Another studio housed students in a song-writing workshop taught by Darryl Tookes. They were performing "We Will Rock You", a song written by Brain May, lead guitarist of Queen. A student sang the introduction and when it was time to stomp and clap, all of his peers joined in with perfect timing. Tookes took the music and conversation to another level. A physicist and musician himself, Tookes explained how Queen, (four musicians) achieved and recorded the stomps and claps along with the reverberations, we all know so well. Tookes posed the question, "How did these four musicians make it seem like they were recording this song in a stadium?" The ten-minute conversation that ensued and the answer that followed are incredible.
“We Will Rock You”, a song primarily done a cappella, other than the last 30 seconds containing a guitar solo by Brian May, is made up of stomping and clapping as its rhythmic beat. No drums or other instruments were used on this song. The lead guitarist, Brian May of Queen, a brilliant physicist, determined which type of wood (when stomped upon) made the best reverberations. He had that wood brought over to the cathedral where Queen was recording. Once the recording was completed, May delayed all the prime number beats. In other words, if every fourth beat had a slight delay, it would have sounded calculated and unnatural. The stomping would have sounded like a few people trying to sound like thousands. Instead, all beats that feel upon a prime number; one, three, five, etcetera, were given a millisecond delay. It was planned inconsistent synchronicity, brilliant. Read more
August 16, 2010 Small Town Theatre founder and director, Sam Morell says, "Sunday will be the last of our summer concerts. We're delighted that North Castle's residents, friends and neighbors have enjoyed the concerts. We would like to thank the performers for the entertainment, as well as Beascakes Bakery for supplying coffee and tasty doughnuts."
October 15-16 and October 22-23, The Small Town Theatre Company is holding its first annual theatre festival at Whippoorwill Hall of North Castle Library.
AT THE MOVIES
The Kids Are All Right by Amanda Boyle
The Kids Are All Right has been labeled as a story of the modern family. Annette Bening and Julianne Moore play the main couple--and mothers to the kids of the title--Nic and Jules, respectively. Mark Ruffalo is the sperm donor who is the two kids' biological father. The drama unfolds when Nic and Jules' son Laser (an annoyingly trendy word name that real-life modern parents hopefully will stay away from), played by Josh Hutcherson, is feeling the absence of a father figure, and so has his sister Joni (Mia Wasikowska) contact the agency that Nic and Jules had used. Paul (that's Ruffalo) quickly starts interacting with the kids and the mothers and the film chronicles each of the five character's emotional upheavals.
Bening and Wasikowska are particularly delightful in the film but overall, none of the actor's have much to work with here. The dialogue is clunky and obvious, and the attempts at character depth are embarrassing. Moore especially is short-shifted. Her character Jules is made up of faint pencil lines, written to be the opposite of Nic's personality. I had hoped for some inspiring words when Jules makes a speech about the difficulties of marriage, but it was a watered-down tirade.
I chuckled once or twice, but spent most of the film checking my watch. One thing that was interesting in my experience: about an hour in, I realized that Julianne Moore looked beautiful. This might sound like an obvious statement--she's a famous actress, they're all beautiful!--but the filmmakers had put her in minimal make-up, messy hair and allowed (or amplified) wrinkles and her collection of wrinkles. She looked very much like a middle-aged mother--her role in the film and her role in real life also. She looked like someone you could see in the grocery store. And she looked beautiful, not despite of the natural look, but because of it. A few days after seeing this film, I saw Moore in the new Bulgari advertisements. In them, she looks sleek and made-up, her hair is shiny and her freckles are covered up or air-brushed out. She looks garish. I preferred the mom look she rocked in The Kids Are All Right.
