Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Announces Fall Outdoor Concerts in NY and NJ

New York, NY

NEW YORK, NY (September 15, 2020) — Orpheus Chamber Orchestra announces five outdoor concerts in New York and New Jersey in September and October 2020. Small chamber groups composed of Orpheus members will perform live for limited audiences using marked seating to ensure social distancing with masks required.

Executive Director​ Alexander Scheirle​ says, “It’s been such a long spring and summer not being able to do what we love and do best: making music! We are so grateful to have this opportunity to present our musicians in these outdoor chamber music settings. We will be able to perform for you live, keeping musicians and audience socially distanced in a safe and scenic environment.”

On ​Sunday, September 20, 2020 at 5:00pm​ in the courtyard of ​The​ ​Reformed Church of Bronxville​ in Bronxville, NY and on ​Saturday, October 3, 2020 at 6:00pm​ on the rooftop of the ​Morris Museum​ in Morristown, NJ, a sextet of Orpheus members will perform a concert featuring Richard Strauss’s famed Sextet from his final opera ​Capriccio​ Op. 85 and Tchaikovsky’s ​Souvenir de Florence​ in d minor, Op. 70. The ensemble includes violinists​ Richard Rood ​and ​Eric Wyrick​, violists ​Nardo Poy ​and ​Dov Scheindlin,​ and cellists ​Eric Bartlett ​and ​Jonathan Spitz.

Orpheus returns to the rooftop of the ​Morris Museum​ on ​Saturday, October 10, 2020 at 6:00pm​ for a performance of Jessie Montgomery’s ​Strum a​ nd​ ​Brahms’s Clarinet Quintet in b minor, Op. 115, part of the museum’s Lot of Strings Music Festival. ​The New York Times r​ ecently featured ​Strum ​on their list of “Works That Will Make You Love 21st-Century Composers,” writing “I love Jessie Montgomery’s ​Strum​ because I can find myself in it. The way it searches and shifts, changing colors and textures; the way the second violin and viola join forces as the cello and first violin do the same. The way it explores and grooves and celebrates these instruments, so you feel they can do anything except land a plane.”

On ​Saturday, October 24, 2020 at 6:00pm​ at the ​Morris Museum ​and ​Sunday, October 25, 2020 at 5:00pm​ at ​The​ ​Reformed Church of Bronxville, ​a septet of Orpheus musicians perform Richard Strauss’sTill Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche,​ Op. 28 arranged by Franz Hasenöhrl and Beethoven’s Septet in E-flat Major, Op. 20, in celebration of the composer’s 250th birthday.

Orpheus is pleased to announce the election of its newest Artistic Director, violist ​Dana Kelley,​ effective September 1, 2020 through the end of the 2023 season.​ ​Kelley joins Artistic Directors ​Miho Saegusa​ and Christof Huebner, ​replacing cellist ​James Wilson​ in Orpheus’s annual artistic director rotational process

“I am excited to be taking on the role of Artistic Coordinator for the next three seasons,” says Kelley. “Orpheus has gone through many changes over the past 50 years, and I have loved watching the ensemble explore new ventures while still remaining true to its original mission. I look forward to helping shape the vision of Orpheus going forward, and hope the next 50 years are just as great!”

Scheirle agrees, “I am thrilled to welcome Dana Kelley as the newest member of our Artistic Directors team. Dana has the spirit and enthusiasm which will help keep Orpheus innovative and on our path to further push for more diversity and inclusion in our industry. It will be exciting for all of us to work with her during the coming three seasons.”

Performance Information

Sunday, September 20, 2020 at 5:00pm ET
The Reformed Church of Bronxville (Courtyard) | 180 Pondfield Rd. | Bronxville, NY
Tickets:​ Free (2 Ticket Limit). Reservations will be taken for socially-distant circles holding up to two people. Masks are required, and please bring your own lawn chair. Attendees will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Program

R. Strauss
Sextet from ​Capriccio​ Op. 85

Tchaikovsky​
Souvenir de Florence​ in d minor, Op. 70

PERFORMERS
Richard Rood, violin
Eric Wyrick, violin
Nardo Poy, viola
Dov Scheindlin, viola
Eric Bartlett, cello
Jonathan Spitz, cello

Saturday, October 3, 2020 at 6:00pm ET
Morris Museum (Rooftop) | 6 Normandy Heights Rd | Morristown, NJ
Tickets:​ $50. Tickets are $50 for an 8’x8′ block which accommodates up to 2 patrons. Please bring your own chairs. Patrons are welcome to arrive as early as 4:30pm to set up and enjoy the evening sun.

