As The Weather Cools Down, Flushing Town Hall Heats Up This Fall

Fall gets festive at Flushing Town Hall! The global arts venue will present over 30 programs to entertain audiences of all ages and backgrounds this September through December. From a Diwali dance party to a marionette Nutcracker, there will be something for everyone to celebrate this season, including Flushing Town Hall's first-ever presentation of six NEA Jazz Masters together on stage for a once-in-a-lifetime concert.

"We are celebrating our 40th anniversary this year with a truly incredible roster of global artists, many coming from overseas," says Ellen Kodadek, Flushing Town Hall's Executive and Artistic Director. "Why travel the world when you can hop the 7 train to Queens? At Flushing Town Hall, we bring the world to your doorstep, and this season is no exception."

Flushing Town Hall's fall highlights include: Season Opening Party with Jane Bunnett & Maqueque (Sept. 20); Hot Club Jazz Listening Session (Sept. 22); Antonio Hart Quintet (Oct. 5); Kobo Town (Oct. 11); Jazzmobile@55 (Oct. 19); Bongsan Talchum Korean Masks (Oct. 31); Diwali Dance Party (Nov. 2); NEA Jazz Masters (Nov. 8); DDAT (Nov. 16); Gustavo Casenave Quartet (Nov. 22); The Nutcracker (Dec. 4); Roberta Piket Sextet (Dec. 6); Global Arts for Global Kids Benefit (Dec. 14).

Flushing Town Hall is accessible by car, bus, train and foot-located a short distance from the 7 train-at 137-35 Northern Blvd. in Flushing, Queens. Access for wheelchair users and individuals with limited mobility is available.

Once again, Flushing Town Hall is opening its doors to teenagers-for free. Under the "Teen Access Program," all 13- to 19-year-old teens (whether a member or not) will be welcomed to attend any performance for free. The program is designed to appeal to students and help foster a greater love for arts and culture.

Tickets can be purchased at www.flushingtownhall.org or by calling (718) 463-7700 x222.

FOR CALENDAR LISTINGS:

-- September --

Monthly Jazz Jam: Celebrating the Legacy of Louis Armstrong

WED, SEPT 4, 7 PM
$10/FREE for Members, Students, Teens & Jamming Musicians
Open to Jazz students, musicians, and music educators, Monthly Jazz Jams are a fun way to hone your skills and jam with your peers. The house band is led by saxophonist Carol Sudhalter. All are welcome, regardless of instrument (vocalists, too!). Don't play? Come listen!

Live Drawing with Models

MON, SEPT 9, 6 PM
$16/$10 Members & Students

Draw from a live nude model. Bring your sketch pad and favorite drawing medium. Each artist will have the opportunity to hone their skills with a series of quick and long poses while listening to music in a relaxing, non-judgmental environment. For ages 18 & up.

Exhibition: Threads and Pigments

FRI, SEPT 13, 6 PM

Opening Reception: FRI, SEPT 13, 6-8 PM

Gallery Dates: FRI, SEPT 13 - SUN, SEPT 29

Gallery Hours: SAT & SUN, 12-5 PM; weekdays by appointment

$5 Suggested Donation/FREE for Members, Students, & Teens

A group exhibition of nine Korean-American artists who have been living and working in the United States. Their artworks embody diverse and dynamic philosophies that depict using materials such as colorful pigments and stitched threads that symbolize diversity and represent a connection between cultures.

Season Opening Party: Jane Bunnett & Maqueque

FRI, SEPT 20, 7 PM (Dance lesson), 8 PM (Concert)
$16/$10 Members & Students / FREE for Teens
Three-time Grammy nominee and five-time JUNO Award (aka Canada's Grammys) winner, soprano saxophonist and flutist Jane Bunnett and her sextet Maqueque bring the soul of Cuba to NYC. Dubbed the "new queens of Afro-Cuban jazz," Jane Bunnett and Maqueque features all-star female Cuban musicians in a rich Afro-Cuban gumbo with dynamic rhythms, melodies, spirited playing and singing. Cuban-style food and drinks will be available to purchase at the event.