INCEPTION
By Amanda Boyle July 18, 2010
Sitting in the theater watching Inception, there is clear evidence of borrowing from Bond films (the quick flying off to international cities), heist films and The Matrix. Even with these nods of the hat, Inception manages to be its own film, as well as the coolest release of the summer so far. Leonardo DiCaprio leads the mostly engaging cast (Ellen Page is growing nicely away from her Juno teenage quirk, but her character is still vaguely cloying) as troubled dream extractor Dom Cobb--a professional hired by corporations to steal valuable information out of the dreams of competitors. Suspected of crimes he didn't commit, Cobb can't return to the United States or his children. A wealthy and powerful businessman (Ken Watanabe) offers him the opportunity to return home if he can perform an act of inception--implanting an idea into someone's head instead of taking one out. Specifically, to perform inception on the heir to an empirical energy company (Cillian Murphy) so that he breaks up his father's monopoly. Apparently the feat of inception has never been done, because it has to be planted in a way that the dreamer sees it as his own idea, which can then grow organically. Cobb, distraught over his separation from his children, has come to prefer the dream world to the real world, and the film too is far more interesting when in the dream world. Within dreams, the physics of the real world is bendable, which allows the movie to flex its special effects' muscles. Some of the effects are just plain showy (bursting storefronts in Paris) but a lot of them are really interesting and actually work to move the story forward. I'd definitely suggest Inception. I saw it in 2D and non-IMAX and still enjoyed it, so if you find those extra features as unnecessary as I do, you can save a few dollars on the ticket price.
Despicable Me
By Amanda Boyle July 12, 2010
I love Pixar the same as any other movie-going American, but it'd be nice if another company stepped up and delivered quality animation. Variety is the spice of life, different voices and different views, et cetera. Despicable Me, from Illumination Entertainment, did not quite fit the bill. Despicable Me is certainly cute without being saccharine and has some decent laughs. It also poses a very valuable moral question of what's more important: to be famous or to have love? However, something about the movie feels half-baked. None of the jokes are truly memorable (the only ones I can call to mind are from the trailers--hammered in through repetition). Same goes for the characters really, except for maybe the youngest orphan, Agnes (voiced by Elsie Fisher), that the supervillian Gru (Steve Carrell) has adopted for his secret purposes. With Agnes the writers hit on the right mix of lovably cute, hyper and unicorn-obsessed (the biggest laughs in our theater went to her excitement after Gru wins her a fluffy unicorn at a theme park). I wouldn't discourage anyone from seeing Despicable Me, it should be entertaining for kids and adults alike--which is all you might need on for a summer evening--but it won't be a classic.
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Byram Hills Graduate Tom Kitt Makes it Big on Broadway
Updated April 12, 2010 By Amanda Boyle and Michelle Boyle
A Long Island piano teacher warned Judy Kitt that
she was verging on stage mother territory. Mrs. Kitt, an Armonk
resident, had brought her five-year-old son in for lessons. But Mrs.
Kitt was not an overzealous and blindly proud mother, she knew her son
Thomas had real talent. At four Thomas had been stringing together
notes and chords on his own; he needed special attention to grow. She
insisted that Gloria, the teacher, at least listen, and when she did,
Thomas’ natural talent was undeniable.
And then last week, Tom Kitt won two Tony Awards. Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) written for the Theatre – “Next to Normal” Music: Tom Kitt, Lyrics: Brian Yorkey and Best Orchestrations - Michael Starobin & Tom Kitt, “Next to Normal”. This second Tony was awarded as a tie with Martin Koch, “Billy Elliot”. A third Tony award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical has been added to their treasure.
Gloria contributed to the beginning of Tom’s musical journey, teaching him until he was seven, after which there was nothing new she could help him with. So Tom moved on, taking lessons with Joel Rosen, a celebrated pianist with the Benny Goodman Band.
Rosen at the time ran a music school at his personal music studio in Ardsley and Joy Rosen, the late Mr. Rosen’s wife, fondly recalls the time the young boy spent there, “Tom was quite a boy, he was very focused. He and my husband became very close. They were in the living room on a Friday afternoon when the visiting nurse arrived. Lessons were usually one hour, the nurse encouraged the two to finish the piece they were working on since Tom was doing so well. That two hour Friday session was their last and because of those two hours, Joel left us on a high note on that Monday when he died in 1998. Tom absorbed so much from Joel over the four years they worked together.”