The Program

R. Strauss
Sextet from ​Capriccio​ Op. 85

Tchaikovsky​
Souvenir de Florence​ in d minor, Op. 70

PERFORMERS
Richard Rood, violin
Eric Wyrick, violin
Nardo Poy, viola
Dov Scheindlin, viola
Eric Bartlett, cello
Jonathan Spitz, cello

Saturday, October 10, 2020 at 6:00pm ET
Morris Museum (Rooftop) | 6 Normandy Heights Rd | Morristown, NJ
Tickets:​ $50. Tickets are $50 for an 8’x8′ block which accommodates up to 2 patrons. Please bring your own chairs. Patrons are welcome to arrive as early as 4:30pm to set up and enjoy the evening sun.

The Program

Montgomery
Strum

Brahms
Clarinet Quintet in b minor, Op. 115

PERFORMERS
Abigail Fayette, violin
Laura Frautschi, violin
Dov Scheindlin, viola
Jonathan Spitz, cello
Alan Kay, clarinet

Saturday, October 24, 2020 at 6:00pm ET
Morris Museum (Rooftop) | 6 Normandy Heights Rd | Morristown, NJ
Tickets:​ $50. Tickets are $50 for an 8’x8′ block which accommodates up to 2 patrons. Please bring your own chairs. Patrons are welcome to arrive as early as 4:30pm to set up and enjoy the evening sun.

The Program

R. Strauss (arr. Hasenöhrl)
Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche,​ Op. 28

Beethoven
Septet in E-flat Major, Op. 20

PERFORMERS
Miho Saegusa, violin
Dana Kelley, viola
Melissa Meell, cello
Gregg August, bass
Alan Kay, clarinet
Frank Morelli, bassoon
Eric Reed, horn

Sunday, October 25, 2020 at 5:00pm ET
The Reformed Church of Bronxville (Courtyard) | 180 Pondfield Rd. | Bronxville, NY
Tickets: ​Free (2 Ticket Limit). Reservations will be taken for socially-distant circles holding up to two people. Masks are required, and please bring your own lawn chair. Attendees will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Program

R. Strauss (arr. Hasenöhrl)
Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche,​ Op. 28

Beethoven
Septet in E-flat Major, Op. 20

PERFORMERS
Miho Saegusa, violin
Dana Kelley, viola
Melissa Meell, cello
Gregg August, bass
Alan Kay, clarinet
Frank Morelli, bassoon
Eric Reed, horn

About Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

In 1972, a group of young artists made history by creating an orchestra without a conductor in which musicians led themselves democratically. Since then, the Grammy Award-winning Orpheus Chamber Orchestra has recorded over 70 albums on all major classical labels, toured to 46 countries across four continents, and collaborated with hundreds of world-class soloists.

Orpheus’ 34 member musicians work together as a collective and rotate leadership roles for all works performed, giving flight to unconventional interpretations. This democratic structure also extends to organizational functions including programming and governance: the orchestra elects three members to Artistic Director positions and three to the Board of Trustees.

Orpheus’ 2020-21 season features collaborations with soprano Karen Slack; guitarist Pablo Sáinz-Villegas; saxophonist Branford Marsalis; pianists Fazil Say, and Angela Hewitt; and violinist Christian Tetzlaff.

An essential part of New York City’s cultural landscape, Orpheus presents annual series at Carnegie Hall and 92nd Street Y. Orpheus tours to major international venues and has appeared regularly in Japan for 30 years; recent engagements include the Prague Spring and Dresden Music Festivals and a 12-concert tour of Asia. The orchestra’s extensive discography includes a February 2019 release on Deutsche Grammophon of Mendelssohn concertos with pianist Jan Lisiecki. Champions of chamber orchestra repertoire, Orpheus has commissioned and premiered over 50 new works.

Orpheus shares its collaborative model through education and community engagement initiatives that promote equity and access to the arts for listeners of all ages around the world. These include programs for K-12 students, opportunities for emerging professional musicians, and a music and wellness program for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

For more information about Orpheus please visit www.OrpheusNYC.org or call 212-896-1700.

Public Relations

Katy Salomon, Morahan Arts & Media