LuPone, Frisell, et al Headline Caramoor Fall Festival, 9/24-10/3

Michael Barrett, General Director of Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, has announced the second annual Caramoor Fall Festival, headlined by such luminaries as cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Broadway legend Patti LuPone, jazz guitarist Bill Frisell and The Knights Chamber Orchestra conducted by Eric Jacobson.
 
A three-day affair in its inaugural year, the Fall Festival has been expanded to a two-weekend celebration for 2010.  Bill Frisell, Patti LuPone, and Yo-Yo Ma with The Knights will perform September 24, 25 and 26, respectively.  The following weekend, Caramoor hosts a benefit evening - "Soirée at the Rosen House" - on October 2, and an all-Mozart chamber music concert entitled "The Future is Now" on October 3, featuring young musicians from Caramoor's Rising Stars mentoring program.
 
"The smashing success of our first-ever Fall Festival in 2009 was a clear indication that our audiences want 'more Caramoor'," said Mr. Barrett. "This superb fall initiative serves as both a star-studded encore to our summer festival with knockout alfresco performances, and an overture to our annual indoor concert series with events in the intimate Rosen House Music Room.  The breathtaking autumn setting of this historic country estate provides an ideal locale to showcase magnificent artists."
 
Bill Frisell Trio
September 24, 8:00pm in the Spanish Courtyard
 
Unclassifiable, eclectic, unique and omnivorous, Bill Frisell has crafted an approach to improvisation that has made him, since the late '80s, one of the most revered guitarists in jazz and American music.  Constantly exploring and conjuring worlds of sound, Frisell, along with his trio - bassist Tony Scherr and percussionist Rudy Royston - and his free use of electronic effects seamlessly woven into improvisations, launches the Fall Festival into orbit.
 
Born in Baltimore, Bill Frisell played clarinet throughout his childhood in Denver, Colorado. His interest in guitar began with his exposure to pop music on the radio, and soon the Chicago Blues became a passion through the work of Otis Rush, B.B. King, Paul Butterfield and Buddy Guy. Frisell studied music at the University of Northern Colorado before attending Berklee College of Music in Boston where he studied with John Damian, Herb Pomeroy and Michael Gibbs.  He toured Europe and began recording in the early 1980s, and his first album, In Line was released in 1982.  Since then, Frisell has released more than a dozen recordings that defy easy categorization. Often called a jazz guitarist, Frisell's original compositions reflect influences from Bill Evans, MiLes Davis and Thelonious Monk to The Beatles, Frank Zappa and Jimi Hendrix.  He has also recorded his own versions of songs by Madonna and John Philip Sousa, as well as folk, blues and jazz standards and musical scores for movies (including two for director Gus Van Sant).  A big hit with jazz and guitar critics, Frisell's other recordings include Rambler (1984); Is That You? (1989); Have a Little Faith (1992); Quartet (1996); Nashville (1997); Deep Dead Blue (1998); Good Dog Happy Man (1999); The Willies (2002); and Further East/Further West (2005).
 
Patti LuPone "The Gypsy in My Soul"
September 25, 8:00pm in the Venetian Theater
 
The Gypsy in My Soul is the newest solo concert by Broadway legend Patti LuPone.  In this show, the two-time Tony Award winner sings songs that have been associated with her Broadway career (from such shows as Gypsy, Anything Goes, Evita and Oliver!) as well as some of her personal pop favorites.  It's Broadway's greatest diva singing songs from her life, both on and off the stage.
 
Patti LuPone swept the 2008 theater awards winning the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Actress in a Musical and the Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance for her performance as Rose in the critically-acclaimed new Broadway production of the classic Jule Styne-Stephen Sondheim-Arthur Laurents musical Gypsy.  Her recent stage credits include her debut with the Los Angeles Opera in Weill-Brecht's Mahagonny, the world premiere of Jake Heggie's new opera To Hell and Back with San Francisco's Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Mrs. Lovett in John Doyle's award winning Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Award nominations - Best Actress in a Musical; Drama League Award for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre), the title role in Marc Blitzstein's Regina, a musical version of Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes at Washington D.C.'s Kennedy Center, a critically acclaimed performance as Fosca in a concert version of Stephen Sondheim's Passion, which was also broadcast on PBS' Live From Lincoln Center, and a multi-city tour of her theatrical concert Matters of the Heart.  Her CD recording, based on this concert, was named one of 1999's best recordings by both The Times of London and Time Out/New York.
 
Family Concert with The Knights and a special guest appearance by Yo-Yo Ma
September 26, 1:00pm in the Venetian Theater
 
This joyous, interactive one-hour concert will be an inspiration for the entire family; and with a very special guest appearance by Yo-Yo Ma, kids will have the opportunity to meet a living legend!  Join host Katie Kresek, Caramoor's Family Program Designer, as she guides audiences through an electrifying journey featuring a spectrum of masterpieces from the great composers of the past to today's most dynamic musical explorers.  The Knights, a young and exciting ensemble from the new Brooklyn arts scene, provide a great introduction to live music and the instruments and sounds of the orchestra. Recommended for children ages 5 and up.
 
Yo-Yo Ma with The Knights
September 26, 4:30pm in the Venetian Theater
 
Both a household name and a classical music icon, Yo-Yo Ma is welcomed everywhere in the world for his generous humanity, peerless virtuosity and musical imagination.  His visits to Caramoor, dating from the earliest years of his career, have always been special events and occasions of exceptional audience delight.  In this concert he will be joined by The Knights Chamber Orchestra - a chamber orchestra of young colleagues with whom he enjoys close collaborations in the Silk Road Project - and conductor Eric Jacobson.
 