Two hours of sporadic rain didn’t stop music lovers from flocking to Pleasantville’s 6th Annual Music Festival for its biggest turnout yet. On Saturday July 10th Westchester’s “The Peak” rock station, at 107.1 FM, whose general manager, Jason Finkelberg, lives in Pleasantville, presented 18 musical performances on three different stages. The station's staff, as well as 150 volunteers, provided an entire day of music, food, and fun. Since its inception, the full-day outdoor concert event has evolved from a local music festival to include ever more impressive national touring acts to headline the event, while continuing the tradition of showcasing local talent and supporting local vendors. The festival began in 2005 after Pleasantville resident Jim Zimmerman, a psychologist and former singer/songwriter, spent almost a year trying to create something fun in his hometown. The first headliner was '60s folkie Jonathan Edwards and about 900 tickets were sold. But this weekend, as the sun broke through the clouds, thousands of fans, rather than rain, poured in.
Kicking off the event on the main stage was Ten Feet Deep, a band of Fox Lane graduates that reunited after completing college, with a new CD added to their growing collection. “It’s fitting to play in front of our family and friends. We’re representing local talent, getting our name out and spreading the word,” band member Pete Chema said, adding, “to play in front of this many people was a rush, we feel very privileged to be asked to play and participate in this event.”
“Seventy-five percent of the musical talent is from the Hudson Valley. We try to bring together well known acts as well as up-and-coming musicians,” said Sol Skolnick, one of the event directors. Along with Ten Feet Deep, other local stet included: Noberto Goldberg of Chappaqua who performed two sets of improvisational jazz; The Melillio Brothers; Frank Enea; Agent Si; the Quartet of Sleepy Hollow String Band; and the Beneficial Tomatoes of Pleasantville.
Headliners on the main stage following Ten Feet Deep included Tarrytown-based musician Evan Watson & the Headless Horsemen, with a guitarist and bass player from White Plains; Carney; Rhett Tyler; The Bacon Brothers, including award-winning actor Kevin Bacon; the always exciting Rusted Root; and Jakob Dylan.
Another musician, asked to play at the show after one of the directors saw him perform at the Ridgefield Playhouse, was Billy Simons. Thrilled to have the opportunity to play at the Festival, he said, “You never know what to expect at any show, but this has been great. There’s a bunch of people and I didn’t know anyone here, but everyone was getting into it. It’s nice to see a crowd building as you’re playing, seeing adults and children dance around and having a good time is what it’s all about. It’s why I love to do what I do.”
Vendors enabled festival-goers to enjoy great local food, including Armonk's Opus 465’s Westchester BBQ. Those 21 and over sampled award-winning locally-crafted beer from the Captain Lawrence Brewery and tasted offerings from Pleasantville’s Prospero Winery. There was even some fun for young children with no less than four jumping castles in an expansive Fun Area with games, amusements, crafts, and music especially for children.
Congresswoman Nita Lowey made an appearance, urging people to support the vendors between performances. She also praised the event as “all about community.” Similarly, Liz Berlin of the group Rusted Root said, “It really feels like a local gathering, a very close knit community.” Her fellow band mate Patrick Norman said he felt like he was where he grew up. “It’s very homey here, it’s sweet and quaint…the music, the happy people, it reminds me of where I grew up.”
InTown Magazine recognized Pleasantville as one of Westchester’s most family-friendly villages, and that spirit was exemplified at the festival. “My wife and I came to the event together when it first started, and now we’re here six years later with two kids having a great time. It really is a fun event for kids and adults right in our backyard. You can’t get better than that,” said Scott Grayson of Briarcliff, whose three-year-old son Spencer was eager to express how much fun he was having by giving a hi-five at the mention of all the festivities. Despite threatening clouds and some light drizzles, the day went off without a hitch and festival-goers enjoyed an incredible day of dancing until the sun went down, surrounded by family, friends, and neighbors.
Click to visit West Point's Jazz Knight's listening Room
West Point Band’s Jazz Knights come to Armonk
By Amanda Boyle April 22, 2010
In honor of the Armonk Lions 70th Anniversary, and to kick off the 36th annual Fol de Rol, the Armonk Lions are proud to bring The Jazz Knights Band from West Point to entertain our community and all those who wish to attend. Performance is Thursday June 3, 2010 at 6:30pm at the Gazebo in Wampus Brook Park. Bring a picnic supper, blanket/chair and come to hear this fantastic group of musicians. In case of rain, the concert will be held at the Community Center of St. Patrick's Church on Cox Avenue. Admission is free.
