New Christmas song from DelPlato family
As he's done each of the past couple of years, Carmen DelPlato has sent us over a Christmas song to share with the community. The song is written by Mary DelPlato and performed by Anthony DelPlato.
music
Genesee Chorale performs Christmas concert this Friday and next Friday in Le Roy and Batavia
The Genesee Chorale performs a Christmas concert called "The Rose" this Friday at Our Lady of Mercy, 44 Lake St., in Le Roy.
Showtime is 7 p.m
The performance, conducted by Ric Jones, will be repeated at 7 p.m. Dec. 9 at St. James Episcopal Church, Batavia.
Photo: GSO prepares for annual holiday concert
Conductor Shade Zajac leads the Genesee Symphony Orchestra through a rehearsal Monday night at Batavia High School as the GSO prepares for its annual holiday concert at St. Mary's on Dec. 11.
The program includes:
- Guests: Emily Helenbrook, soprano, and young artist competition winner Amelia Snyder, alto saxophone
- Ukrainian Bell Chorale, arrangement by Nancy Strelau
- Fanfare from La Perri, Dukas
- Concerto for Saxophone and Strings, Glazonov
- Christ at the Movies, arranged by Krogstag
- Emily Helenbrook singing several selections
- Canadian Brass, arrangement by Custer
- Sleigh Ride, Leroy Anderson
- Christmas Festival, Anderson
To purchase tickets, click here.
Genesee Valley Wind Ensemble performs Sunday in Elba
Philip J. Briatico conducts the Genesee Valley Wind Ensemble at 4 p.m., Sunday, at Elba Central School.
The concert will include pieces by Samuel Barber, Danny Elfman, John Philip Sousa, Mark Camphouse, among others.
Mark Your Calendar: Genesee Valley Wind Ensemble to perform Autumn Concert in Elba on Nov. 13
The Genesee Valley Wind Ensemble will perform its Autumn Concert "First & Final Steps" beginning at 4 p.m. in the Elba Central School Auditorium on Sunday, Nov. 13.
The school is located at 57 S. Main St.
The purpose of the ensemble is to serve and provide the Greater Genesee Valley audience with new and familiar live music, to serve its membership with the opportunity to perform challenging wind ensemble literature and to create the opportunity for the conductor and musicians to grow their collective musical talents.
Admission is:
- $25 -- Family Deal -- for immediate family and children defined a mother and/or father and up to four children
- $10 -- Adult
- $8 -- Senior (55+) & Veteran
- $5 -- Student with ID
- Free -- Children age 5 and younger
Also, printed on the back of the tickets will be a coupon for Chap's Elba Diner, which can only be used immediately following the concert for 10 percent off their bill.
To contact the ensemble, email geneseevalleywindensemble@gmail.com
The concert will feature these works:
"A Movement for Rosa" by Mark Camphouse
"Music for a Darkened Theatre" by Danny Elfman
"Over the Rainbow" by E.Y. Harburg & Harold Arlen
"Commando March" by Samuel Barber
"A Fifties Time Capsule" -- arrangements by Paul Jennings
"Chorale and Shaker Dance" by John Zdechlik
"Library of Congress March" by John Philip Sousa
"Star Trek: Into Darkness" -- arrangements by Michael Brown
GSO opens season Sunday with Young Artists winners performing
The Genesee Symphony Orchestra, led by new conductor S. Shade Zajac, opens its 2016-17 season tomorrow at 4 p.m. at St. James Episcopal Church in Batavia.
The concert will feature performances by the winners of the annual Young Artists Competition, Jackie Hager, cello (top photo), and Jarod Yap, piano (second photo).
The program includes a piece by New York composer Dana Willson, "A Shortcut Home," along with Concerto in D Minor, by Lalo, Concerto in A Minor, by Schumann and "Scheherazade," by Rimsky-Korsako.
Purchase tickets online on the GSO website.
Photos: Austin Moody, live at GCC's Stuart Steiner Theater
Austin Moody, billed as an up-and-coming country singer/songwriter from Nashville, so up-and-coming, his first CD won't be out until the end of the year, played GCC for a couple hundred appreciative country fans.
Moody said he's played Upstate before and likes coming up here. It reminds him of home. There are real country fans here, he said.
"And I mean, real country fans," he said. "Not bro-country fans. Not, 'I'm hot. You're hot. We're in a pickup truck,' country fans, but real country fans."
GSO's new conductor leads first official rehearsal
It was the first official rehearsal Monday night for S. Shade Zajac as the new conductor and musical director for the Genesee Symphony Orchestra.
