PianoSummer
For 19 years now, famed Russian émigré pianist Vladimir Feltsman has been organizing PianoSummer, which combines a summer institute for up-and-coming young pianists from all over the world with a festival of performances by a distinguished faculty and visiting artists, on the SUNY-New Paltz campus. It culminates with the Jacob Flier Piano Competition, named after one of Feltsman’s mentors. Most of the associated events – even master classes – are open to the general public.
PianoSummer 2013 kicks off with a Faculty Gala on July 6 at McKenna Theatre. Last year’s Flier Competition winner, Hidemi Minagawa, will give a recital on July 10 at Shepard Recital Hall. Guest artists Jonathan Biss and Alexander Korsantia will perform at McKenna on July 13 and 20, respectively. And the yet-to-be-determined 2013 Flier Competition winner will front the Hudson Valley Philharmonic in the season-ending Symphony Gala on July 26, also at McKenna. You can also go to the same venue to watch the young piano students compete on July 15 and 17.
Admission to a few of these events is free; for others, ticket prices range from $10 and up, with details available online after June 3. To order or to find out more, call the box office at (845) 257-3880 or visit www.newpaltz.edu/piano.
PianoSummer Institute/Festival, July 6-26, SUNY-New Paltz, 1 Hawk Drive, New Paltz; (845) 257-3880 or visit www.newpaltz.edu/piano.
Belleayre Music Festival
If pop music under the stars is more your idea of summer fun, Belleayre is the place to be outside of ski season. The summer 2013 concert schedule starts with country superstar Dwight Yoakam on July 6, followed by Manhattan Transfer on July 13, the Doobie Brothers on July 20 and the Belleayre Festival Opera presenting George Bizet’s Carmen on July 27 (okay, so it’s not all pop).
On the first weekend in August, you can catch a triple threat of hot Latin sounds with Sammy Figueroa and His Latin Jazz Explosion on the 1st, the Pedrito Martinez Group
featuring Ariacne Trujillo on the 2nd and Paquito D’Rivera and the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band on the 3rd. The Bill Charlap Trio heads in on August 9, Kenny Barron’s All-Star Quintet on August 10 and Broadway legend Ben Vereen on August 17. A comedy weekend follows, with Harrison Greenbaum on August 23 and Rita Rudner on the 24th. August 31 brings in The Music of Pink Floyd: A Rock Symphony with the Belleayre Festival Orchestra.
Thursday and Friday night shows take place in the Lodge, with a uniform $26 price of admission. Saturday night shows happen outdoors, with Lawn seating going for $26 and the Tent ranging from $36 to as much as $95 for premium seating for certain acts. To order tickets or find out more, call (845) 254-5600, extension 1344, or visit www.belleayremusic.org.
Belleayre Music Festival, July 6-August 31, $26-$95, Belleayre Mountain, 181 Galli Curci Road, Highmount; (845) 254-5600 X 1344, www.belleayremusic.org.
