Event Alert: Tibet House US to Hold 22nd Annual Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall, February 13th, 2012

Tibet House US announced recently that it will hold its 22nd Annual Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall on Monday, February 13th, 2012.

Philip Glass, the concert’s Artistic Director, has curated a lineup that includes James Blake, Dechen Shak-Dagsay, Laurie Anderson, and Rahzel. Additional performers will be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets are on sale now and available through the Carnegie Hall Box Office. Special packages that include tickets to the concert and a fundraising reception following the performance with the event’s Honorary Chairpersons and artists are available through Tibet House US.

For twenty one years, the consistently sold-out Tibet House US concert has assembled music’s greatest talents, offering a vibrant mix of new musical collaborations and solo offerings.  Past benefit concerts have included Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Paul Simon, Sheryl Crow, Moby, Sigur Ros, Bright Eyes, R.E.M., The National, Natalie Merchant, Regina Spektor, Rufus Wainwright, Vampire Weekend, Emmylou Harris, Ray Davies, Damien Rice, The Roots, Patti Smith, among many others.

The Tibet House US Benefit Concert commemorates the Monlam Prayer Festival traditionally held at the time of the Tibetan New Year. The festival drew vast numbers of monks, citizens and pilgrims from all over the country who gathered to pray for world peace and prosperity.

Tibet House US is a non-profit organization founded in 1987 at the behest of His Holiness the Dalai Lama that serves as a center for the preservation and presentation of the endangered Tibetan culture.

Irv Joel & AES New York Section Event Provided Insight on Elton John, Judy Garland, Audio History

On April 12 in NYC, the Audio Engineering Society (AES) New York Section hosted “An Evening With Irv Joel: The Man Behind the Scene” at  The New School for Jazz Performance.

As one of NYC’s most experienced audio engineers, Joel gave host Ron Ajemian of Owl Fiber Optics and the audience insights into his massive scope of work, beginning with his work at Capitol Records Studios from 1958-1969, where he collaborated on the development of stereo recording.

Highlights of the evening included up close and personal perspectives on recording with a young Elton John on his first recordings at A&R Studios; the classic Judy Garland Live At Carnegie Hall date; Liza Minnelli’s “Liza With A Z” live show; and his 50+ years of service to the AES.

Event Alert: Music Unites Celebrates “The Music of Neil Young at Carnegie Hall”

Music Unites, an NYC non-profit and friend of SonicScoop, is one of many charitable organizations helping to celebrate “The Music of Neil Young at Carnegie Hall”, presented by Michael Dorf and Carnegie Hall on Thursday, February 10th.

Artists scheduled to perform at this landmark evening will include:

Cowboy Junkies, Juliana Hatfield & Evan Dando, Bettye LaVette, Shawn Colvin,  Bebel Gilberto, Aaron Neville, The Wood Brothers, Keller Williams, Joan Osborne, Jakob Dylan, J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), Glen Hansard, Mason Jennings, DeVotchKa, Ben Ottewell (of Gomez), Pete Yorn, Joe Purdy, plus Larry Cambell in the house band.

Advance tickets are available here.

In addition to Music Unites, 100% of the net proceeds from this event will benefit: Fixing Instruments for Kids in Schools, Church Street School for Music & Art, The Pinwheel Project, The American Symphony Orchestra and Young Audiences New York.

Music Unites is a New York City-based non-profit organization supporting musical artists and professionals through performance and education opportunities

Music Unites Youth Choir at Bronx Zoo’s “Sing for Wildlife” Thursday, 12/30

NYC-based non-profit Music Unites is closing off a successful 2010 with a featured performance on Thursday, Dec. 30th at the Bronx Zoo’s “Sing for Wildlife” competition.

The Music Unites Youth Choir will close the year as the featured performance on December 30th, 12:45 PM, at the Bronx Zoo’s Sing for Wildlife competition. Presented jointly by The Wildlife Conservation Society and the Hard Rock Café, this opportunity gives student choral groups from the five boroughs the chance to compete for the title of “best” choral group in New York. The final round of competition will feature a special cast appearance from Green Day’s American Idiot on Broadway.