New Music Horizons: Collaborative Artists in Concert
SAT, SEPT 21, 2:30 PM
$10/FREE for Members, Students & Teens
Classical composer Matt Koraus and jazz composer Mark Wade in concert. Koraus is known for his inventive contemporary style for both vocal and instrumental music. Wade was picked as one of the top bassists of 2016 and 2018 by the DownBeat Magazine Reader's Poll. Each composer will present a set of their original works with an informal Q&A to follow.

Mid-Autumn Moon Shadow Play
SUN, SEPT 22, 2 PM
$10/$5 Members, Students & Children/FREE for Teens
Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival with shadow puppet making! The harvest season full moon is said to be the biggest and brightest in the year. Join FTH's teaching artist Spica Wobbe in the world of shadow play. Participants will learn how to design and construct a simple shadow puppet and stage, and tell their family version of a moon story. For ages 6 & up.

Hot Club: Jazz Listening Session
SUN, SEPT 22, 12:30 PM
FREE (No RSVP required)
What is a Hot Club? Starting in the 1930's, "Hot Clubs" were a sort of "Book Club" for jazz listening - fans would get together to play records for each other. Today, the Neo Hot Club movement is about hearing classic and rare jazz records on their original 78RPM format, which offers the best sound possible. A community of jazz lovers is growing around these "Neo Hot Clubs," keeping alive the love of old recordings and swinging hot jazz. This session is led by esteemed jazz researcher and historian Ben Young.

New York Classical Players: Beethoven & Bartok
FRI, SEPT 27, 8 PM
FREE (with online RSVP)
New York Classical Players premieres Samuel Adler's new orchestration of Jupiter from Holst's iconic work, The Planet. Pianist Haesun Paik, violinist Josef Spacek, and cellist Michael Katz perform a Triple Concerto to celebrate Beethoven's 250th birth year. Bartok's Divertimento will close the program, a work beloved for its high drama and thrilling scope of the folk music of which the composer was deeply enamored.

Wearable Art: Make Your Own Lucky Pouch - Bokjumeoni
SUN, SEPT 29, 2 PM
$10/$5 Members, Students & Children/FREE for Teens (supplies provided)
Make your own Bokjumeoni- a traditional Korean pouch that is believed to contain good luck. In Korea, it is often used as a bag for small presents given to friends and family. No experience is necessary, although participants should be comfortable handling a needle and thread. For ages 10 & up.

-- October --

Monthly Jazz Jam: Celebrating the Legacy of Louis Armstrong

WED, OCT 2, 7-10 PM

$10/FREE for Members, Students, & Jamming Musicians

Open to jazz students, musicians, and music educators, Monthly Jazz Jams are a fun way to hone your skills and jam with your peers. The house band is led by saxophonist Carol Sudhalter. All are welcome, regardless of instrument (vocalists, too!). Don't play? Come listen!

Exhibition: Bari - Know Your Place
FRI, OCT 4 - SUN, OCT 20
Gallery Hours: SAT & SUN, 12-5 PM; weekdays by appointment
Artist Talk: FRI, OCT 11, 6 PM
Admission: $5 Suggested Donation/FREE for Members & Students
Inspired by the high-horizon, miniature style paintings cultivated in Southeast Asia between 15th - 18th centuries, this exhibition of illustrations and writing by Symin Adive explores the hierarchies of family, class, race, gender, belief, and sexuality through grounded contemporary scenes in the life of a young immigrant as they grow to understand their "place" in relation to their family and community.

Antonio Hart Quintet
SAT, OCT 5, 8 PM

$16/$10 Members & Students/FREE for Teens

Antonio Hart is recognized as one of the most talented instrumentalist of his generation. In his 20 years as a professional musician, he has performed and recorded with many jazz greats from Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Hargrove, Nancy Wilson, Nat Adderley, and McCoy Tyner to Dave Holland. The Antonio Hart Quintet will present an exciting evening of original and standard compositions.

Artist Talk with Symin Adive

FRI, OCT 11, 6 PM

See October 4th for details.

