We are nine months into our 2024-25 concert season. Thanks to the generosity of our patrons and the Jean & Louis Dreyfus Foundation, we have completed 11 of 16 concerts slated for this season. Our oboist, Dorothy, has steered us to a couple of new venues in Stamford, CT and Cold Spring, NY, and has recommended other possibilities to explore for next season. St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Cold Spring has invited us back for a concert on their series next year. And for a second time, we will play outdoors at High Rock Park in Staten Island. Because of the Dreyfus grant, we were able to reach out to Boulevard Alp in Queens and to over 50 residents at the Brielle in Staten Island.Simeon continues to expand his arrangements of the great string masterworks adding Beethoven's quartet op 18 No 2, and Haydn's quartet op 77 No 2 to his mounting list. Our concerts have been well received across the board. A group of five musicians playing high quality live music with something for everyone is constantly being celebrated at each place we go.
Beyond the great music, here is what you might experience if you came to hear a L'Amore concert: Cecilia or Dorothy introducing the program and the members of the group. You never know what Dorothy might bring with her: red, white, and blue necklaces to distribute for July 4th, or a painting depicting a scene that the music might describe. Richard fascinates the audience with details in his brief history of George M Cohan, or impresses with his authentic pronunciation and descriptions of Rumanian Folk Dances of Bartok. Sigrun engages with a short story of a Mahler song. Simeon instructs, pointing out a theme to listen for in Bach, and Jonathan gives a short roadmap through a Beethoven movement, an insightful preview of what is to come. After getting to personally know the group members, and become emotionally involved as the music builds, the audience often is ready to sing and become more interactive when invited. After the concert, especially if we are distributing and helping with our survey, we get to hear what was meaningful, and how the music affected them that hour. Recently, one woman said she came in having had a difficult morning, and gratefully left with a light heart.
The desire for live performers, engrossing musical works, and the exchange of ideas and emotions persists in all the communities that L'Amore is involved in. Along with our love of making music together and then sharing it, these elements are what drive us to continue our mission. We thank our patrons and funders again and again for the opportunity for us to sustain and grow as we build and present these programs.