JEWETT, N.Y. – Don’t let the false prophets persuade you that classical music is dead or dying in America. Although its central position, which it held in American culture in the mid-twentieth century, was gradually taken over by pop and rock music, classical music is very much alive, vibrant and spirited.
Case in point: the Music and Art Center of Greene County (MACGC), a small, summer festival of classical music in the beautiful Catskill mountains, is entering its 34th year of existence. Its internationally renowned musicians and the audiences are passionate about performing and listening to live music.
On July 8, a fund-raising concert will take place at the Grazhda Concert Hall. It will feature the operatic soprano Vira Slywotzky, cellist Natalia Khoma and the artistic director of MACGC pianist Volodymyr Vynnytsky. They will perform works by Rachmaninoff, Mozart, Strauss, Puccini and Sonevytsky.
On July 22, the Grazhda will resonate with the sounds of Spanish music by Paganini, Fauré, Barrios, Albeñiz and Piazzolla played and sung by a group of chamber musicians – Viriginia Luque, classical guitar; Filip Pagody, violin; Natalia Khoma, cello; and Marta Bagratuni, cello and vocals.
The July 29 concert will spotlight a piano trio of distinguished musicians. Violinist Yuriy Bekker, cellist Natalia Khoma and pianist Volodymyr Vynnytsky will play works by Rachmaninoff, Skoryk and Sonevytsky.
The Cheres Folk Orchestra will bring a bit of cultural variety to the Grazhda’s audience on August 5. Under the direction of Andri Milavsky, seven members of the orchestra will play folk music from several regions of Ukraine. Bohdan Holodek-Holovatyi will be the vocalist.
The young up-and-coming pianist Pavlo Gintov will play works by Schumann and Bortkewicz in his recital on August 19.
The season will close on August 26 with a vocal recital of opera arias and Ukrainian art songs sung by soprano Sofia Soloviy, soloist of the Rome Theatro dell’ Opera.
The 2017 summer season promises to be exciting and rewarding for the enthusiastic audiences that attend the concerts. All concerts take place at Grazhda Concert Hall on Route 23A Jewett, N.Y. (adjacent to the Ukrainian Church.)
The Music and Art Center of Greene County also organizes courses and workshops in Ukrainian folk arts:
• July 31-August 11 – Folk singing for children (age 4-10) with instructors Anna Bachynsky and Melanie Serbay.
• July 31-August 4 – Embroidery with instructor Lubov Wolynetz.
• July 31-August 1 – Ukrainian rag-dolls (motanky) with instructor Olena Martyniuk.
• August 2-3 – Petrykivka folk painting with instructor Olena Martyniuk.
• August 7-10 – Hand-made Ukrainian folk Christmas decorations with instructor Lubov Wolynetz.
• August 7-10 – Easter eggs (pysanky) (Instructor to be announced).
All courses and workshops are open to children age 10 and up and to adults. Please register by July 15. Call Melanie at 518-263-4670 or e-mail [email protected].
For additional information call 518-989-6479 or visit www.Grazhdamusicandart.org.
The Music and Art Center of Greene County is a non-profit organization supported in part by the Cultural Fund of the Greene County Council on the Arts, Self Reliance New York Federal Credit Union, private donations and memberships.