Kobo Town

FRI, OCT 11, 7 PM (Interactive Calypso Workshop), 8 PM (Show)

$16/$10 Members & Students/FREE for Teens

Founded and fronted by émigré Trinidadian songwriter Drew Gonsalves, Kobo Town's music has been described as "an intoxicating blend of lilting calypsonian wit, dancehall reggae and trombone-heavy brass" (The Guardian). From their home in Toronto, the JUNO Award (aka Canada's Grammys) winning group has brought their distinct calypso-inspired sound to audiences across the world, from Port-of-Spain to Paris and from Montreal to Malaysia.

Live Drawing with Models

MON, OCT 14, 6-9 PM

$16/$10 Members & Students/FREE for Teens

Draw from a live nude model. Bring your sketch pad with your favorite drawing medium. Each artist will have the opportunity to hone their skills with a series of quick and long poses while listening to music in a relaxing non-judgmental environment. For ages 18 & up.

Jazzmobile@55 presents Taylor Made | Dr Billy Taylor

SAT, OCT 19, 7 PM
$20/$15 Members/$10 Students/FREE for Teens

Directed by Winard Harper, with special guest NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Owens. Jazz masters, greats, and emerging artists will take to the stage for a hard-swinging concert celebrating NEA Jazz Master Dr. Billy Taylor and his living legacy, Jazzmobile - as it celebrates 55 years of presenting, preserving, promoting and propagating America's classical music, jazz. This concert is followed by a conversation with the artists.

It Can Happen Here

THUR, OCT 24, 8 PM

$5/FREE for Members, Students & Teens

Presented by Judith Sloan and guest performers and panelists, this live event reveals the behind-the-scenes process of creating a play. It Can Happen Here deals with difficult dialogues between women about race, class, and gender. This event will include excerpted dialogues and songs from the play, and a panel discussion and talkback with the audience.

Bongsan Talchum: Korean Mask Dance

THUR, OCT 31, 6 PM (Mask Making), 7 PM (Dance Lesson), 8 PM (Performance)

$16/$10 Members, Students & Children/FREE for Teens (Workshops included; limited supplies available)

Celebrate Halloween with Korean mask dance! Bongsan Talchum is the 17th Important Intangible Cultural Property of Korea and one of Korea's most representative mask dances. Bongsan Mask Dance-Drama Preservation Society's 22 performers from Korea present their dynamic and spectacular mask dance performance with live music. Mask making workshop at 6 PM and mask dance lesson at 7 PM.

-- November --

Diwali Dance Party: Kathak, Bhangra & Beyond

SAT, NOV 2, 1-4 PM

$20/$15 Members/$10 Students & Children/FREE for Teens

Celebrate Diwali with this all-ages festival and dance party, featuring Kathak classical dancer Abha Roy and Basement Bhangra's DJ Rekha! Learn Bollywood, bhangra, and Kathak dance moves, then hit the dance floor! Special performances by Srijan Dance Company, cooking workshops by Queens Curry Kitchen, henna painting, Indian handicrafts and Indian foods for sale and more.

School performances available. Call (718) 463-7700 x224 for details.

Monthly Jazz Jam: Celebrating the Legacy of Louis Armstrong

WED, NOV 6, 7-10 PM

$10/FREE for Members, Students, & Jamming Musicians

Open to jazz students, musicians, and music educators, Monthly Jazz Jams are a fun way to hone your skills and jam with your peers. The house band is led by saxophonist Carol Sudhalter. All are welcome, regardless of instrument (vocalists, too!). Don't play? Come listen!

NEA JAZZ MASTERS: A Gathering of The Masters

FRI, NOV 8, 8 PM

$45/$35 Members/$20 Students/FREE for Teens;Table Package: $140/$115 Members (Reserved Table for 2, Wine & Snacks)

It's our first time presenting six NEA Jazz Masters (the nation's highest honor for living jazz musicians) with Candido Camero (congas), Jimmy Heath (saxophone), Barry Harris (piano), Jimmy Owens (trumpet), Jimmy Cobb (drums), and Reggie Workman (bass). This concert is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, showcasing the love and friendship among artists who have devoted all of their lives to performing and teaching jazz.

