A note from Artistic Director Ilana Davidson • 2021
It started on a Sunday afternoon in 2011 when Jing Li and I were absolutely loving the Irish seisiún at An Beal Bocht Café in the Bronx during that blizzard of 2011. We became lost in the music and the pure joy of listening to incredible players loving what they were doing, making fantastic music in an intimate setting.
What fun they had playing! And what fun we all had clapping and enjoying them.
As we looked out the window, the snow was piling up hour by hour, and no one wanted to be anywhere else. It was magical.
We walked back to my apartment with the snow at waist level, laughing and dreaming of having that much fun with classical music! So we put our heads together and decided that we would try to create a space for classical musicians to come together with camaraderie, joy, and love and perform chamber works in smaller intimate settings.
So we came up with ClassicalCafé and began to brainstorm! It was never easy, but we also didn't give up, and now in our 10th season, we have brought countless programs to the Bronx as well as Philadelphia and Boston.
Over the years, marvelous actor Joan Lunoe has brought her narration to various programs and Marc Molomot has added his splendid tenor voice and creative passion to ClassicalCafé. To all those who have helped keep the music alive, I am most grateful.
I am so proud to say even during a pandemic; we continue to strive and make music happen.
Please join us for our first concert this season Time Stands Still. We were awarded a grant from the Bronx Council On The Arts to produce our Elizabethan program Time Stands Still, based on our debut concert in 2011.
However, ten years later, the time has stood still during the pandemic where we have all worked hard to find our collective voices in this 'new normal'. And, I am sure it must have been even more surreal and frightening in the time of Shakespeare. William Shakespeare was entwined with the plague from his very beginning, and he was lucky to survive. And this was by no means the end of his experiences with the disease. Just like it has been for us, theatres were usually the first public spaces to be closed during peak times of infection. While there were clear medical reasons for this, some sections of society went further and held theatres directly responsible for the plague in the first place. We can imagine the artistic pain and human loss during that time as it has impacted us today.
Thank you for being with me on this journey, and we hope that you will continue to enjoy our programs as we are able to present them.
With gratitude, Ilana
It started on a Sunday afternoon in 2011 when Jing Li and I were absolutely loving the Irish seisiún at An Beal Bocht Café in the Bronx during that blizzard of 2011. We became lost in the music and the pure joy of listening to incredible players loving what they were doing, making fantastic music in an intimate setting.
What fun they had playing! And what fun we all had clapping and enjoying them.
As we looked out the window, the snow was piling up hour by hour, and no one wanted to be anywhere else. It was magical.
We walked back to my apartment with the snow at waist level, laughing and dreaming of having that much fun with classical music! So we put our heads together and decided that we would try to create a space for classical musicians to come together with camaraderie, joy, and love and perform chamber works in smaller intimate settings.
So we came up with ClassicalCafé and began to brainstorm! It was never easy, but we also didn't give up, and now in our 10th season, we have brought countless programs to the Bronx as well as Philadelphia and Boston.
Over the years, marvelous actor Joan Lunoe has brought her narration to various programs and Marc Molomot has added his splendid tenor voice and creative passion to ClassicalCafé. To all those who have helped keep the music alive, I am most grateful.
I am so proud to say even during a pandemic; we continue to strive and make music happen.
Please join us for our first concert this season Time Stands Still. We were awarded a grant from the Bronx Council On The Arts to produce our Elizabethan program Time Stands Still, based on our debut concert in 2011.
However, ten years later, the time has stood still during the pandemic where we have all worked hard to find our collective voices in this 'new normal'. And, I am sure it must have been even more surreal and frightening in the time of Shakespeare. William Shakespeare was entwined with the plague from his very beginning, and he was lucky to survive. And this was by no means the end of his experiences with the disease. Just like it has been for us, theatres were usually the first public spaces to be closed during peak times of infection. While there were clear medical reasons for this, some sections of society went further and held theatres directly responsible for the plague in the first place. We can imagine the artistic pain and human loss during that time as it has impacted us today.
Thank you for being with me on this journey, and we hope that you will continue to enjoy our programs as we are able to present them.
