It was with a bit of a smile that WAG read the latest press release from the Northern Dutchess Symphony Orchestra, sent to advance its Feb. 8 concert in Hyde Park.
That’s because the name Christopher Brellochs was prominent, and, you may recall, we featured the Hudson Valley musician and academic in our October issue, highlighting his “Music of the Gilded Age in the Hudson Valley” project.
Well, the talented saxophonist (we have indeed heard him play) and his wife, the singer and fellow Dutchess Community College academic Elizabeth Gerbi, are set to perform together with the NDSO at 8 p.m. Feb. 8 in a Parisian-themed, “early Valentine” concert.
Here’s how the NDSO is describing the evening:
“This romantic program, ‘French Kiss,’ includes music from ‘An American in Paris,’ ‘Les Miserables,’ highlights from ‘Moulin Rouge,’ ‘Carmen’ and the famous ‘Can-Can.’ In the second half of the program, guests chanteuse Elizabeth Gerbi, saxophoniste Christopher Brellochs and pianiste Michael Skelly will be performing a series of French-themed ballads, escorting the audience down Champs-Élysées ‘via the lens of a cabaret, and maybe a hint of Broadway’ with works by Yetson, Schwartz, and, of course, ‘Chanson D’Amour (Song of Love)’ made famous by Edith Piaf.
“Guest artists Elizabeth Gerbi and Christopher Brellochs, in addition to both being nationally and internationally recognized performers and scholars, are married and work side-by-side as music professors at Dutchess Community College. Both were invited to perform Broadway, cabaret and operatic selections in Paris and St. Maur and are delighted to revisit some highlights from their Franco-American program in addition to co-creating some brand-new arrangements specifically for this concert. Brellochs says, ‘Although our romantic trip to Paris in 2015 included the traditional long walks at night and plenty of pain au chocolat, we also performed music at the same church where illustrious 19th century composer Camille Saint-Saëns played organ. We are hoping to sample some macarons from the CIA before the performance to ensure we capture the right spirit.’”
The concert will be held in the Marriott Pavilion at The Culinary Institute of America, with additional entertainment in the lobby before the show.
Tickets for the concert are $28 for adults, $23 for seniors and $5 for students.
To complement this evening of romance, the CIA will open the Caterina de’ Medici restaurant for a special pre-performance dining experience. (For more details, or to make a reservation, call 845-905-4533 or email ciarestaurantgroup@culinary.edu. NDSO also offers a “Make a Night of It” package, which includes choice of show seating and guaranteed seating at the restaurant.
For more, visit ndsorchestra.org.
– Mary Shustack