Bringing over three decades of musical excellence to their audiences, the West Point Band’s Jazz Knights present the best in big band favorites, popular music, and original compositions and arrangements for jazz ensemble. Members of the group are graduates of some of America's most prestigious music schools such as the University of North Texas, Eastman School of Music, Indiana University, Berklee School of Music and the Manhattan School of Music. They are recruited and selected through a competitive audition process specifically for service in the United States Military Academy Band at West Point.
Past and present members of the band have played with such icons as Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, Ahmad Jamal, Chaka Kahn, Prince, Billy Cobham, and the Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller Orchestras. The Jazz Knights’ highlights over the years include playing with Benny Goodman at Lincoln Center in 1982, performing with the Duke Ellington Orchestra for the 200th Anniversary of the New York State Legislature, and twice appearing at the Hatch Shell for Boston's Independence Day celebration. The Jazz Knights have also performed for festivals and music educators' conventions, including the International Association for Jazz Education conventions, the Western International Band Clinic, the University of Northern Colorado Jazz Festival, the International Society of Bassists' convention and the New York State Band Director’s Association Conference in 2008.
Notable guests who have performed with the Jazz Knights include David Liebman, Rufus Reid, John Clayton, Eddie Daniels, Steve Turre, James Carter, Randy Brecker, Michael Abene, Steve Weist, Jon Faddis, Jim Snidero, Gary Smulyan, Scott Wendholt and Benny Golson. At West Point, the Jazz Knights provide music for numerous functions throughout the year. In combination with the Concert Band and field music unit, the Hellcats, they help fulfill official musical requirements of the Military Academy and the Army, including military and patriotic ceremonies both at West Point and throughout the country. The Jazz Knights also perform for the summer concert series at the Trophy Point Amphitheatre and for the winter concert series at Eisenhower Hall. Their performances recreate the sounds of the greatest jazz ensembles and the innovative styles of today through their original compositions and arrangements.
Music has a remarkable ability to transform our situations and emotions. Music evokes sensations and feelings deep within our core. Whether we listen to a sonata by Mozart, Chopin or a piece by Bach, for centuries musicians have been held in the highest esteem because of their ability to tell stories with musical notes. We pay to hear musicians take an instrument made out of wood, brass, strings or ivory and create magic. I had the opportunity to spend some time with one such local Armonk resident, Arlene Portney. To many in our community, Arlene might best be known as Alexander, Meredith and Justin Veach's mom. Or perhaps, Mrs. Veach is Dr. Stephen Veach's wife? However, to the rest of the world, Mrs. Veach is Ms. Portney, the musical phenomenon. As a world renowned classical pianist, Arlene Portney graced concert halls dazzling her audiences with her performances. We are fortunate that for the past seventeen years, Ms. Portney has called Armonk, home.
Immediately upon meeting Arlene Portney I was struck by her beauty, grace and humbleness. Sometimes I think the truly gifted people in the world see and hear everything just a bit differently than many of us. Ms. Portney exudes elegance and calmness. I was drawn to her. As she made her way into the living room, I couldn’t help but notice the two grand pianos facing each other. I could feel my excitement build as I imagined a home filled with music and secretly, I was hoping she would play something for me. Both Arlene and her home were inviting but I must admit, I was a bit star struck. Thankfully, Arlene quickly set me at ease.
Arlene credits her father with introducing her to music. He played the violin and took great pleasure in sharing his love of music with his children. It was evident to both Arlene’s parents that Arlene had a gift. Arlene began to play the piano at the age of three, a true musical prodigy. Arlene gave her first performance at the age of six. By nine, she had received a full scholarship to study at The Curtis Institute of Music. At the age of ten, Arlene performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s review stated that Arlene was, "the gifted ten year-old pianist who stole the show with a first rate performance". That performance was only the beginning of what would be an incredible journey around the world.