The program comprises The Unanswered Question by Ives; Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 33 by Saint-Saëns; Garmoshka by Ljova; Night of the Flying Horses by Golijov; Symphony No. 3 in D Major, D. 200 by Schubert; Silent Woods for Cello and Orchestra by Dvo?ák; and the traditional work Ascending Bird.
 
Yo-Yo Ma is considered the world's greatest living cello player, a professional musician since the age of 5 whose celebrity transcends the world of classical music.  Born in Paris, Ma (of Chinese descent) was a child prodigy on the cello and began serious study in New York in the early 1960s.  He graduated from Harvard University in 1976, already an internationally acclaimed cellist.  He has won more than a dozen Grammy awards and is known especially for his interpretations of Bach and Beethoven, and for his ability to play many different styles of music, including tango and bluegrass.
 
The Knights are a fellowship of adventurous musicians that expands the orchestral concert experience with diverse programming, innovative formats, and a unique atmosphere of camaraderie that creates the intimacy and immediacy of chamber music.  Based in NYC, The Knights perform under the baton of Eric Jacobsen in a variety of concert venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Tonic, the Brooklyn Lyceum, Le Poisson Rouge, Celebrate Brooklyn, Baryshnikov Arts Center, Central Park, Mass MoCA, and the Whitney Museum. Also in demand on the international stage, they have appeared at the Dresden Musikfestspiele, the National Gallery in Dublin, and they will tour Germany in the fall of 2010 with cellist Jan Vogler.
 
Soirée at the Rosen House
October 2, 7:00pm in the Rosen House
 
A benefit evening to raise funds for Caramoor's crown jewel - the historic Rosen House.  Step back in time to the Roaring 20's as you learn about the life of Caramoor's founders, Walter and Lucie Rosen, their joie de vivre - love of the arts -  and their vision for the country estate called Caramoor.  Enjoy fall-inspired hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, a delicious dinner created by Great Performances, and dance the night away in the spectacular Music Room.  A live auction including items of travel, music and fine dining will also be conducted.
 
The Future is Now - All-Mozart
October 3, 4:00pm in the Music Room
 
The brilliant young musicians from Caramoor's mentoring programs - Rising Stars, Bel Canto Young Artists, Vocal Rising Stars, and the Ernst Stiefel String-Quartet-in-Residence - perform together in a program of scintillating, youthful works by Mozart.  Mentoring programs have been central to Caramoor's mission since the Rising Stars were established in 1992.  These programs identify, nurture and present the next generation of prodigiously talented young musicians.  In the advanced stages of their training, or early professional careers, these carefully selected young artists come to Caramoor to work closely with master artists in coaching sessions and performances.
 
TICKETS
Bill Frisell Trio: $25.00, $35.00
Patti LuPone: $17.50, $30.00, $42.50, $55.00, $67.50
Family Concert with The Knights and a special guest appearance by Yo-Yo Ma: $10.00, $15.00, $25.00
Yo-Yo Ma with The Knights: $45.00, $60.00, $75.00, $90.00, $110.00
Soirée at the Rosen House: $175, $275, $500, $1,000; tables of ten are also available.
"The Future is Now" with Caramoor's Rising Stars and Young Artists: $25.00
 
Tickets are currently on sale and may be purchased at the Caramoor Box Office, 914.232.1252 or ordered online at www.caramoor.org. Groups of 16 or more may purchase discounted tickets by contacting Matthew Scarella at 914.232.5035 ext. 266 or matthew@caramoor.org.
 
PRESS CONTACT: For press tickets, artist bios and/or images, please contact Whitney Holden: 917.339.7188, wholden@cohndutcher.com  
 
 
ABOUT CARAMOOR
Caramoor is a performing arts center located on a unique 90-acre setting of Italianate architecture and gardens in Westchester County, NY. It enriches the lives of its audiences through innovative and diverse musical performances of the highest quality.  Its mission also includes mentoring young professional musicians and providing educational programs for young children centered around music.  It is often described as "a Garden of Great Music" where audiences are invited to come early, explore the beautiful grounds, enjoy a pre-concert picnic, and discover beautiful music in the relaxed settings of the Venetian Theater, Spanish Courtyard, Music Room of the Rosen House, and the magnificent gardens.
 
Fall Festival concerts take place in three venues. Two outdoor theaters - the 1714-seat, acoustically superb Venetian Theater and the more intimate, romantic Spanish Courtyard - and the Rosen House's intimate Music Room. The historic Rosen House, built in the 1930's, and its Music Room are "the heart of Caramoor." Upon its completion in 1939, Caramoor founders Walter and Lucie Rosen began to present private concerts in the Music Room, and today it is used for all 'Caramoor Indoors' concerts and arts-in-education programs. Tours of the Rosen House by the general public are currently on hiatus as Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts has embarked on a comprehensive planning project to restructure the programs and usage of the historic Rosen House. It is Caramoor's intention to complete this process during the next few years.
 
Caramoor's gardens are also well worth the visit and include nine unique perennial gardens. Among them are a Sense Circle for the visually handicapped, a Butterfly Garden, Tapestry Hedge, and Iris and Peony Garden, which may be enjoyed on one's own or seen on a guided tour. With its unique heritage, Caramoor is a place where Indian Summer days and nights are shared and enjoyed by thousands.  
  
By car from the West Side of Manhattan and New Jersey, take the Saw Mill River Parkway north to Katonah. Exit at Route 35/Cross River. Turn right and, at the first traffic light, make a right turn onto Route 22 south. Travel 1.9 miles to the junction of Girdle Ridge Road. Follow the signs to Caramoor. (For detailed directions call 914.232.5035 and press 2, or online at www.caramoor.org). Parking at Caramoor is free.
 
By train, take the Harlem Division of the Metro-North Railroad to Katonah, New York. Taxi service from the station to Caramoor (5 minutes away) is available.