The Music Unites Youth Choir, in partnership with Young Audiences New York, has been selected as one of the groups to represent local cultural institutions, and will appear as a special guest with a performance during the competition.

Now in its second academic year, the Music Unites Youth Choir consisted of 40 students has been exposed to unique performance and mentoring educational opportunities such as a Carnegie Hall performance in Michael Dorf’s The Music of The Who, this fall’s workshop with artist Reni Lane, and “Careers in Music” night which featured panelists from Epic Records, MTV and Bowery Presents.

According to Music Unites Founder Michelle Edgar, “In less than two years, Music Unites has grown exponentially and expanded a number of its programs. The New York-based non-profit has grown from an idea for an organization that would connect people through music and performance, to a boutique organization that is simultaneously supporting music education programs in urban student communities, helping musicians from diverse genres get their music heard, introducing audiences to new artists, and providing unique partnering and branding opportunities for a variety of organizations.

“The organization’s first initiative grew from the launch of the Music Unites Youth Choir to multiple initaitives including Empowering Women Through Music, ASCAP Night School series and a nationwide instrument drive.”

Also, mark your calendars for a Neil Young tribute from Music Unites, coming up on February 10th. You can read more about Music Unites in this previous SonicScoop feature.

Classical Music Makes Moves: The New York Chamber Virtuosi Is Hitting Carnegie Hall

Get your kicks from a high-octane clarinet section? The New York Chamber Virtuosi does. This NYC-based organization has its own way of looking at classical music and bringing it into the spotlight.

Founded by Jessica Sibelman, the Executive Director/President, and Composer in Residence of New York Chamber Virtuosi (NYCV), the organization had its debut performance in 2009 and now regularly holds orchestral concerts in halls from the Upper East Side to the Upper West, plus a chamber music series that’s held at art galleries in Chelsea. This is a finely-tuned group — its members include graduates of Julliard, Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College of Music, and the New England Conservatory of Music, and are all active with solo, orchestral, and chamber music careers.

A classically trained clarinetist who herself graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music, Sibelman actually quit music after school was over and entered Corporate America as a marketing assistant at a big ole’ company. But music still beckoned, and after she formed a group consisting of old music school friends “with their friends, and their friends” she knew she was on to something. They started creating concert programs that were more laid back — playing multiple music styles, and interacting with the audience in the interest of building a community.

The results speak for themselves. Relatively early in NCSV’s life, Carnegie’s Zankel Hall will host them performing a benefit concert on Wednesday, October 6th, for Best Buddies, which helps kids and adults with mental disabilities. Sibelman filled us in on how a performance-oriented musical non-profit builds a base of aspirations.

How would you describe the working focus of NYCV?
We are a newly-formed orchestra combining New York’s energetic young professionals with a fresh approach to breaking down musical boundaries between the performer and audience. In our concerts, we feature classic orchestral literature along with more mainstream musical genres to make classical music more accessible to a growing, diverse public.

That’s a great start. From there, how do you try and make sure that people know you’re out there?
A great deal of our effort is going into spreading the word about the NYCV.  We use Facebook, online newsletters, advertising in papers/blogs, as well as just word of mouth to get the word out.

It is hard to say which method works the best.  For example, people on Facebook– those who say they attend, don’t. Those who say maybe, might show up.  Those who don’t respond show up… or don’t.  The same thing goes with a good deal of online blogs and postings for concerts: people change their minds. The only 100% foolproof way of knowing you will have an audience, and to know how many will actually be in the audience, is to sell tickets beforehand.

This of course has been tricky as well, because most of my audience has always bought tickets at the door, especially for our chamber music series. Our orchestral concerts have been pretty well attended, with about 200-300 people in the audience, most of which bought tickets prior.  Our chamber concerts’ attendance is anywhere from 30 to 70 people, and it’s usually a guessing game of how many people to expect.  Fortunately, by having people sign in at concerts, we are able to keep in touch with our audience for future concerts.

Maybe SonicScoop can help! Tell us about what differentiates NYCV from other classical ensembles out there? Their numbers seem to be growing in NYC.
The NYCV’s goal is to break down the barrier between the audience and musicians — too many people avoid going to orchestral or chamber music concerts because they feel it’s for the upper class only, and that the experience is too impersonal.

