Leonia Chamber Musicians' 40th Season Features Guest Artists from NY Phil and More, Beg. Today

The Leonia Chamber Musicians launches its 40th anniversary season performing chamber music concerts in the borough with the 2013 annual Leonia Chamber Musicians Society, Inc.'s Gala Benefit and follows with three special concerts from November to April in Leonia, New Jersey.

The new season begins with the Leonia Chamber Musicians Society, Inc.'s annual Gala Benefit at a private home in Leonia tonight, October 20 at 7:30 p.m. Guests will listen to classical music performed by the Leonia Chamber Musicians and other artists, while enjoying elegant desserts and champagne. The event is open to the public. Reservations are required and must be made in advance, as space is limited. Admission is a $40 tax-deductible contribution per person. For reservations, contact Daryl Goldberg at 201-947-3923 or dgcello@aol.com.

The concert series opens on November 3, 2013, 7:30 p.m., at All Saints Episcopal Church, located at 150 Park Avenue in Leonia. Music by Franz Schubert and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky will be featured. Headlining the celebratory kick-off concert will be resident musicians Cynthia Phelps, Principal Violist of the New York Philharmonic; Ronald Thomas, Principal Cellist of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra; and Alan R. Kay, Clarinetist and an Artistic Director of Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.

They will be joined by Cenovia Cummins and Roy Lewis, violins; Maggie Speier, viola; Daryl Goldberg, cello; Patricia Dougherty, bass; William J. Scribner, bassoon; and Richard Hagen, French horn. All the musicians perform in the major concert halls of New York City with well-known orchestras, such as American Ballet Theater, American Symphony Orchestra, Bronx Arts Ensemble, Queens Symphony, New York City Opera, Metropolitan Opera, and the New York Pops.

The concert is open to the public. Tickets at the door are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors over 65, and students under 18 are admitted free. Refreshments will be served after the concert, and the audience will have an opportunity to meet and greet the musicians. All Saints Episcopal Church is fully handicapped accessible.

The celebration continues with a second concert to be held on February 9, 2014, 4 p.m., at Leonia High School, 100 Christie Heights Street, in Leonia. The Leonia Chamber Musicians will perform Johann Sebastian Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 and Josef Haydn's Sinfonia Concertante accompanied by the Leonia High School Orchestra. Community members and parents will be invited to perform with the musicians on the stage.

The final concert of the season will be presented on April 27, 2014, 2:30 p.m., at the American Legion Hall, 399 Broad Avenue, in Leonia. The concert will feature the family-friendly performance of Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, a favorite children's story set to music.

A season subscription for the three concerts is $45 for adults ages 18 and over and $35 for seniors over age 65. For a season subscription form, contact Daryl Goldberg at 201-947-3923 or dgcello@aol.com.

Funding has been made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts through grant funds administered by the Bergen County Department of Parks, Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs.

About Leonia Chamber Musicians Society, Inc.: The Leonia Chamber Musicians Society, Inc., a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, enriches the cultural environment of the community by presenting a series of high quality, affordable, and accessible chamber music concerts. The members of the Leonia Chamber Musicians generate the excitement of a live performance with professional talent: all of them perform in the major concert halls of New York City.

Music for the programs is selected to educate the audience about different periods and styles of music. Throughout the concerts, presentations are given about the music being played, the composers, the musicians and related subjects.

Tax-deductible contributions to the Leonia Chamber Musicians Society, Inc. are welcome and encouraged to continue the tradition of quality concerts at affordable prices. Checks may be made to the attention of Leonia Chamber Musicians Society, Inc. and mailed to P.O. Box 473, Leonia, New Jersey 07605. To be added to the mailing list, send an e- mail to dgcello@aol.com or call Daryl Goldberg at 201-947-3923. For more information about the Leonia Chamber Musicians Society, Inc., visit www.facebook.com/leoniachambermusic.

Pictured: Cynthia Phelps, Principal Violist, New York Philharmonic. Photo Credit: J. Henry Fair.

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