceful and intimate Spanish Courtyard to shake things up — what is sure to be a rousing evening. We hope you can join us.

To find out more about this multi-faceted performer and Stay Human, visit jonbatiste.com or follow him on one of his many social media channels.

“Jon Batiste’s jazz is a breathless, mirthful and kinetic experience, descended from the tradition of New Orleans jazz parades and injected with good-time funk and truckloads of soul.”

Photo by Betsy Newman

1980 Thursday afternoon concerts added to the Festival

1984 Friday night concerts added to the Festival

1985 40th Anniversary concert: Dvořák Cello Concerto; Yo-Yo-Ma, cello

1986 New Venetian Theater Tent, first time all the seats in the theater are covered

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1987 First Caramoor appearance of Wynton Marsalis

1989 New improved tent and installation of a wooden floor to the Venetian Theater

1990 Itzhak Perlman, violin, performs in the Venetian Theater with OSL

9% 9%

Dear Members,

5% 5%

17% 17%

69% 69%

2014 Caramoor Program Expenses 2014 Caramoor Program Expenses

Concerts Concerts Rosen House & Gardens Rosen House & Gardens Young Artist Mentoring Young Artist Mentoring Arts-in-Education for Schoolchildren Arts-in-Education for Schoolchildren

6% 6%

4% 4%

16% 16% 74% 74%

I hope this newsletter finds you well and enjoying our much-earned warm weather. Caramoor sends its Members four newsletters during the course of a year, two electronically and two in paper form, in order to keep our most important supporters up-to-date on what we are doing and why, as well as to provide some background, fun facts, or sneak peeks into our work and the music we are presenting. I hope you find the contents of this one enjoyable and informative.

As our summer Festival nears, we all grow more and more excited about the artists that will soon grace this beautiful campus and the various repertoire that they will present. I hope you received your recent Members’ pre-Festival mailing with the anticipation and excitement with which it was sent. Summer is a fantastic time to be a Caramoor Member! Not only are you seeing the impact of your generosity at work through the music presented, but you are also able to take advantage of many opportunities for fun and engagement that are reserved especially for our generous donors, like you.

The pie charts to the left are intended to highlight the importance of your generosity to us and to our ability to carry out our mission’s pillars of musical presentation, musician mentoring, and music education for kids. Thank you for making it possible for us to do this important work.

On behalf of our entire team, we are looking forward to welcoming you back for another summer and hearing about what you value in your Caramoor experience. We will be at each concert, ready to welcome you, and try to make your time here what a Caramoor experience should be: magic.

With gratitude, Nina

2014 Caramoor Revenue by Source 2014 Caramoor Revenue by Source Contributions: Thank You! Contributions: Thank You! Ticket Sales Ticket Sales Endowment Distribution Endowment Distribution Other Other

Nina Curley Vice President and Chief Development Officer

Beethoven’s Ninth Questions

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On June 20th, Opening Night of Caramoor’s 70th Summer Music Festival, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, otherwise known as “the choral,” will be performed. Often referred to as one of the best known, and most recognizable pieces of classical music, we invite you to test your classical knowledge about this piece and its composer. Please refer to page 6 for answers.

Symphony No. 9 made its premiere performance in Berlin in May of 1824.

True of False?

1991 André Previn named Artistic Director

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1992 Rising Stars mentoring inaugurated with André Previn, now the Evnin Rising Stars

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The words that are sung in the choral finale (Ode to Joy) were penned by Beethoven as a celebration of mankind.

True or False?

1992 Inaugural Eva Petschek Newman concert

1993 Wednesday morning concerts begin

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At the time of Symphony No. 9’s premiere Beethoven was almost completely deaf.

True or False?

1994 Jazz Festival is added to the Summer Music Festival

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1995 50th Anniversary Summer Festival

The “Ode to Joy” is currently used as an anthem by ... ?

1997 Bel Canto at Caramoor productions begin

Members’ BBQ Dinner July 18 Caramoor Jazz Festival

Members’ Dinner catered by Dinosaur BBQ Buffet of ribs, chicken, pulled pork, and sides $59 per person Please call 914.232.1492 for more information and reservations.

(Advance reservations are required for this dinner.)

Beethoven’s Ninth Answers

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False.

