Community Calendar

The Symphony of Westchester closes its season with an All Romantic Music Program featuring violin soloist Masha Lakisova. Conducted by Barry Charles Hoffman, the concert includes Rossini’s William Tell Overture, Elgar’s Serenade for Strings, and Dvorak’s Violin Concerto, Op. 53 in A minor.

Next up in the Berkshire Nature Talk Series:

Ryan Shea, The Nature Institute
Butterflies are among nature’s most captivating organisms, dazzling us with their colors, patterns, and the remarkable transformation from caterpillar to winged adult. But what can they teach us about the deeper rhythms of the natural world? In this talk, Ryan Shea invites us to slow down and truly observe butterflies: to notice how their shapes and colors shift and transform, and to help us discover a “living understanding of nature.” He draws on an approach to nature observation developed by the German writer and scientist Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, which asks us to follow what we actually see rather than jump to explanation.

About the Speaker: Ryan Shea is a researcher and educator at The Nature Institute in Ghent, New York, where he explores how people can develop a deeper, more meaningful connection with the natural world — with a special focus on plants and insects.

Free for West Stockbridge Historical Society members; $10 suggested donation for nonmembers. Please register at weststockbridgehistory.org.

The Berkshire Nature Talk Series is funded in part by grants from the Alford-Egremont, Richmond, and West Stockbridge cultural councils, local agencies which are supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

The inaugural Hotchkiss International Piano Competition will take place May 15 to 17, 2026 at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut. Showcasing talented pianists ages 10 to 18 from around the world, the competition features live performances in Katherine M. Elfers Hall in the Esther Eastman Music Center, adjudicated by an international jury. With three age divisions, the event will award $25,000 dollars in prizes and offer concert opportunities to outstanding participants.

The inaugural Hotchkiss International Piano Competition will take place May 15 to 17, 2026 at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut. Showcasing talented pianists ages 10 to 18 from around the world, the competition features live performances in Katherine M. Elfers Hall in the Esther Eastman Music Center, adjudicated by an international jury. With three age divisions, the event will award $25,000 dollars in prizes and offer concert opportunities to outstanding participants.

The Woodstock Symphony Orchestra closes its forty-sixth season with “Titan Unbound.” Works include Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 with conductor Mina Kim doubling as piano soloist, and Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, nicknamed “The Titan”.
The concert will be held on Saturday 05/16/26, 7:30 PM, at Saugerties High School, 310 Washington Avenue Ext., Saugerties NY 12477.
Tickets are available at woodstocksymphony.simpletix.com or at the door: Adults $40, Seniors and Veterans $35, and Students $10.
For information about the WSO, visit https://www.woodstocksymphony.org or call (845) 266-3517.

Champlain Valley Voices proudly presents a landmark musical event:

Mass for a New Millennium
by Dr. Richard Nance

Join us on Sunday, May 17 at 3:00 PM at Plattsburgh HS for a powerful and moving performance of this contemporary choral masterpiece—presented for the first time ever in New York State.

This special premiere will be made even more memorable by the presence of the composer himself, Dr. Richard Nance, who will travel from Seattle to attend the performance.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience a significant new work in the choral repertoire, brought to life by the voices of your community.

The Friends of Music of Stamford, NY 40th Anniversary Season continues on Sunday, May 17, with a 3 pm concert by the internationally acclaimed Hermitage Piano Trio. Featuring Misha Keylin (violin), Sergey Antonov (cello), and Ilya Kazantsev (piano), the Hermitage Piano Trio has solidified its place as one of the world’s leading piano trios, garnering multiple GRAMMY® Award nominations and receiving both audience and high-profile press accolades for their performances.

A rarity in the chamber music world, this elite Trio brings together three accomplished soloists in their own right. Violinist Misha Keylin has performed in 45 countries across five continents. Hailed as “a brilliant cellist” by the legendary Mstislav Rostropovich, Sergey Antonov went on to prove his mentor’s proclamation when he became one of the youngest cellists ever awarded the gold medal at the world’s premier musical contest, the quadrennial International Tchaikovsky Competition. Pianist Ilya Kazantsev has performed as a recitalist and a soloist with orchestras in Russia, Canada, Europe, and the United States; his many awards and honors include first prize at the Nikolai Rubinstein International Competition (France) as well as top prizes at the International Chopin Competition (Russia) and the World Piano Competition (USA).

This event is generously hosted by the First Presbyterian Church at 96 Main Street, Stamford, NY. Admission is by donation at the door; the suggested donation is $15 per person, $10 for seniors & students. There is no charge for those under age 13. Cash or check only; no reservations or advance sales. Visit https://friendsmusic.org for more information about this concert and the rest of the Friends of Music 2026 season.

Come enjoy an afternoon of popular tunes and contemporary songs, all performed by the Mohawk Valley Chorus! David M. Rossi directs MVC in "Listen to the Music"; Luanne Hawk is our accompanist.

Selections include Philip Kern's foot-tapping arrangement of Louis Prima's "Sing, Sing, Sing"; Eric William Barnum's haunting "The Stars Stood Up in the Air," based on a poem by Thomas MacDonaugh (1878-1916); Rodgers & Hart's "Johnny One Note," from the musical "Babes in Arms"; "Let the River Run," composed by Carly Simon; and the Doobie Brothers' classic "Listen to the Music," written by Tom Johnston.

Concert date is Sunday, May 17, 2026 at 3 pm, at Amsterdam High School.

Tickets are $20 general admission; $15 for senior citizens/students; and free for children age 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance from any chorus member.

For more information, see our Facebook page; or contact us at mohawkvalleychorusinfo@gmail.com or 518-573-7799.

(NOTE: OUR WEBSITE IS UNDER RENOVATION)

Double Concerto for Violin and Cello by Johannes Brahms, with Michael Emery, violin, and Michael Finckel, cello; Vieille Prière Buddhique by Lili Boulanger, with combined choruses of the region; Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber by Paul Hindemith

The inaugural Hotchkiss International Piano Competition will take place May 15 to 17, 2026 at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut. Showcasing talented pianists ages 10 to 18 from around the world, the competition features live performances in Katherine M. Elfers Hall in the Esther Eastman Music Center, adjudicated by an international jury. With three age divisions, the event will award $25,000 dollars in prizes and offer concert opportunities to outstanding participants.