Each Wednesday and Sunday evening at 8 p.m. Live At The Linda brings you some of the best musical acts to grace the stage at The Linda - WAMC's Performing Arts Studio. This week features Musicians of Ma’alwyck from January 2021 featured on the Open for Take-Out Virtual Concert series and Sten and Maria Z from their October 2019 concert at The Linda: WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio.
We start the night with guitarist/mandolinist, Sten Isachsen and guitarist/composer, Maria Zemantauski, who have delighted audiences around the globe as soloists and in various ensembles for decades. Together, this dynamic string duo celebrate their eclectic musical tastes -- fiery flamenco, classical, Latin, roots and bluegrass -- to create a vibrant, rich and refreshing sound. Their rhythmically driven repertoire takes the listener on a journey of traditional classics, innovative arrangements, and stunning original compositions. Outside of the performance realm, both Sten and Maria are music educators- Sten is a member of the faculty at Schenectady County Community College and oversees an outstanding undergraduate music studies and Audio Production program. Maria is on the faculty of Hudson Valley Community College in the Department of Fine Arts, Theater Arts, and Digital Media. Listening to their music, one might think they hail from a European or South American classical music hub such as Barcelona, Spain or Buenos Aires, Argentina. Yet Sten and Maria are both local to the Capital Region of New York state. Their prowess and virtuosity truly display how music transcends time and locations. So enjoy, Sten & Maria Z featuring Sten Isachsen on classical guitar and mandolin and Maria Zemantauski on classical guitar- recorded Live at the Linda on October 18, 2019.
Next up, we have Musicians of Ma’alwyck, a flexible-size chamber ensemble in residence at the Schuyler Mansion New York State Historic Site and Schenectady County Community College. Founded in 1999 by violinist and director Ann-Marie Barker Schwartz, the group specializes in music performed in America during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Many of the performing materials are drawn from the Special Collections of the New York State Library. Musicians of Ma’alwyck has been presented on National Public Radio, WMHT-FM and WMHT-TV and has received numerous awards and nominations from various organizations over the last two decades. The performance you’ll hear tonight was a musical celebration of Ludvig Van Beethoven- in honor of the 250th anniversary of his birth. Perhaps the most admired and respected composer of all time, Beethoven’s influence and popularity continues more than 190 years after his death. Tonight’s performance celebrates his life and legacy with a program of chamber music works including his early flute and violin sonata; an 1820s transcription of some of his most popular works by Anton Diabelli; and the delightful Opus 25 serenade for flute, violin and guitar. So enjoy Musicians of Ma’alwyck featuring Ann-Marie Barker Schwartz on violin, Sten Isachsen on classical guitar, and Norman Thibodeau on flute- recorded Live at the Linda on January 4, 2021.
We realize that the impacts of COVID-19 have been dire for working musicians and the music industry as a whole. The Linda: WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio is thrilled to let you know about “The Open for Take-Out Virtual Concert Series” produced in collaboration with Chromoscope Pictures. The program features local and regional musicians playing on The Linda stage and viewable worldwide online through Youtube.
The goal of this series is to bring musicians back to the stage in a safe environment and provide fans with a professionally produced concert delivered directly to your homes. Similar to some of our in-person concerts, these will be ticketed events. And similar to all in-person concerts at The Linda, we will insure the highest standard of production.
Coming up on The Open for Take-Out VCS we welcome Julia Alsarraf on Monday March 8, at 8 pm. You can find tickets to this show and the rest of the series at thelinda.org or keep up with us on Facebook (@thelindawamc) and Instagram (the_linda_performing_arts).