In our series, the orchestra members build relationships with each other, as well as with their audience by bringing music back to its original state, and interacting with our audience.

That sounds like a worthy mission. Who do you see joining NYCV? What’s the common thread of the performers and composers you work with?

One of my favorite aspects of the NYCV Orchestral Series is that we give a wide range of performance opportunities to young professionals.  We’ve featured young soloists and composers in our past concerts, and in one of our upcoming concerts, Divertissement (Ballet in the Afternoon) we are featuring a guest conductor, narrator, two soloists (in the orchestra), and some of my original music with ballet!  It sounds like a lot going on, but it’s actually a very structured, and fun, concert.

Ambitious – what else has been particularly rewarding about NYCV in the year since you got it off the ground?
For myself as a composer, our Debut Concert (where three of my works were premiered that evening) in June of 2009 will always stick with me.  After leaving music for three years, this concert had given me so much hope and faith in pursuing my musical career again.

For the NYCV, seeing how our chamber music series has shaped up throughout the year was truly incredible.  The musicians all were starting to add a great deal of “artistic vision” into the concerts, and the audience was extremely responsive to our programming.

On the flipside, what makes this initiative a bigger challenge than you expected?
After obtaining our 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit status, it is now time to secure corporate sponsors, individual patrons, federal grants, government grants, etc… That’s a lengthy and difficult process that can be quite challenging.

My suggestion [to anyone interested in obtaining non-profit status] would be to look into which grants could be a good fit for you or your organization before you actually incorporate and obtain your (501) (c) (3).  The entire process of getting your status can take several months, and during the “waiting period” it’s a good time to get some research in.  You can also keep yourself organized by checking deadlines of applicable grants and programs, and maintaining a grants-database.  This way, if you miss a deadline the first year, you at least have an idea of when to apply in the following year.  In other words, PLAN AHEAD!

That’s great advice — congrats on getting through it yourself. So, tell us about your upcoming show at Carnegie Hall. How did you get a gig like that?
We are all very excited about our Carnegie Hall debut!  We were invited to play at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall this October 6. The performance is part of a charity concert for the organization Best Buddies, which helps kids and adults with mental disabilities.

The program features the NYCV in the “The Marriage of Figaro”overture by Mozart, which I will be conducting. Elaine Kwon will be performing the Rubenstein Piano Concerto, and Enrique Pina, tenor, is singing “E Lucevan le Stelle” from Puccini’s Tosca. There will also be a celebrity emcee plus other special guests for the evening.

This sounds like a fast start for your organization. Who are you getting your better ideas from?

There are so many incredible people who I admire in music business.  On a more personal note, however, I have been extremely influenced and inspired by Mark Volpe, the Managing Director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and his wife Martha.

I was introduced to the Volpes while I was a student at the New England Conservatory of Music through a mentorship program.  They introduced me to the “behind the scenes” of orchestral performance.  Even though at that time my priority was playing clarinet in concerts, the experience was invaluable and has helped me tremendously in my own endeavors.

A great mentor is irreplaceable. Lastly, if people or companies want to get involved with NYCV, what are the different ways they can do that?

The easiest way to find out about our volunteer and sponsorship opportunities would be to check us out at www.thenewyorkchambervirtuosi.com and click on “get involved.”  There are many different packages for advertising, corporate sponsors, individual sponsors, and volunteer opportunities. You can also contact us at TheNYCV@gmail.com or 908.208.9037.

The NYCV are all young professional musicians from NY: Our goal is to create a dynamic community among musicians and our audience.

– David Weiss

Music Unites: Inspiration and Music Education in Motion Across NYC

MIDTOWN, MANHATTAN: Charged up is a good way to describe the onset of Music Unites. A non-profit focused on bringing music education to underprivileged children in underfunded inner city school systems, Music Unites is one of many emerging organizations with an ambitious agenda.

A classically-trained pianist, Michelle Edgar launched Music Unites in mid-2009, after looking extensively for a charity that she would be thrilled to donate $1000 to. But lacking a match, she moved fast to start her own philanthropic program. Just a year later, Music Unites has made itself heard quickly by hosting innovative events, then following up with a star-powered style of community outreach that appears to be resonating.

