Usdan Private Ed. Concerts: Stars of Music, Dance, Theater

John Mitty Monday, June 17, 2013

Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts, the nationally renowned not-for-profit day camp, whose alumni include such artists as Natalie Portman, Mariah Carey, Jane Monheit and members of major music and dance ensembles, announces its 2013 Festival Concerts. These are private educational performances staged in Usdan’s on-site, 1,000-seat McKinley Ampitheater, giving students unique exposure to the arts.

Artists for 2013 include: Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist and Usdan alumna Jane Monheit; the return of “Voices Of Broadway,” this year featuring singers from Kinky Boots, The Book of Mormon, The Mystery of Edwin Drood and Mary Poppins; folk singer Dar Williams – “Among the best singer/songwriters of our time (About.com/Folk Music)”; and Puppet Kitchen, featuring the puppets of Michael Shupbach, 4-time Emmy-winner for his work on Sesame Street, Erin Decola (Houston Grand Opera), and Eric Wright (Sessusical, the Musical).

Dance companies include Alpha Omega Theatrical Dance, a mix of contemporary dance styles,“filling the stage with motion, color and passion” – Village Voice; Ballet NY (“An engaging, talented ensemble” – Newsday); and the return of the award-winning Chameleons mime theater, recently featured on the PBS series “Jokers.”

In classical music and jazz,: the Mirror Visions Ensemble, a vocal chamber trio praised by the New York Times for its “Warm tone, witty interpretive style” in performances of classical and commissioned works;The Triton Brass Quintet, Prize winners at the 2005 Lyon International Chamber Music Competition and 2003 Fischoff International Chamber Music Festival: Thelonius Monk Competition-winner and Usdan-commissioned jazz composer Ted Rosenthal with his trio: the Amphion String Quartet “(Masters of precision, assertiveness and vigor” – New York Times); and Brazilian marimba artist Ney Rosauro,whose compositions have been performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, the distinguished percussionist Evelyn Glennie and hundreds of other major ensembles.

Usdan students will also perform at the McKinley, including the pre-professional Music Staff Interns, and the Center’s many orchestras, band, and choirs.

Usdan’s daily concerts are presented every weekday at the Center’s 1,000-seat McKinley Amphitheater. Concerts are presented at 12:00 Noon, and again at 12:30 PM. Artist concerts expose Usdan students to the best of music, dance and theater while they are pursuing their studies in these fields. After several weeks of attending these artist performances, students take over and perform onstage themselves. In addition, there are on-site exhibits displaying the work of visual arts students.

Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts (www.usdan.com), is the nation’s premier not-for-profit summer arts day camp. Usdan, now entering its 46th season, has been declared a “Best Of” camp TimeOutNY/Kids for several years. Usdan is open to all young people from age 6 to 18, and no audition is needed for most programs. Admission to Usdan is based on an expression of interest in the arts. The Center is situated on a 200-acre woodland campus in Huntington, Long Island, to which 1,600 students travel each day on buses that depart from neighborhoods throughout the New York metropolitan area. Although Usdan’s mission is for every child to establish a skill-based relationship with the arts, the unique inspiration of the Center has caused many to go on to professional careers. Usdan’s 60,000 alumni also include actors Olivia Thirlby and Lisa Gay Hamilton, Broadway playwright Michele Lowe, Grammy-Award winning producer Adam Abeshouse, Juilliard Pre-College Orchestra conductor Adam Glaser, and members of major American orchestras, dance, and theater companies. A special feature of each student’s program is the Center's series of Festival Concerts, daily educational performances by distinguished artists.

Some of those who have appeared and taught at Usdan include James Galway, Yo-Yo Ma, Canadian Brass, jazz artists Jimmy Heath, Jon Faddis, Clark Terry, the Tokyo String Quartet, the Limon Dance Company, members of the New York City Ballet, Metropolitan Opera soprano Monica Yunus, and Tony Award-winner Cady Huffman and other stars of Broadway shows.

Usdan’s Long Island campus includes 70 state-of-the-art studios and theaters, each providing an inspiring collaboration with the Center’s magnificent woodland. Usdan is a beneficiary agency of UJA-Federation of New York, and the Center is chartered by the Regents of the State of New York.

jmitty@longislandyellowpages.com

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