The season opens Oct. 16 with a concert at St. James Episcopal Church, Batavia. The concert will also feature winners from the GSO young artists competition, Jackie Hager, cello, and Jarod Yap, piano. The program includes: "Shortcut Home," Dana Willson; Concerto in D Minor, Lalo; Concerto in A Minor, Schumann; and "Scheherazade" by Rimsky-Korsako.
Tickets are on sale now through GeneseeSymphony.com.
GSO's new conductor performs with string quartet in Batavia
The Genesee Symphony Orchestra hosted a special performance in Batavia Saturday night at Vinyl Record Revival of the Asteria Quartet.
The quartet includes Shade Zajac, the GSO's new conductor and musical director, along with Evie Boughton on the viola, Kiram Rajamani and Leah McCarthy on violin.
The quartet performed Mozart’s 8th Quartet K. 168, Stostakovich’s 8th Quartet, and Zajac’s own composition, “Willard.”
Between each piece, the members took questions from the audiences about the pieces, the performance and the history of the music.
The evening including a wine tasting hosted by Chris Crocker, owner of the YNGodess Shop.
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Photos: Blackjack Billy at Frostridge
In five years of covering concerts at Frostridge, there are four shows I'm sure I'll always remember: Marty Stuart in 2011, which was my introduction to Jam at the Ridge, The Farm, featuring Alexander native Krista Marie, the time Blackjack Billy upstaged the night's headliner, Blackberry Smoke, that same year, and finally, Blackjack Billy's return to Le Roy last night.
Photos: ZZ Top and Randy Bachman at Darien PAC
National recording artists and rock band ZZ Top performed last night, headlining three concerts in one week at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center. They played many greatest hits off their 15-album career like "Legs," "Rough Boy," "Cheap Sunglasses," "Tush" and "La Grange."
Over 45-plus years of the band's success has also included TV and films early in 1990s as they appeared in the movies "Back to the Future Part III" and "Mother Goose Rock N Rhyme." Very popular in the 1980s, they won three music video awards for "Legs," "Sharp Dressed Man" and "Rough Boy."
Earlier this month, Gregg Allman cancelled the remainder of his solo and U.S. tour with ZZ Top due to serious health issues, so Randy Bachman and his band opened for ZZ Top.
The former lead guitarist of The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive from the 1960s and '70s played some classics like "No Sugar Tonight," "American Woman," "You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet" and "Takin’ Care of Business."
Also opening was Jonny Two Bags from Social Distortion who performed a 30-minute set.
Tonight’s concert is pop / punk rock band Blink 182 and Friday’s performance is American bro-country duo Florida Georgia Line, both starting at 7 p.m.
Randy Bachman
'Summer Serenade' at Mercy Grove this Sunday will benefit United Way and GSO
Shade Zajac makes his official debut Sunday as the full-time conductor of the Genesee Symphony Orchestra in a special performance being sponsored by the United Way at Mercy Grove in Le Roy.
Zajac previously conducted the orchestra last season as part of an audition process for the musical director's position with the GSO and was appointed by the GSO board earlier this year.
Mercy Grove is Genesee County's newest event facility and will be a beautiful setting for this special performance.
Tickets are $75 per person and proceeds benefit the United Way and the Genesee Symphony Orchestra.
Party attire is suggested. The event starts at 3:30 p.m. There will be hors d'oeuvres, grazing stations and a cash bar. The GSO performance, "Summer Serenade," begins at 4:45.
Tickets are available through GSO's website, or at Bank of Castile in Batavia and Le Roy, Roxy's Music, the United Way and GO ART!
Photos are from Monday's rehearsal.
Mark Your Calendar: 'Peace on Earth' concert Nov. 13 at BHS to benefit Batavia Peace Garden
Press release:
The International Peace Garden Foundation, in conjunction with the Friends of the Batavia Peace Garden, are bringing a special concert to Batavia from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13.
The "Peace on Earth" concert will launch the holiday season and feature Colleen Marcello, an acclaimed soprano in Western New York, and the Irrera Brothers, who are world-famous musicians.
All three artists have roots in Genesee County. The Irrera’s are graduates of Batavia High and Colleen’s grandfather, Philip Marcello, was a former Mayor of Batavia. Together they proudly represent Batavia’s rich Italian heritage.
