Yonkers Arts Fest 2009 has made the front cover of the LOHUD Weekend section in yesterday's Journal NewsPhotos of the Yonkers Philharmonic grace the cover of the magazine insert and there is an almost 2-page article on the Fest.
http://www.lohud.com/article/
A mobile version of the article is available here.
http://bit.ly/yartfest
And just in case, a copy of the article is below.
The Journal News
Festival finale in Yonkers
Mary Shustack
mshustac@lohud.com
May 27, 2009 03:56 AM
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It might be a student playing the piano, a sculptor demonstrating her technique or a dancer swirling around a stage.
No matter the medium, the arts scene seems to be thriving in Yonkers.
This weekend, the last official one of Yonkers ArtsFest 2009, will include a philharmonic performance, arts demonstrations and a lecture on painting, among other planned events.
"Yonkers ArtsFest is the first major undertaking for this new organization, Yonkers Arts," says Judith Schwartzstein, president of the nonprofit group. "Our mission is to supports art and arts organizations in the city of Yonkers."
Yonkers Arts, which Schwartzstein likens in ways to an arts council, decided it was time to spread the word about the city.
Since it's not a presenting organization, Schwartzstein adds, the group simply looked at all that was on offer - from cultural celebrations to dance performances, theater works to art exhibitions - and pulled them under an umbrella "so that we could help boost audience attendance and really promote all the wonderful arts organizations in the city."
So far, it's been a success. "It seems that everything has gone really well," Schwartzstein says.
That most every single event - except for a jazz performance held as a fundraiser for the arts academy at Lincoln High School - has been free has only added to the attraction.
"We really feel that our mission in supporting arts and arts organizations is to make the arts more accessible to more people," Schwartzstein says.
She points to the May 9 performance showcase, held at the Riverfront Library, where students and professionals offered everything from classical music, jazz and hip-hop to poetry and theatrical pieces.
It was designed, Schwartzstein says, to give the audience a glimpse into the city's offerings.
"People might say 'Wow. This is something I didn't know before,'" she says. "What we're trying to do is bring it together."
Organizations having their events highlighted through the festival are expecting a boost, too.
Those who attend Sunday afternoon's "Concerto Time at the Philharmonic" will indeed be sparked to explore the Yonkers Philharmonic. The 47-year-old orchestra, conducted by James Sadewhite, features both professional and avocational musicians, making it a true community group.
"I hope that it will attract even more people now," says Rosemarie Doerr, who (along with Marcia Klein) serves as president of the Fine Arts Orchestral Society of Yonkers, the group that sponsors the Yonkers Philharmonic. "They're trying to promote all the arts and of course, we are one of them."
Sunday's performance will feature the winners of the 31st annual Concerto Competition for high school students, a scholarship program in which the winners are awarded cash and the opportunity to perform with the orchestra.
"They're able now to play with the orchestra, which is a unique situation because there's not many orchestras around," Doerr says.
The afternoon will feature first-place winner Benjamin Boventer, a 17-year-old pianist from New Rochelle and student at The German School New York in White Plains, who will play the Grieg "Concerto in A minor."
The second-place winner is Matthew Crozier, 17-year-old trombonist from Harrison and student at Harrison High School. He will play "Concertino" by Ferdinand David.
Third-place winner Claire Allen-Solomon, a 16-year-old cellist from Pelham Manor and student at the Loyola School in New York, will perform the Haydn "Concerto in C Major."
Fourth-place winner Moriah Feiner Trenk, a 15-year-old pianist from Scarsdale and student at Scarsdale High School, will perform the Mendelssohn "Concerto in G minor."
Jenna Margiasso, a 17-year-old soprano from Pleasantville and student at Pleasantville High School, is the fifth-place winner. The soloist will sing three arias by Puccini, Copland and Handel.
Doerr says the scholarship-winner performances help the orchestra reach a wider audience. That's also the idea behind the group's summertime concerts, in local parks or other outdoor venues.
And falling under the ArtsFest umbrella, she adds, can only help visibility.
"Somebody might not be interested in sculpture or painting but is interested in live music - or vice versa," she says.
After all, helping develop an appreciation for the arts is at the core of the festival.
Stephen E. Force, the director of the Yonkers Public Library, says the exhibition at the Riverfront Library this month - a showcase of more than 30 Yonkers artists - has really drawn people in.
"It was such a nice exhibit and very well-received," Force says.
Instead of closing the exhibit today, as originally scheduled, Force says, it will now be moved to the library's fourth floor where it will continue through July.
And, he adds, the atrium space will be taken over by a new community art display - "Passport to Yonkers: Intergenerational Visual Arts Exhibit," which shows the work of Yonkers public-school students and senior citizens. It will open Wednesday and continue through June.
So while the ArtsFest may formally end, this exhibit is just one example of just how important the arts are becoming to Yonkers.
As Force says, "I think the calendar developed for the arts fest made people aware of just how much is going on in Yonkers."
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