This spring, Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute (WMI) continues to bring outstanding live performances to community venues throughout the five boroughs of New York City with its free Neighborhood Concerts. For almost four decades, Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concerts have featured performances by top artists across multiple genres including jazz, world music, classical, and more. In addition, WMI presents a number of free family-friendly programs throughout New York City as part of the Carnegie Kids series.
At Carnegie Hall, parents and young people can also enjoy affordably-priced Family Concerts, recommended for ages 5-10, providing a unique opportunity to introduce children to live performances of music from around the world.
PRESENTATIONS AT CARNEGIE HALL
CARNEGIE HALL FAMILY CONCERT: NATALIE MERCHANT
Saturday, April 26 at 3:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
Based on
Natalie Merchant's recent book-and-music project Leave Your Sleep, this concert features nursery rhymes and lullabies by 19th- and 20th-century poets set to Merchant's beautiful melodies, with chamber orchestra and projected illustrations by Barbara McClintock.
Tickets: $10, $16, $22
PRESENTATIONS THROUGHOUT NEW YORK CITY
CARNEGIE KIDS: THE ITTY BIDDIES
Thursday, April 3 at 4:00 p.m.
South Bronx NeON
198 East 161st Street (near Grand Concourse) | Bronx
The charismatic Itty Biddies have audiences of all ages happily rocking out together at every performance with their cool, clubby roots, and silky harmonies. With a series of songs that tell a fascinating tale over the course of a concert, the Itty Biddies can take children and parents from an African safari to the plains of Texas without leaving their seats.
Thanks to the New York City Department of Probabtion and New York City Council Members Fernando Cabrera, Andy King, and Annabel Palma for making this concert possible.
CARNEGIE KIDS: ELENA MOON PARK AND FRIENDS
Saturday, April 5 at 1:00 p.m.
Brooklyn Public Library, Central Library
10 Grand Army Plaza (at Flatbush Avenue) | Brooklyn
The innovative music of Elena Moon Park and Friends incorporates traditional Asian and western rock instruments set to Korean and Japanese songs. As heard on their album Rabbit Days and Dumplings, Park and friends perform folk and children's music from East Asia in a contemporary way.
CARNEGIE KIDS: HOT PEAS 'N BUTTER
Sunday, April 6 at 2:00 p.m.
Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden
1000 Richmond Terrace (at Hamilton Avenue) | Staten Island
Hot Peas 'N Butter will lift children out of their seats and have them happily singing and bouncing along to its catchy brand of bilingual Latin folk. A mix of Afro-Cuban, jazz, and pop, with rock accents, the music of this four-time Parents' Choice Award-winning group has been praised by the Los Angeles Times for its "hot and mellow multicultural groove."
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT: JACK QUARTET
Sunday, April 27 at 4:00 p.m.
Brooklyn Public Library, Central Library
10 Grand Army Plaza (at Flatbush Avenue) | Brooklyn
JACK Quartet thrills audiences with "explosive virtuosity" (The Boston Globe) and "viscerally exciting performances" (The New York Times). The renowned group shatters the stereotype of the traditional string quartet by revealing hidden subtleties in a familiar 20th-century classic or premiering a 21st-century work and converting audiences to the thrills of new music.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT: PAPO VAZQUEZ MIGHTY PIRATES TROUBADOURS
Saturday, May 3 at 2:00 p.m.
Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden
1000 Richmond Terrace (at Hamilton Avenue) | Staten Island
Progressive jazz artist Papo Vázquez has performed as a trombone soloist with great Latin and jazz bands for more than 35 years. The Grammy-nominated and NEA Latino Masters Award-winning trombonist and composer now fronts his hottest band yet, the Mighty Pirates Troubadours. Vázquez and his septet play funky jazz combined with the traditional sounds of Puerto Rican folk music, delighting audiences with its irresistible beat.
CARNEGIE KIDS: ELENA MOON PARK AND FRIENDS
Sunday, May 4 at 1:00 p.m.
Flushing Town Hall
137-35 Northern Boulevard (at Linden Place) | Queens
The innovative music of Elena Moon Park and Friends incorporates traditional Asian and western rock instruments set to Korean and Japanese songs. As heard on their album Rabbit Days and Dumplings, Park and friends perform folk and children's music from East Asia in a contemporary way.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT: VIJAY IYER TRIO
Friday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m.
Harlem Stage at Aaron Davis Hall
Convent Avenue (between 133rd and 135th streets) | Manhattan
Critically acclaimed and Grammy Award-nominated musician Vijay Iyer leads his jazz trio in an evening of original music from his celebrated recordings. The winner in five DownBeat International Critics Poll categories and a recent MacArthur Fellow, Iyer has confirmed his role as a supremely talented pianist and composer. Iyer's trio also took home the prize for top jazz album with their Accelerando, a sensational showcase of musicianship and inspired compositions.
CARNEGIE KIDS: SHINE AND THE MOONBEAMS
Saturday, May 17 at 2:00 p.m.
Weeksville Heritage Center
158 Buffalo Avenue | Brooklyn
The New York musical band Shine and the Moonbeams sing about subjects that kids can easily relate to: standing up to bullies, surviving harried morning routines, and celebrating individuality. A five-time winner of Amateur Nights at the legendary Apollo Theater, lead singer
Shawana Kemp's evocative delivery is heartfelt, insightful, and emotional.
CARNEGIE KIDS: RANI ARBO & DAISY MAYHEM
Sunday, May 18 at 2:00 p.m.
Bronx Library Center
310 East Kingsbridge Road (at Briggs Avenue) | Bronx
With their silky four-part vocal harmonies and colorful mix of fiddle, guitar, bass, and percussion, Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem's style of downhome music grabs you. Whether singing a marvelous, moving Appalachian ballad, Mississippi blues, or Bahamian folk song, this is music that gets both kids and parents dancing.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT: LE VENT DU NORD
Sunday, May 18 at 3:00 p.m.
Abrons Arts Center at Henry Street Settlement
466 Grand Street (at Pitt Street) | Manhattan
Le Vent du Nord's folk music is a blend of energetic French-Canadian and Celtic dance tunes, traditional songs, and original compositions accented with elements of classic R&B. Its unique sound incorporates vocals, button accordion, guitar, fiddle, and hurdy-gurdy. Winner of the 2011 Juno Award, Canada's coveted prize for recorded music excellence, for their album La part du feu, Le Vent du Nord makes every concert one-of-a-kind.
About Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute: The Weill Music Institute creates visionary programs that embody Carnegie Hall's commitment to music education. With unparalleled access to the world's greatest artists, the Weill Music Institute inspires audiences of all ages, nurtures tomorrow's musical talent, and harnesses the power of music to make a meaningful difference in people's lives. An integral part of Carnegie Hall's concert season, these programs facilitate creative expression, develop musical skills and capacities at all levels, and encourage participants to make lifelong personal connections to music. The Weill Music Institute generates new knowledge through original research and shares a wide range of free online resources with educators and music lovers around the globe. More than 400,000 people each year engage in the Weill Music Institute's programs through national and international partnerships, in New York City schools and community settings, and at Carnegie Hall.
For a complete schedule of Community Programs and Family Programs, visit:
carnegiehall.org/Education/Community-and-Family.
