NPR’S CHRISTOPHER O'RILEY BRINGS FROM THE TOP TO CARAMOOR
Katonah, NY ~ May 20, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Cohn Dutcher Associates
NPR’S CHRISTOPHER O’RILEY BRINGS FROM THE TOP TO CARAMOOR
SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2011 AT 4:30 PM IN THE VENETIAN THEATER
KATONAH, NY – The 2011 Caramoor International Music Festival’s opening weekend features the return of acclaimed pianist and host Christopher O'Riley on Sunday, June 26 at 4:30 PM. He thrilled concertgoers during last summer’s Extreme Chamber Music series at Caramoor with his unique program “Out of My Hands”, and this year he is joined by a group of extraordinary young musicians for a broadcast recording of his highly-rated NPR show From the Top, live from the Venetian Theater.
Broadcast on nearly 250 stations nationwide to an audience of more than 700,000 listeners each week, Christopher O’Riley’s From the Top is one of the most popular classical music programs on radio. For over a decade, From the Top has been nurturing the next generation of musical talent; each hour-long broadcast reveals the heart and soul behind extraordinary young artists through the presentation of thrilling performances along with interviews, sketches, games, and lots of fun for the entire family. As host, O’Riley works and performs with these brilliant young musicians, demonstrating to audiences – with humor and a lack of pretense – that these young artists are as characterful and diverse in their personal lives as they are in their music-making. Over the years, alumni of From the Top have emerged with solo careers and popped up in the country’s top orchestras, and some of the most prominent figures in classical music have appeared as mentors on the show as well – including Yo-Yo Ma, Hilary Hahn, Bobby McFerrin, Midori and Béla Fleck.
About Christopher O’Riley
Christopher O’Riley’s poetic gifts and captivating virtuosity have made him one of the most important and versatile pianists today. He enjoys a thriving concert career with a singularly broad repertoire ranging from music of the English Renaissance and French Baroque periods to new works of today’s leading composers to such nonclassical forms as the tango. O’Riley had already earned critical and popular renown for his technical ability and artistic vision in adapting works from the more conventional classical canon before applying this talent to compositions by contemporary writers like Nick Drake, George Harrison, Radiohead, and Elliott Smith, following the lead of Beethoven, Bartók, and others who likewise often interpreted the popular works of their day in performances for their noble patrons. O’Riley has performed his transcriptions at major festivals in Istanbul, London, San Francisco, and Sicily as well as on tour in the U.K. He has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, and the Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and Baltimore symphony orchestras. From early in his career, O’Riley was honored with many awards at the Leeds, Van Cliburn, Busoni, and Montreal competitions, as well as an Avery Fisher Career Grant.
ABOUT CARAMOOR
Caramoor is the legacy of Walter and Lucie Rosen, who built their summer home – now known as the historic Rosen House at Caramoor – and filled it with their treasures. Walter Rosen was the master planner for the Caramoor estate, bringing to reality his dream of creating a place to entertain friends from around the world. Their musical evenings were the seeds of today’s Caramoor International Music Festival. Realizing the pleasure their friends took in the beauty of Caramoor – the house with its art collection, the gardens, and the musical programs on summer evenings – in 1946 the Rosens established a public charity to open Caramoor to the community. Lucie Rosen survived her husband by seventeen years. During those years, she expanded the Music Festival: the Spanish Courtyard was used as a setting for musical events, as it is today, and, under her direction, the great stage of the Venetian Theater was built.
Caramoor is a performing arts center, located on a unique 90-acre setting of Italianate architecture and gardens in Westchester County, NY. It enriches the lives of its audiences through innovative and diverse musical performances of the highest quality. Its mission also includes mentoring young professional musicians and providing educational programs for young children centered around music. It is often described as “a Garden of Great Music,” where audiences are invited to come early, explore the beautiful grounds, enjoy a pre-concert picnic, and discover beautiful music in the relaxed settings of the Venetian Theater, Spanish Courtyard, Music Room of the Rosen House, and the magnificent gardens.
With its unique heritage, Caramoor remains a place where magical summer days and nights are shared and enjoyed by thousands. “Caramoor is the loveliest Festival of them all.” - The New York Times
Concert Venues and Gardens
Concerts take place in two outdoor theaters: the 1714-seat, acoustically superb Venetian Theater and the more intimate, romantic Spanish Courtyard. Caramoor’s gardens are also well worth the visit and include nine unique perennial gardens. Among them are a Sense Circle for the visually handicapped, a Butterfly Garden, Tapestry Hedge, and Iris and Peony Garden, which may be enjoyed on one’s own or seen on a guided tour.
GETTING TO CARAMOOR
By car from the West Side of Manhattan and New Jersey, take the Saw Mill River Parkway north to Katonah. Exit at Route 35/Cross River. Turn right, and, at the first traffic light, make a right turn onto Route 22 south. Travel 1.9 miles to the junction of Girdle Ridge Road. Follow the signs to Caramoor. (For detailed directions call 914.232.5035 and press 2, or online at www.caramoor.org). Parking at Caramoor is free on-site on a first-come, first-served basis. Once on-site parking is full, alternate parking will be available with free shuttle bus service.
By train, take the Harlem Division of the Metro-North Railroad to Katonah, New York. Taxi service from the station to Caramoor (5 minutes away) is available.
TICKETS
Tickets are $25.00, $35.00 and $40.00. To purchase, call 914.232.1252 or visit www.caramoor.org. Groups of 16 or more may purchase discounted tickets by contacting Matthew Scarella at 914.232.5035 ext. 252 ormatthew@caramoor.org.
PICNICKING AT CARAMOOR
Extend the Caramoor experience by arriving early and enjoying a picnic amidst the beautiful gardens. Concertgoers can bring their own picnic, or order one for pick-up at Caramoor by calling Great Performances® at 212-337-6055 or online at www.greatperformances.com/caramoorpicnics.
PRESS CONTACT
For press tickets, images, or interviews, contact Whitney Holden at 917.339.7188 or wholden@cohndutcher.com
This performance is made possible, in part, through
a grant from the Sidney E. Frank Foundation
Performances are made possible, in part, by
ArtsWestchester with funds from Westchester County Government.
Performances are made possible with public funds from
the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.
The 2011 International Music Festival is supported in part by
an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
ALL PROGRAMS AND ARTISTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
CARAMOOR CENTER FOR MUSIC AND THE ARTS IS LOCATED
AT 149 GIRDLE RIDGE ROAD, KATONAH, NY.