Come One, Come All: Westchester’s Newest Symphony Orchestra

The ensemble welcomes musicians from the community to share their joy of playing—with its debut concert happening on March 18 in White Plains.

Local music lovers can welcome a new symphony orchestra to Westchester—one that invites amateur musicians to join for the pure love of playing music in a judgment-free environment. The New Westchester Symphony Orchestra, founded in November 2011, calls itself a community orchestra—and is made up mostly of county residents. Their mission, according to general manager Belinda Kan, is to provide the opportunity “for anyone who has ever secretly longed to play the great music they have heard on the radio and in the concert halls of New York City and beyond,” to join an ensemble. Benjamin Niemczyk, conductor and co-founder, thinks that this is a great time to start such an orchestra. “With all of the stress that many people are experiencing …

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Wagner’s 'Goetterdaemmerung:' The Exciting HD Ring-Cycle Climax [POLL]

This HD movie's encore date is not yet announced.

What a pity that it is over—this spectacular production of Wagner’s 4-part opera cycle, Der Ring des Nibelungen, which ended with a particularly triumphant Goetterdaemmerung. Offered live-in-HD in more than 1,600 movie houses in 54 countries, this 6-hour production caused tremendous excitement not only because of the now famed innovative “Machine,” but because of the marvelously successful cast and the phenomenal rendition by the Met’s orchestra.  We lucky audience members (especially if we are “Wagnerites”) were able to savor the first two operas of the Ring in last year’s live-in-HD series. This served to whet our appetites for the culmination of the cycle this season. (In the spring two complete sets of the Ring will be performed at the…

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What's That Sound?

Robert Cray Brings the Blues to Tarrytown Next Week

International blues man Robert Cray performs in Tarrytown Music Hall next Wednesday.

For a man who’s got the blues, Robert Cray is actually a pretty chipper dude. Cray will be singing and slicing off some of his trademark sizzling guitar solos at The Tarrytown Music Hall, on Wednesday. He tells funny stories, laughs easily and seems to have a firm, flexible grip on life. In fact, he’s warm and friendly enough to be your best buddy. That is, if your best buddy got to solo on an Eric Clapton album, kick it with Chuck Berry and been credited with helping to revive America’s truest, most-authentic musical art form. “I think I may have played there before,” said Cray, recently. “I play so many gigs, it’s not always easy to remember. I’ll know for sure, when I’m in the dressing room. The way it looks, how it smells. That’s how I…

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The Circus is Coming: Take the Patch Poll, Enter to Win Free Tickets

What's your favorite part of the show?

The Royal Hanneford Circus performs this President's Day Weekend in White Plains, transforming the Westchester County Center into an exciting three-ring extravaganza. The show features tigers, acrobats, mother and baby elephants, the human cannon ball, ATV daredevils, trapeze stars, acrobats, high flyers, thrilling high wire walkers and the spectacular quick change artists among other internationally acclaimed circus performers—and more. What's your favorite part of the circus? Take the Patch poll below to tell us. Also, share your memories of the circus in the comments section below. To help celebrate the circus' visit to the area, Patch is giving away six 4-packs of tickets to the shows this weekend. To enter to win tickets, email Patch …

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Moms Who Rock Around Our Towns: Hastings' Sarah Silbert Hinawi

Sarah Silbert Hinawi is co-founder and executive director of The Purple Crayon Center for Learning and Social Innovation

Each week, we're going to share with you a local mom who we think is awesome. We'll ask her some questions and hear about how she manages life with kids in our area. We hope you'll enjoy getting to know some of our neighbors. Sarah Silbert Hinawi is the co-founder and executive director of The Purple Crayon Center for Learning and Social Innovation.  She lives in Hastings-on-Hudson with with her husband, Adel and their three kids under 7, including a newborn.  1. How do you balance being a mom and working? Sarah's isn't always sure she does find a balance, but says she "tries her hardest!" She admits that it is a challenge and that she is "constantly making judgements about the best way to handle each day." She does try to keep in mind …

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Music Conservatory of Westchester Aims to Inspire Youth

A quintet performed Sunday at the White Plains Library.

A quintet of students from the Music Conservatory of Westchester performed at the White Plains Library on Sunday afternoon, hoping to educate and inspire children to develop a love of playing music themselves. Through a three year collaboration, the library and music school have offered free concert programs to the public. During today's presentation entitled, "Meet the Woodwinds," the musicians explained how their instruments work, why they chose to play them, and performed separately and together for the crowd. This was the second of three performances this season with the third "Meet The Strings" scheduled for March 11 at 2:30 pm.

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'Three Sicilian Tenors' to Perform for One Night in Elmsford

Following a sellout performance at Carnegie Hall, Aaron Caruso, Elio Scaccio and Sam Vitale will appear for the first time at the Elmsford dinner theater on Tuesday evening, Feb. 21. Their program includes Be My Love, O Sole Mio, and Music Of The Night.

  A one-night performance by tenors Aaron Caruso, Elio Scaccio and Sam Vitale has been scheduled for Feb. 21 at the Westchester Broadway Theatre. The evening's entertainment will include Mario Lanza songs and favorites of Hollywood, Broadway and Italy. Included in the tenors' repertoire are Be My Love, O Sole Mio, Nessun Dorma and selections from the Phantom of the Opera including Music of the Night. The cost of $75 per person includes dinner (service starts at 6:15 p.m.) and show. Tax and tip are additional. Westchester Broadway Theatre, 1 Broadway Plaza, Elmsford, N.Y. Box office: 914-592-2222. www.BroadwayTheatre.com  

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The Etsy Artists of Westchester: Valentine's Edition

A romantic round-up of some of the many artists selling their homemade and vintage wares on Etsy.

  Yes, roses and chocolate-covered strawberries are a must, but if you're in the market for some really unique Valentine's gifts, might we recommend the Etsy Artists of Westchester? No, this isn't a club, though it should be. We've just been clicking around Etsy.com (the Amazon.com for artisans and quirky vintage) trying to find local folk and came across so many original items in our area, that we thought we'd do some curating and compile the Best Of here. So with only a few more days left till Show Time on the 14th, let's go on a quirky virtual tour of Westchester, Etsy shop by shop:   Sleepy Hollow: Jessie Moon of The Stamp Act: featuring “Paper Art, Photography + Purpose” Here you can find an original watercolor inspired by... “Oh, …

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Clocktower Players Teen Troupe Presents 'Spring Awakening'

See the show at the Irvington Town Hall Theater Feb. 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m.

The Clocktower Players Teen Troupe will present Spring Awakening this weekend at the Irvington Town Hall Theater.  Spring Awakening, the winner of 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical. According to the Town Hall Theater's website, "It is an electrifying fusion of morality, sexuality and rock & roll that exhilarates audiences like no other musical has in years." Watch as local teens play 19th century German students navigating adolescent self-discovery and coming of age anxiety in a powerful celebration of youth and rebellion. The show is for mature audiences only; children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Learn more about Spring Awakening here. The show will play at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10 and 11. Ticket Pricing is $20 for a dults, $15 …

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