Kunqu Society: Traces in the Snow

SAT, NOV 9, 1:30 PM

$16/$10 Members & Students/FREE for Teens

Kunqu Society presents Traces in the Snow, a rare comic gem from the classical repertoire of Kunqu, which is the oldest continuously-performed genre of Chinese Opera: How does an impoverished couple reconcile and reaffirm their devotion to each other when the husband doubts his wife's fidelity because of some suspicious footprints left in the snow on a frigid winter day? Come find out! Supertitles in English with pre-performance introduction and post-performance Q&A.

Live Drawing with Models

MON, NOV 11, 6-9 PM

$16/$10 Members & Students/FREE for Teens

Draw from a live nude model. Bring your sketch pad with your favorite drawing medium. Each artist will have the opportunity to hone their skills with a series of quick and long poses while listening to music in a relaxing non-judgmental environment. For ages 18 & up.

A Chinese Lady

THUR, NOV 14, 7 PM

FREE (No RSVP required)

Inspired by traditional Chinese ink painting and ceramic art, this work-in-progress duo dance piece by FTH Space Grantee Lijun Zhou is an attempt to challenge the grandiose presentation commonly seen in a typical Chinese classical dance mega-production, and return to the poetry of body movement.

Five Oceans in a Teaspoon

FRI, NOV 15, 7 PM

$5/FREE for Members, Students & Teens

Performance/reading/conversation based on Five Oceans in a Teaspoon, a memoir in short visual poems written by journalist and poet Dennis J Bernstein, and typographic visualizations by pioneer designer/author Warren Lehrer. An ensemble of readers, musicians and performers will join this multimedia presentation that includes animation and projection of select pages from the stunning new book.

DDAT: Native American Hip Hop Jazz Fusion

Panel Discussion on Music as Medicine

SAT, NOV 16, 1 PM

FREE (online RSVP required)

Join DDAT artists Chris Bidtah (Navajo) and Delbert Anderson (Navajo) for a panel discussion on incorporating Native languages in art making and music as medicine. Both artists carry their Native American cultural aspects along with their musical experiences, and create fusion music. Their cultural influences play an important role in their success.

DDAT: Native American Hip Hop Jazz Fusion

Family Performance

SAT, NOV 16, 2:15 PM

$14/$10 Members/$8 Children/$6 Member Children/FREE for Teens

Named by NPR as one of the top 10 bands in the US - DDAT combines hip hop, jazz, funk and soul with an original southwestern feel. DDAT consists of four talented musicians - Chris Bidtah (Navajo) on vocals, Delbert Anderson (Navajo) on trumpet, Nicholas Lucero on drums, and Mike McCluhan on bass. Full of energy and excitement, dancing, improvisation, audience participation, live painting, and more - the sky's the limit at a DDAT show!

School performances available. Call (718) 463-7700 x224 for details.

Gustavo Casenave Quartet: A South American Jazz Tale

FRI, NOV 22, 8 PM

$16/$10 Members & Students/FREE for Teens

Multiple Grammy Nominee, Steinway Artist and ACE Awardee, pianist and composer Gustavo Casenave, features his eclectic quartet, together with 2018 Grammy-winning bassist Pedro Giraudo, Grammy-winning saxophonist Alejandro Aviles and drummer guru Franco Pinna, performing Casenave's original jazz, tango, and classical works.

Hot Club: Jazz Listening Session led by the esteemed Ben Young

SAT, NOV 23, 12:30 P/M

FREE (No RSVP required)

What is a Hot Club? Starting in the 1930's, "Hot Clubs" were a sort of "Book Club" for jazz listening - fans would get together to play records for each other. Today, the Neo Hot Club movement is about hearing classic and rare jazz records on their original 78RPM format, which offers the best sound possible. A community of jazz lovers is growing around these "Neo Hot Clubs," keeping alive the love of old recordings and swinging hot jazz.

A Journey: Bach to Piazzolla

SAT, NOV 23, 7 PM

$16/$10 Members & Students/FREE for Teens

Presented in partnership with the Korea Music Foundation, this chamber concert brings a unique opportunity to hear re-imagined jazz and tango, inspired by Bach and composed by masters including Schoenfield, Piazzolla, and Haydn. Performed by multi-award winning artists: Yu Jeong Lee on violin, Min Park on flute, Na-Young Baek on cello, and Edwin Sungpil Kim on piano.

