Richmond County Orchestra Celebrates 20 Years

The Richmond County Orchestra (RCO) turns 20 and celebrates with a show for its fans Friday, October 12 at 8 p.m. at the Music Hall at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden featuring a world premiere, debuts and the return of favorite performers.HAPPY BIRTHDAY RCO welcomes Joan Caddell in her debut performance with RCO and the world premiere of "After the Rain" by composer Howard Fox back -dropped by the art work of Sarah Yuster. Tickets are $15 advance purchase/ $20 at the door, FREE for Students and Children. To purchase tickets visit: https://happybirthdayrco.brownpapertickets.com/.

Returning fans welcome back Violin Soloist Dan Auerbach performing Sarasate's Introduction and Tarantella and Piano Soloist Brian Moses playing Beethoven's Moonlight sonata. Other selections performed by the entire orchestra include West Side Story Finale by Leonard Bernstein, who would have turned 100 this year, and Symphony #5 by Tchaikovsky and Finlandia by Sibelius.

About Richmond County Orchestra:

Founded in 1998, under the direction of Maestro Alan Aurelia, The Richmond County Orchestra continues its effort to enhance the musical and cultural life of Staten Island and strives to inspire a love of music through a presentation of the classical repertoire and programming that encourages interaction with audience members. The orchestra offers live performances in the three council districts of Staten Island, presenting works of living composers as well as music from the past, providing its listeners with an opportunity to explore a new artistic language. In addition, the RCO offers educational innovations designed to capture the interest of young students who want to pursue a career in music. Musicians from the RCO have gone into high schools and coached students in after-school programs which have culminated in Side-By-Side concerts with the students and the Orchestra.

The popularity of the RCO has grown so much over the years that they have been called upon to perform in various venues throughout the tristate area, including the Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of Natural History, Fairfield University, Washington Square Park, Asbury Park and more.

Tickets to all Richmond County Orchestra concerts are free for students and children.

About the Artists:

Joan Caddell is a passionate singer/songwriter, attorney, musician, women's rights activist, wife and mother. It is her mission to express and share truth through the beauty of song and voice. She is a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar and piano, and has been writing, playing, and singing since she could talk. Joan's Band, Joan Caddell and the Midnight Choir, have been regularly performing their eclectic mix of cover songs and uplifting originals in well-known New York City clubs for years. Chosen to represent Staten Island in the 2011 Green Space Battle of the Boroughs Contest, JCMC went on to clinch the coveted "In House Favorite Band," and were also named Staten Island's "Best Original Band" 2 years in a row in the Staten Island Advance Readers Poll. Joan was also awarded "Best Solo Female Artist" in 2008, and Band Members Joan and Scott Caddell have been honored as inductees in the NYC Blues Hall of Fame in 2012.

Joan is also the founder of Divine Women LLC, an endeavor to use art to encourage and inspire Women to elevate and empower each other in the pursuit and accomplishment of their unique talents and life purpose, spreading awareness about women equality and empowerment and reinforcing positive messages about women. To date, Divine Women has celebrated artistic women through four major music and art shows at the St. George Theatre, Snug Harbor Music Hall, and Artspace at the SI Arts.

Brian Moses is an advanced classical piano student currently attending Stuyvesant High School. Brian has played at school, church, and RCO events many times including as a two-time winner in RCO's Talent Search competition in 2016 and 2017. He has studied with Maestro Aurelia since he was five years old.

Dr. Howard Fox, composer, earned his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) from New York College of Podiatric Medicine and his Bachelor of Arts from College of Liberal Arts (Music / Organic Chemistry), Syracuse University. His principal instrument is the bassoon. He studied composition under Dr. Earl George and has been awarded: 2016 Outstanding Composer. He has performed at the Springer Concert Hall, College of Staten Island Campus and at St. Peter's Church, Lexington Avenue, and NYC.

Dr. Fox's world premiere of "My Hymn for Kathy" that he wrote as a final birthday gift for the late Kathy Vorwick, one of the founders of the Staten Island Greenbelt Conservancy was met with great enthusiasm at the Richmond County Orchestra Presents: 5th and Fox held in spring of 2017.

Dan Auerbach, violinist and conductor, holds B.M. and M.M. Degrees from The Juilliard School. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University as a student of Arnold Steinhardt.

His teaching experience includes the Juilliard Pre-College, Bowdoin Summer Music Festival, and Rutgers University. His students have gone on to win regional and all-state competitions, as well as college auditions such as Columbia, Rutgers, and University of Chicago. Recent clinics include the Georgia ASTA workshop.

Dr.Auerbach is assistant professor of music at the College of Staten Island. In the summers, Dr. Auerbach teaches at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.

Sarah Yuster is a painter known for her urban landscapes and insightful portraits. Her work has been exhibited at the Museum of American Art, Air and Space Museum, Biggs Museum of American Art, National Academy of Design, NYC galleries, and hangs in institutions and corporate headquarters throughout the metropolitan area. Her artwork is displayed beyond the US border in the UK, Continental Europe, Japan, Thailand and Kenya. NATIVE SOIL, a limited edition of her art was released in 2017.

Art by Sarah Yuster

To post a comment, you must register and login.