If Beethoven had his way, Symphony No. 9 would have been performed in Berlin as he felt that Viennese musical preferences had become overwhelmingly Italian. When his patrons and performers heard of this, they quickly united and petitioned Beethoven to have the premiere in Vienna. Charmed by their efforts, he changed his mind and his Ninth Symphony premiered on May 7, 1824 in Vienna, in the Theater am Kärntnertor.

1997 New chairs in the Venetian Theater

1998 Bel Canto Young Artists added to Bel Canto at Caramoor programs

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3

False.

“Ode to Joy” or “To Joy” as it is sometimes referenced, is a poem written by the German poet Friedrich Schiller in 1785 (the poem was slightly revised in 1803). Working from Schiller’s revised poem, Beethoven rearranged some of the text, setting it to music while composing Symphony No. 9’s fourth and final movement.

1998 Peter Oundjian becomes Artistic Director

True.

Sadly, Beethoven’s hearing loss began many years before the May 7, 1824 premiere. It was a condition he had to live with, by many accounts, for decades.

For the premiere, Beethoven made his first public appearance in years, taking the stage to “conduct” the performance; he was joined by Michael Umlauf, the theater’s music director. Both men are said to have conducted the performance. The audience is said to have given Beethoven a rousing ovation for his efforts and his what many critics claim is his greatest work.

1999 Caramoor Virtuosi, now Edward Arron & Friends, grows out of Evnin Rising Stars program

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1999 Ernst Stiefel Quartetin-Residence mentoring program initiated

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The music, excluding the words, of “Ode to Joy” is the present day anthem of the European Union.

From 1974 through 1979, it was also Rhodesia’s national anthem.

2000 Yo-Yo Ma performs Elgar’s Cello Concerto on Opening Night of the Festival

2001 New public Restrooms added to Venetian Theater complex

Create Your Legacy at Caramoor

Through a charitable bequest in your will or living trust, you can ensure that the “encores” keep playing at Caramoor.

We have established the Encore Society to recognize those who include Caramoor in their estate planning, and we encourage you to join this important group for Caramoor’s future.

Planned giving is a wonderful way to establish your legacy and make a lasting impact on this vital arts center. Your bequest will enrich the lives of our visitors, concertgoers, arts-in-education program participants, and performing artists for generations to come. This act of forethought may well be one of the most lasting one-time gifts you ever make.

All you need to do is tell us your plan is in place and that you are willing to be publicly listed as a Society member. By doing so, we can continue to applaud your generosity for years to come.

If you would like more information about the Encore Society or to notify us of your intention to include the Encore Society in your estate planning, please contact Nina Curley, VP and Chief Development Officer, at 914.232.3681 or nina@caramoor.org.

2009 Schwab Young Vocal Artists mentoring programs begins

2009 Dancing at Dusk series for young families begins

2009 Inaugural Fall Festival, with the New York Philharmonic’s Caramoor debut

2011 Caramoor is recognized as nationally significant by the National Register of Historic Places for the great quantity and fine quality of European period interiors in the Rosen House

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2011 All-day American Roots Music Festival is added to the Summer Music Festival

Scenes from winter and spring at Caramoor Photo Credits: Gabe Palacio (except where noted) Photo: Chansoda Rouen

Photo: Chansoda Rouen

Dom Flemons Trio in the Rosen House Music Room, March 7

Mike Block performing at the Rosen Society Dinner

Annual Rosen Society Dinner, April 25

Schwab Vocal Rising Stars in the Rosen House Music Room, March 15

Shea Owens, baritone, speaks with guests at the Schwab Vocal Rising Stars post-concert reception

Eric Michael Gillett performed for the Cabaret in the Music Room benefit, May 9 Photo: Chi Chi Ubina

Photo: Chi Chi Ubina

Larry and Adela Elow with Eric Michael Gillett

Chef Michael White preparing plates for the Evening of Wine benefit, May 16

Evening of Wine guests seated for dinner on the East Porch of the Rosen House

Edward Arron & Friends in the Rosen House Music Room, March 28

Calidore String Quartet in the Rosen House Music Room, March 22

CEO Jeff Haydon welcomes a diverse audience to the first Caramoor@Waveny performance with the Calidore String Quartet, March 29

2014 Cellist Alisa Weilerstein is the inaugural Artist-in-Residence of the Summer Music Festival

2014 In the Garden of Sonic Delights Sound Art Exhibition Opens

2015 Caramoor’s 70th Anniversary Festival season

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2015 Thursday Concerts move from afternoons to evenings