-- December --

The Nutcracker The Salzburg Marionette Theatre

WED, DEC 4, 7 PM

$14/$10 Members/$8 Children/$6 Member Children/FREE for Teens

Coming to Queens all the way from Austria, The Salzburg Marionette Theatre have charmed countless children and adults for over a century! The Nutcracker with music by Peter Tschaikowsky features all your favorite small "actors". Founded in 1913, this puppetry company hand carves, paints, costumes and manipulates their puppets. The performance technique of the Salzburg Marionette Theatre has been declared a cultural asset worthy of preservation by UNESCO.

School performances available. Call (718) 463-7700 x224 for details.

Roberta Piket Sextet: Celebrating the Music of Marian McPartland

FRI, DEC 6, 8 PM

$16/$10 Members & Students/FREE for Teens

Acclaimed pianist/composer/arranger Roberta Piket's revelatory sextet project shines a warm, loving light on the compositions of legendary jazz pianist Marian McPartland. McPartland was eulogized in 2013 as a supremely elegant and accomplished jazz stylist who gracefully conversed and collaborated with a vast array of fellow improvisers from her perch as a beloved public radio host.

Holly Tour 2019

SUN, DEC 8, 1-5 PM

$25/$20 in Advance/FREE for Children & Teens

Celebrate the holiday season and learn about the unique histories in this tour of seven historic sites in Flushing and Corona. Each site will offer special activities and refreshments. A mini bus will be available to take visitors to selected historic houses. Visit queenshistoricalsociety.org for advance tickets and more details.

Holiday Market

SUN, DEC 8, 1-5 PM

FREE (No RSVP Required)

Get your holiday shopping off to a great start! Artists and Crafts people from the Queens area will be selling their wares in our gallery, including jewelry, paintings, hand-crafted ceramics, paper goods, greeting cards, clothing, and more.

Live Drawing with Models

MON, DEC 9, 6-9 PM

$16/$10 Members & Students/FREE for Teens

Draw from a live nude model. Bring your sketch pad with your favorite drawing medium. Each artist will have the opportunity to hone their skills with a series of quick and long poses while listening to music in a relaxing non-judgmental environment. For ages 18 & up.

Monthly Jazz Jam: Celebrating the Legacy of Louis Armstrong

WED, DEC 11, 7-10 PM

$10/FREE for Members, Students, & Jamming Musicians

Open to jazz students, musicians, and music educators, Monthly Jazz Jams are a fun way to hone your skills and jam with your peers. The house band is led by saxophonist Carol Sudhalter. All are welcome, regardless of instrument (vocalists, too!). Don't play? Come listen!

Global Arts for Global Kids:Benefit Showcase for FTH Education

SAT, DEC 14, 2 PM

$14/$10 Members/$8 Children/$6 Member Children/FREE for Teens

Show some love for Global Arts for Global Kids, education programs at Flushing Town Hall! Join us for a benefit showcase and concert featuring our fabulous FTH teaching artists and our amazing school partners for an afternoon of singing, dancing, theater, art, and more. Proceeds benefit FTH school programming.

Winter Solstice Workshop: Rice Ball & Dumpling Making

SUN, DEC 15, 2 PM

$10/$5 Members, Students & Children/FREE for Teens (materials provided)

Celebrate Winter Solstice with Julie Tay, Executive Director of the Mencius Society of the Arts, by making Cantonese tangyuan (rice ball in soup) and northern Chinese kiaozi (dumplings) along with two cultural bearers from the Chinese community. Learn about the disappearing tradition of making vinegared garlic to prepare for the Lunar New Year and hear stories of the Kitchen God. For age 4 & up.

The performance of The Salzburg Marionette Theatre's The Nutcracker is supported in part by the Jim Henson Foundation.

Exhibition: Threads & Pigments; Exhibition: Bari - Know Your Place; New Music Horizons; It Can Happen Here; and Five Oceans in a Teaspoon are made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

The 2019 Diwali Festival is supported in part by the Guru Krupa Foundation. www.guru-krupa.org