The critically acclaimed Irrera Brothers have captivated audiences throughout the United States and abroad. The New York Concert Review cited their 2013 concert in Carnegie Hall as a “riveting and dynamic performance.” Additional concert engagements have brought Joseph and John to notable venues such as the Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, the Eastman Theatre and internationally throughout France, Germany, Italy, Bulgaria and Latin America. With a range of educational venues, the brothers both received their doctorates in Musical Arts from the Eastman School of Music in 2014. Besides performing together and as soloists, the Irrera Brothers have served on the faculty at the Eastman School of Music and the Eastman Community Music School.
Marcello received her Master of Vocal Pedagogy and Performance from Westminster Choir College. A frequent area soloist, Marcello “won the audience over” as Sister Blanche of the "Agony of Christ" in Opera Sacra’s recent production of the "Dialogues of the Carmelites." She has also been a featured soloist under the baton of Robert Franz and Marvin Hamlisch with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Her musical talents have also led her to Off-Broadway musical theater in such productions as "State Fair," "The King and I" and "Fiddler on the Roof."
Another notable feature of this concert will be the Steinway piano cosponsored by Denton Cottier and Daniels. Joseph Irrera is one of 500 Steinway musicians worldwide. The quality of the music at this event will be unparalleled, and will be a wonderful way to kick off the holidays.
The concert will be held inside the Batavia High School Auditorium. Tickets can be purchased at Roxie’s Music Store on West Main Street in the city and at the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, or by calling 585-201-7100 or 585-343-2387. The ticket costs range from $15 for General Admission to $30 for VIP tickets, which also includes a Meet-the-Artist cocktail reception at the Dibble Center following the event. VIP tickets are very limited. Student tickets are $10. Advance purchase is recommended.
Make this an early holiday gift for those friends and family who are music lovers. This advance notice will insure that you can put the date aside and mark it on your calendar. This is a great way to support the arts in Western New York.
Jam at the Ridge with Kansas
Imagine having a multiple platinum recording rock band performing for you and your closest friends in your back yard. Well that was the feel of the Kansas concert in Le Roy at The Ridge.
Kansas must have felt right at home with Great Plains-style pop-up thunderstorms in the area as they played for a very friendly crowd that was not at all afraid of the rain. The fans on hand were singing and dancing along with the bands many well known hits. Yes, you should have been here.
There are two more chances this summer to catch The Jam at the Ridge. The next show at the ridge is Blackjack Billy Aug. 27th.
Photos: Fifth Harmony, JoJo concert
American five-piece girl group Fifth Harmony performed last evening at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center with special guests JoJo and Victoria Monet. The five singers who all successfully auditioned as soloists on the second season of "The X Factor USA" in 2012 failed to progress individually in judging competition and decided to form a group together.
The band was formed one month following the second season of "The X Factor USA" and was named "Next Pop Superstar of 2013" by Popdust magazine. They played hits like "Gonna Get Better," "All In My Head (Flex)," "Worth It" and "Work from Home."
Opening for them was Joanna Noëlle Blagden "JoJo" Levesque and Victoria Monet. Next concert is BRAD PAISLEY: LIFE AMPLIFIED TOUR, Aug. 19th at 7:30 p.m.
JoJo:
Photos: Heart with special guests ROCKED Darien NY
Over 40-plus years and millions of albums sold the Wilson sisters -- brunette lead singer Ann and blond lead guitarist Nancy -- didn't miss a beat, as they kept the crowd dancing in the aisles last evening with their band Heart at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center.
Hands waving, cell phones were overheating amongst many followers engaged in some of the band's greatest hits like, "Magic Man," "What about Love," "These Dreams," "Crazy on You" and "Barracuda."
Cheap Trick and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts opened for Heart tonight with some famous songs by each band, "Dream Police," "I Want You to Want Me" from Cheap Trick. Joan Jett played some classics, "Cherry Bomb," "I Love Rock 'n’ Roll," and "I Hate Myself for Loving You."
Next concert is tomorrow night featuring G-Eazy & Logic: The Endless Summer Tour, with guests YG and YO Gotti at 6:30.
Photos: Batavia Ramble Music and Arts Fest 2016
Hundreds of music fans and musicians swarmed into Downtown Batavia today for the annual Batavia Ramble Music and Arts Fest, held in Jackson Square and at a stage set up at School and Center streets.
In all, 40 music acts were scheduled to perform. The last act goes on at 8:40 p.m., so there's still time to see the show.
Photos: Big turnout for first Friday night concert in Jackson Square
The 2016 summer season of concerts in Jackson Square kicked off Friday night with performances by St. Joe's of Batavia Brass Ensemble (its 85th Reunion) and the Mighty St. Joe's Alumni Corps (with an interlude covering the history of the bugle, featuring members of the ensemble).