The founder filled us in on the eve of two notable events in one week. First they’re teaming with Rolling Stone to present InTune with the Fiery Furnaces and DJ Alexandra Richards downtown on Tuesday, 6/29. The next day, Wednesday 6/30, Music Unites will be the sole charitable beneficiary of an anticipated Culture Project production, the performance of “Twin Spirits” with Sting and Trudie Styler at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Why did you kick off Music Unites?

I wanted to create a community that supported emerging and established musicians across all genres of music, and broke down traditional barriers between classical, rock, hip hop and jazz—bringing that music to underserved communities and funding music education programs.

I also wanted to give artists a chance to develop and build a philanthropic outreach program tailored to what they’re passionate about. We work closely with the artists and their teams to develop long-term initiatives, and fundraise on the artists’ behalf to make their initiatives and programs come to life, so they’re proud of their initiatives which are personally tailored to what they stand for.

The community of artists and the showcases are meant to inspire artists of different genres to collaborate with one another, and expose people to new types of music across all genres that they traditionally might not be used to.

This seems to be a concept that’s gaining steady steam, city-wide. Why do you think the focus of Music Unites — bringing music education to underprivileged children in inner city school systems – seems to have such a sense of urgency?

An investment in music education is an investment in both our children and in our society: Our mission is to foster and nurture the next generation of young artists.

Regardless of age, race, gender, or ethnicity, music has the ability to transcend barriers between people and effect positive social change. Music provides children with a creative outlet that promotes the development of self-discipline, self-esteem, cross-cultural understanding, teamwork, critical thinking, and problem solving skills. In adults, music can help strengthen the connection to our local community and society at large.

It’s well documented that the skills learned through musical training and education are critical to both scholastic and future workforce success. Music Unites strives to build a platform for emerging artists – one that connects with under-privileged youths to engage them in music education.

That’s a big mission to take on. So tell us about the approach you take to accomplishing your goals: How are you spreading the Music Unites message and helping it to take effect?

Started only one year ago, Music Unites has garnered much acclaim by raising $55,000 to support our first major initiative — The Music Unites Youth Choir, an inner city choir bringing together under-privileged children from the five boroughs of New York City together with our partners from the Young Audiences of New York.

Launched in fall 2009, this free after-school program allows young people to develop their musical, vocal and performance skills under the guidance of professional vocalists, musicians and theater artists, while exploring a variety of musical styles. The kids made their debut at Carnegie Hall in a Who tribute back in March and we’ve brought our artists, including John Forte and Jaicko, to do workshops and speak to the children. Back in May, we also brought the kids into a studio to record their first song they wrote.

On the educational outreach front, we’ve brought our services to inner city schools in Harlem and Brooklyn by doing programs with our artists where they go into the schools and share and inspire the children through their stories on how they got where they are today—teaching them the right lessons as well as their struggles and challenges along the way.

You do a lot of public events as well, including a dynamite duo this week: first InTune with the Fiery Furnaces and DJ Alexandra Richards on Tuesday, followed by benefitting from a a production of “Twin Spirits” with Sting and Trudie at JILC. Wow.

The charity continues to grow in leaps and bounds as we’ve produced successful events and gotten a diverse community of artists to support our cause from Sting, Joshua Bell, Lang Lang, Melanie Fiona, and Peter Bjorn and John, Fiery Furnaces to Alexandra Richards and more. Through these events and many others, we’ve worked with prestigious venues including Lincoln Center, the U.N. and Carnegie Hall which has helped us garner a certain level of respect in the industry, being such a young grassroots organization.

We are currently at a pivotal point in our organization’s growth to help support of our music education initiatives, which include a nationwide instrument drive and the creation of an all-scholarship-based Music Unites Summer Camp, similar to that of Tanglewood but for children who would traditionally not have the opportunity to go to such a camp.

Those are some fast achievements, and tantalizing possibilities. But what differentiates Music Unites from other non profits out there?