With gratitude, Ilana
Our first message from Artistic Directors Jing Li & Ilana Davidson in 2012
Dear Friends,
ClassicalCafé brings world-class musicians, performing both new and historical works, to intimate settings, aiming to increase access to and appreciation of classical chamber music.
We love inspiring the audience so they feel as though they are an integral part of the performance. Our first season has been such an exciting journey, learning and discovering what this mission would be like for us. We are so touched by how involved our audience members have been and continue to be. You are incredibly supportive and an inspiration to us!
We've also been so fortunate to work with many talented colleagues who have graciously dedicated their time and artistry to this series. As freelance musicians ourselves, we know how difficult it is in this economy to manage, but we don't give up because music-making is our passion. We strive to continue providing outstanding performances while also compensating our professional artists on par with existing music series at this level of excellence. And in our case, excellence with a twist - our relationship with you.
Much of our passion about this is due in part to how much we've seen our musical climate change since we were both at New England Conservatory and the Curtis Institute of Music alike. Many orchestras and arts associations are folding, the recording industry has undergone a major shift, and new music-school graduates enter the field with little or no job prospects. So many of our colleagues have also embarked on finding courageous and creative ways to fight for the essential nature of classical music and culture in our lives. We feel the necessity to preserve the rich history of the fine arts in our hectic modern-day society. Although ClassicalCafé may seem like a drop in the bucket, in essence, it speaks for the fortitude and spirit of the classical music world.
Please help us continue to bring you exciting and accessible music programming. Your individual support plays a crucial part in our ability to succeed as an organization, and allows us the possibility of hiring great professionals. A donation to ClassicalCafé is a direct investment in our artistic mission, supporting the production of both innovative programs and elite performers. As many of you know, income from ticket sales makes up only a fraction of our operating budget. A gift of any amount will allow us to continue adding more performances to our calendar and provide our audiences access to world class talent at reasonable prices.
Our future programming will bring both familiar faces and new collaborations, expanding to venues throughout the region. We hope you’ll join us on our continued adventure!
With love and gratitude,
Ilana & Jing
Dear Friends,
ClassicalCafé brings world-class musicians, performing both new and historical works, to intimate settings, aiming to increase access to and appreciation of classical chamber music.
We love inspiring the audience so they feel as though they are an integral part of the performance. Our first season has been such an exciting journey, learning and discovering what this mission would be like for us. We are so touched by how involved our audience members have been and continue to be. You are incredibly supportive and an inspiration to us!
We've also been so fortunate to work with many talented colleagues who have graciously dedicated their time and artistry to this series. As freelance musicians ourselves, we know how difficult it is in this economy to manage, but we don't give up because music-making is our passion. We strive to continue providing outstanding performances while also compensating our professional artists on par with existing music series at this level of excellence. And in our case, excellence with a twist - our relationship with you.
Much of our passion about this is due in part to how much we've seen our musical climate change since we were both at New England Conservatory and the Curtis Institute of Music alike. Many orchestras and arts associations are folding, the recording industry has undergone a major shift, and new music-school graduates enter the field with little or no job prospects. So many of our colleagues have also embarked on finding courageous and creative ways to fight for the essential nature of classical music and culture in our lives. We feel the necessity to preserve the rich history of the fine arts in our hectic modern-day society. Although ClassicalCafé may seem like a drop in the bucket, in essence, it speaks for the fortitude and spirit of the classical music world.
Please help us continue to bring you exciting and accessible music programming. Your individual support plays a crucial part in our ability to succeed as an organization, and allows us the possibility of hiring great professionals. A donation to ClassicalCafé is a direct investment in our artistic mission, supporting the production of both innovative programs and elite performers. As many of you know, income from ticket sales makes up only a fraction of our operating budget. A gift of any amount will allow us to continue adding more performances to our calendar and provide our audiences access to world class talent at reasonable prices.
Our future programming will bring both familiar faces and new collaborations, expanding to venues throughout the region. We hope you’ll join us on our continued adventure!
With love and gratitude,
Ilana & Jing