Community Calendar

This Grammy-winning guitarist has appeared with major orchestras like the Cleveland Orchestra and Houston Symphony, and in recital at Lincoln Center. One of America’s leading guitarists this virtuoso plays a work written for him by legend Pat Metheny and other classics.

Morel: Danza Brasilera
Vieaux: Tidal Pools
Metheny: Four Paths of Light
Barrios: Vals in G Major
Bach: Prelude, Fugue, & Allegro, BWV 998
Tárrega: Capricho Arabe
Vieaux: Home
Merlin: Suite del Recuerdo

Part-time Blandford resident Eve Queler, now 95, an internationally acclaimed conductor who has guest conducted on podiums worldwide to sold-out audiences—including over 100 operas at Carnegie Hall—is the driving force behind this longstanding program now in its 31st year. This regional spectacular event will feature up-and-coming talent selected by Maestra Queler: Melanie Spector (Soprano), Catherine Wethington (Soprano), Ben Brady (Bass-Baritone), Joseph Sacchi (Tenor). Performers will sing selections from Verdi, Rossini, Mozart, Bizet, Puccini and more.

Sahana Banerjee is one of the leading female sitar players of India belonging to Rampur Senia Gharana. Sahana was born in a family of rich musical heritage and was recognized as a child prodigy at the early age of four. Sahana’s unique presentation reflects the traditional Veenkar Dhrupad Style of Rampur Senia Gharana. She is a Grade ‘A’ artist of All India Radio and National Television.
Sahana will be accompanied on tabla by Keshava Kaarthikeyan, a child prodigy who studied under Ustad Zakir Hussain and currently with Pt. Yogesh Samsi and Ray Spiegel.

Sahana Banerjee is one of the leading female sitar players of India belonging to Rampur Senia Gharana. Sahana was born in a family of rich musical heritage and was recognized as a child prodigy at the early age of four. Sahana’s unique presentation reflects the traditional Veenkar Dhrupad Style of Rampur Senia Gharana. She is a Grade ‘A’ artist of All India Radio and National Television.
Sahana will be accompanied on tabla by Keshava Kaarthikeyan, a child prodigy who studied under Ustad Zakir Hussain and currently with Pt. Yogesh Samsi and Ray Spiegel.

Rhitom Sarkar
Born in Kolkata, Rhitom Sarkar began his musical journey at the age of nine. Trained under sitar maestro Pt. Shyamal Chatterjee and guitar legend Pt. Debashish Bhattacharya, he later expanded his artistry through exposure to tabla, sarod, vocal, and meditation-based music. His style is rooted in Indian classical ragas but expanded through years of research into the fusion of Spanish and Hindustani slide guitar techniques, resulting in a signature sound that is meditative, expressive, and spiritual.
Sur-Mani Award, Sur Singar Samsad, Mumbai
All India Radio A Grade Artist
Keshava Kaarthikeyan
KESHAVA is a highly gifted young musician with an innate talent for rhythm and improvisation. A defining moment in his early career came at the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, where, at just seven years old, he performed center stage amid more than 800 percussionists from across India. Growing up, he regularly performed alongside Nadaka and his mother Gopika in Ragamantra. From an early age, he was immersed in contemporary music, East–West fusion, and South Indian rhythms through daily practice and creative exploration with Nadaka. His classical tabla training is currently under Pandit Yogesh Samsi. Another major influence has been his special connections with Zakir Hussain and with Ray Spiegel. Keshava is currently studying Ethnic Percussion & Improvisation at the Department of Jazz & Popular Music at the Friedrich Gulda School of Music in Vienna.

This event is part of Hudson Valley Community College's Fall 2026 Lunchtime Concert Series presenting the free concerts from the very best local and regional musicians. This event is free and open to the public and is presented by the HVCC Cultural Affairs Program. Attendees are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items to donate to the Viking Cupboard Food Pantry.

Maria Zemantauski is a nylon-string guitarist and composer whose style is influenced by a variety of musical genres, most notably Spanish classical, flamenco and American fingerstyle. She has performed in Spain, Italy and across the continental United States to great acclaim. Her albums, Mrs. Laughinghouse (1997), Seeing Red (2000), Under the Lemon Tree (2005), Petty Feet & Mistletoe (2010), and the self-titled Maria Zemantauski (2018) have received stellar reviews from music critics around the world.

For this performance, Maria will be joined by the Maria Z Ensemble: Sten Isachsen (mandolin and guitar), Bob Buckley (bass) and Brian Melick (percussion). Together, they create a rich and dynamic sound that reflects Maria's blend of artistic freedom, innovation and tradition.

As one reviewer wrote, "Zemantauski has continually pushed the boundaries of the possible with her trusty 6-string, blending genres that have little or no business appearing on the same bill, much less in the same song. It's rarely less than electrifying to watch her do it." Maria believes that the expressive possibilities of the guitar are limitless and pursues her music with passion, confidence and grace.

In addition to performing extensively as a soloist and with the Maria Z Ensemble, Maria maintains a private teaching studio in upstate New York and serves on the faculty of Hudson Valley Community College's Fine Arts, Theatre Arts and Digital Media Department.

This event is part of Hudson Valley Community College's Fall 2026 Lunchtime Concert Series presenting the free concerts from the very best local and regional musicians. This event is free and open to the public and is presented by the HVCC Cultural Affairs Program. Attendees are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items to donate to the Viking Cupboard Food Pantry.

Fiesta del Norte is an authentic Mariachi band that performs traditional Mexican folk and popular music dressed in traditional sombreros and “charro” outfits. The multi-talented musicians/singers perform Mariachis of Jalisco, Norteñas of Chihuahua and Marimba music of Chiapas with guitar, violin, trumpet, plus the stringed vihuela and guitarrón.

The lively program is enhanced with stories and cultural insights shared by Dave Giardina, director, who welcomes audience members to dance.

The Connecticut-based ensemble’s performance complements HVCC’s annual Día de los Muertos exhibit held in the Marvin Library.

This event is part of Hudson Valley Community College's Fall 2026 Lunchtime Concert Series presenting the free concerts from the very best local and regional musicians. This event is free and open to the public and is presented by the HVCC Cultural Affairs Program. Attendees are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items to donate to the Viking Cupboard Food Pantry.

In 2009, Stephen Guerra left his career in finance to study music full time. Today, Guerra performs and teaches Brazilian choro around the U.S. and Brazil and has played with Rogério Souza, Ronaldo do Bandolim, Sungmin Shin, Tiago Souza, Eduardo Belo, Ami Molinelli and Edinho Gerber. Guerra regularly appears at universities, festivals, cultural centers and music clubs, including the University of Louisville Guitar Festival, Northwest Jazz Festival, Folkfaces Fest, Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Buffalo International Guitar Festival, Yale University, Georgetown University Friday Music Series, Friends of Vienna Concert Series, Pausa Art House, Jazz Forum Arts and Boulder Guitar Society.

His work has been supported by numerous competitive artist grants and composer residencies. He has recorded three full-length albums — “Um Violão na Cidade Maravilhosa” (2026), “No Balanço do Choro-Samba” (2023) and “Choro in the Time of Bossa Nova” (2020) — and published sheet music with Mel Bay, Guitar Chamber Music Press and Bergmann Editions. He teaches music theory and the choro ensemble at the University at Buffalo and lives between New York and Rio de Janeiro.