We’ve built a dynamic and culturally diverse community of artists that are committed to our mission, and we give our artists an opportunity to create their own programs tailored to their passions — so they can feel strongly for what they represent and stand for.

There’s consistency and regularity with our artist showcases which happen on a monthly basis. We’ve created a community where musicians across genres come and support one another

In less then a year, we’ve been able to partner with major companies like OK magazine, Rolling Stone and Lancome which has been tremendously exciting to such a young charity.

What’s rewarding about working with a musical non profit? Let us in on a memorable moment or two.

There are so many—it’s hard because they’re all very special for different reasons and a labor of love. I would have to say the UN peacekeeping concert with the UN, Lincoln Center Fall Masquerade with the Young Patrons, The Who Tribute at Carnegie Hall where the kids made their debut and the HIGHLIGHT- our December event with Sting and Trudie premiering their Twin Sprits project, a classical music project which I really think speaks to what we stand for.

And now, being involved with the live production of the music on the 30th at Lincoln Center with our Music Unites artists including Joshua Bell and Natasha. Sting and Trudie’s Rainforest Foundation gala was the inspiration of Music Unites and it has been such a true privilege and honor to work with them.

Those are some serious privileges. On the flipside, what makes this initiative a bigger challenge than you expected?

The desperate need for this kind of thing. With budgets being cut every single day we need to raise significant funds to service the schools and communities, to keep music alive. We have the artists who are willing to do whatever it takes: Now the focus is on fundraising and helping take this organization to the next level.

We all need mentors. Who are people that have been inspiring you along the way?

Gustavo Dudamel, Conductor of the LA Philharmonic, Julie Greenwald, Atlantic Records President, and Sylvia Rhone, the President of Universal Motown. I’ve been inspired with the work Gustavo has done tied to El Sistema orchestras and want to be part of the work he is doing here in the US with building these orchestras. Also, he works hard in bridging the gap and looks to do things out of the box by pushing the envelope. This is needed, especially right now to attract new audiences to classical music.

Julie and Sylvia are women I look up to. They are leaders and innovators in the music business who inspire the next generation. If I can do half of what they’ve contributed to the music community over my lifespan, I’d be content with myself.

If people or companies want to get involved with Music  Unites, what are the different ways they can help?

We’re always looking for strategic partnerships and are always open to new ideas across a multitude of industries from music, fashion, technologic, entertainment. We build platforms and look to 360 marketing integrations that are mutually beneficial for the organization since they help raise money, in addition to being mutually beneficial for the brand and company.

Finally, we say: Why must you be in NYC?

We were born here and NY will always be home. It’s the melting pot—uniting people and music!

– David Weiss

Event Alert: Music Unites’ Classical Music Showcase with Violinist Charlie Siem

This Thursday (4/29), Music Unites is hosting a ticketed concert with violinist Charlie Siem to benefit the Music Unites Youth Choir. Part of Music Unites’ Classical Music Showcase Series, the event will be held in the Fred Perry Room at SPiN.

Previous Classical Music Showcase artists include Lang Lang and Joshua Bell.

The Music Unites Youth Choir, consists of students from all over NYC. In partnership with Young Audiences New York, they made their debut at Carnegie Hall in a tribute to The Who in March.

Hailing from London, Charlie Siem has been playing classic violin since the age of three. He studied at the Guildhall School of Music and the Royal College of Music under the tutelage of Itzhak Rashkovsky and Shlomo Mintz. Siem has played many festivals, including the Windsor, Spoleto, St. Moritz and Gstaad, and performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Israel Camerata, Bergen Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra Vilnius and Petros Sinfonica Brazil.

Music Unites is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that supports musicians of all genres and levels with the desire to connect people through music by providing communities with musical experience opportunities. It provides music education programs with mentors to inner city school systems and offers musicians performance opportunities through concert events. Their main philanthropic focus is the Music Unites Youth Choir, which will practice and perform in well-known venues via Music Unites partnership with Young Audiences New York.

The event time is from 8pm to 11pm. Tickets to the event are $40 tickets and can be purchased here. The proceeds will be donated to the Music Unites Youth Choir.

The event address is:

Fred Perry Room at SPiN New York

48 East 23 Street

New York, NY 10010