Arlene was formally schooled by some of the greatest pianists in the world. At fifteen, upon graduating from the Curtis Institute Arlene began her studies in France under the tutelage of Arthur Rubinstein, Robert Casadesus and Nadia Boulanger. At the Juilliard School Arlene studied with the famed artist Sascha Gorodnitzki. After completing her studies, Ms. Portney attended Yale University where she was awarded the Doctor of Musical Arts degree and later she served as a member of Yale’s faculty.
While performing as a teenager at Carnegie Hall, Arlene’s was discovered by Jeunesses Musicales. Shortly thereafter, Arlene's touring began. Arlene was already internationally recognized when in 1972 she became the first American woman pianist to be awarded first prize at the Prix Beracasa in Paris, France. She has performed in some of the most famous Concert Halls around the world such as Tschaikowsky Hall in Moscow as well as Lincoln Center here in New York. She has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, The National Symphony and the Boston Pops. When Nancy Reagan was First Lady, PBS’s Great Performances presented Ms. Portney along with the National Symphony in a tribute to Princess Grace of Monaco from the Kennedy Center. In 1977, Ms. Portney was featured in the October 10th edition of the The New Yorker Magazine as one of the Dewar’s Scotch Profiles of famous people.
Some folks can play an instrument; others make an instrument come to life. At one point during my visit, I asked Ms. Portney about the breadth of interpreting classical music. Is there a lot of room for an artist to infuse his or her own inflection or style while playing a piece by Beethoven, Chopin or Mozart? Ms. Portney smiled and made her way over to one of the pianos in her living room. As she played a piece by Chopin, she played the same notes a few times and each time she played, she did so with a different emphasis. What a joy to listen to her play. In the world of painting and photography the saying is, a picture tells a thousand words. When Arlene Portney sat down at her piano, five or six measures spoke a thousand words to me. How incredible it is to be in the presence of someone with such talent who has graced some of the finest stages and concert halls of the world? Magnificent!
If you are looking for a classical piano instructor for your budding Mozart or Beethoven, Ms. Portney is perhaps one of the most qualified teachers you will find. For the past fourteen years, most afternoons and evenings she can be found in her living room passing along the knowledge she has gleaned from her own career on to her students. According to Ms. Portney, a pianist needs proper technique to physically handle the musical requirements of many classical compositions. When talking about her teaching technique and what she tries to instill in her students, Ms. Portney stated, "While I make sure each person develops a technique, the emphasis is on what the composer has to say. The ultimate goal is to bring to life the magic of the composer's message, and it is that message that I try to help a student discover and express". Although I thought Ms. Portney would only teach accomplished pianists, that is not necessarily the case. She has taught budding pianists once they have the ability to read music, the physical dexterity to play and once they possess the visual discrimination to understand the composition. She has had students as young as six and students who are well into their seventies. Ms. Portney will also prepare students for NYSSMA competitions.
Talent is certainly criteria for judging what a teacher or mentor can pass along to their students. Arlene's talent is extraordinary. But there is also the relatability aspect. Ms. Portney is very approachable. This year she will be bringing her thirty five plus students down to Steinway Hall in New York City for their recital. Ms. Portney believes it is important to expose her students to some of the truly magnificent music halls. It is important for them to feel the atmosphere and to grace the stages that so many gifted musicians have previously graced.
For me, having had the opportunity to interview this world renowned artist was sheer joy. You can listen to Ms. Portney on many of her recordings including one with Eugene Fodor playing the Pulitzer Prize-winning violin sonata by John Corigliano. If you click above, you will hear a track from "End Call', a movie that has already been released in Asia and will be released in North America over the next few months.
This musical composition was written by one of Ms. Portney's students, the well-known film composer, John Lissauer. Perhaps you can catch Ms. Portney when she performs live, locally? She has recently appeared in two-piano concerts at Caramoor here in Katonah and she frequently does lecture-recitals in New York and Philadelphia. Ms. Portney's successful career continues with her own performances and in the performances of her students.
The Music Conservatory of Westchester golf outing helped raise $80,000 for the scholarships and tuition assistance programs.
