Michael is a Grammy Award winning engineer for his work recording and mixing Dianne Reeves’ A Little Moonlight (Best Jazz Vocal Album). Michael is also the mixer/engineer of 11 Grammy Award winning albums and 6 Grammy Award nominated albums, as well as 15 Platinum,19 Gold and 8 Multi-Platinum records. Simply put, most of us have heard the familiar sounds he's captured. Take for instance the Prince song “I Feel For You”, recorded by Chaka Kahn, or the very first single, “You Give Good Love”, from Whitney Houston's debut album, Whitney Houston.

Michael began his career at New York's legendary Atlantic Records Recording Studios as an assistant engineer where he honed his craft. He gained experience working with a range of mega artists-- from The Rolling Stones, Bette Midler, Average White Band, George Carlin, and James Taylor to Aretha Franklin and Charles Mingus.

Michael had the distinguished honor of working alongside legendary Producer Arif Mardin on virtually all of Arif's projects over the last 30 years.

In addition, he has taught as an adjunct instructor of Music Engineering at NYU.

Winner of the 2019 GRAMMY Award for Best Chamber Music/ Small Ensemble Performance, violinist Keiko Tokunaga spends most of her days touring and performing globally as a soloist and chamber musician.

Keiko has performed, toured and recorded extensively with the internationally acclaimed Attacca Quartet from 2005 to 2019, and has soloed with various orchestras including the Spanish National Orchestra, Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya and Virginia Arts Festival Chamber Orchestra.

She created INTERWOVEN, a multi-cultural ensemble whose mission is to eliminate discrimination against the AAAPI (Asians, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders) community by integrating the musical traditions of the East and West.

When she is not on the road, Keiko enjoys her career as an educator. She is currently on faculty at Fordham University. www.keikotokunaga.com

Liza Donnelly is a writer and cartoonist for The New Yorker Magazine and is a contributor to CBS News, CNN, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. Donnelly’s TED talk was translated into 42 languages and viewed over 1.5 million times. The innovator of digital visual journalism called live drawing, she was the first cartoonist to be granted access on location to live draw the Academy Awards.

Donnelly is the author/editor of eighteen books, most notably Very Funny Ladies, a history of women cartoonists of The New Yorker She was a Visiting Scholar at Vassar College, a Distinguished Athena Leadership Fellow at Barnard College, a recipient of an honorary PhD from University of Connecticut.

Donnelly is the producer and director of WOMEN LAUGHING, a documentary that premiered in 2025 and will be streamed on newyorker.com in the fall of 2026.

Andrew Kaberline is a writer and producer who tells stories somewhere on the venn diagram between "scary" and "heartwarming". He writes surreal horror, touching genre fare, and anxiety-driven nightmares. His short horror script Dummy won the HollyShorts Screenwriting Competition, was produced, and debuted at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. He’s also won the ScreenCraft Animation and ScreenCraft Short Screenplay competitions (the latter, with Tallahassee Twin) and placed in the Academy Nicholl Fellowship. He was the creator and co-writer of the Serling-Award winning anthology podcast The Grayscale. He loves Criterion films, Pro Wrestling, and Survivor equal amounts.  Andrew believes a good script provides more questions than answers. 

Karyn Levitt wrote the shows Will There Still Be Singing? A Hanns Eisler Cabaret and On Hollywood and Weimar: Songs of European Composers from the Golden Age of Film and has performed them at renowned venues including the Center for Jewish History, Off-Broadway’s York Theater, Feinstein’s/54 Below, Cafe Sabarsky, Metropolitan Room, Princeton University, Brecht-Haus in Berlin and Goethe Institut-Boston and related concerts at Vassar, Amherst, and Bates Colleges, as well as Goethe Institutes in LA and Boston. She is among the leading Lied singers of the highly demanding Eisler repertoire.

In addition to being a celebrated soprano, Ms. Levitt is a distinguished producer, known for her historic collaboration with Eric Bentley, whose centennial tribute she produced and performed in at The Town Hall, now documented in the feature film Honoring Eric Bentley: A Centennial Tribute Concert. Her professional background also includes acting, composing, writing, editing, and performance coaching. www.karynlevitt.com

Clare is a multidisciplinary artist and performer whose work bridges theatre, improv comedy, and film. Based in New York City, Clare values spontaneity, authenticity, and play in all that she does both professionally and creatively.

A versatile singing actress, Ms. Jolicoeur’s credits range from opera, concert and recital to musical theater and dance, and include three years as a principal artist with the Experience Vocal Dance Company. Heralded for creating “complicated, moving” characters as well as for her “warm, rich” voice, she has been known to New York audiences for her work with modern composers. She performed in numerous premieres with the Center for Contemporary Opera and Golden Fleece/The Composers Chamber Opera, appeared with the L’Opéra Français de New York at Alice Tully Hall, and has been a concert soloist at Carnegie Hall. 

David Zayas Jr. is a Bronx native and made his Off-Broadway directorial debut with Simpatico, at the Chain Theatre. Prior to that he directed the Jesus Hopped the A Train staged reading starring Common, John Ortiz, and David Zayas at the LABs 30th Anniversary. David also directed multiple times at the Barn Series, which included three New Works in progress by Stephen Adly Gurgis.

He is a teaching artist for directing and has directed with Planet Connections, Actors Theatre of NY, NY Theater Festival, Samuel French OOB Festival, and more. Along with award winning films in over 20 festivals. David is a member of The Actors Studio’s Playwright/Directors Unit and LAByrinth Theater Company.

Also did stunts and stand in work for multiple TV productions including “Dexter”, “Dexter Resurrection”, “The Following”, “Gotham”, “Shut Eye”, and movies like “Ride” and “Annie”. Follow at dzcs4u

Alexandra has hosted and performed cabaret, most recently her tribute show, Nina & Sarah & Aretha & Alex at The Green Room 42, directed for festivals, written for storytelling events, can be seen in the short films, What Do I Owe You? and Blindsight, heard on the podcasts Parenting Is A Joke, Expired, and What Happened in Skinner.

She also has a satire series “Reince Preibus Tried…And other tales from the White House” on Facebook. In the meantime, she is a regular actor with The Playground Experiment, the alto at Madison Avenue Baptist Church, and was recently back behind the kit as part of No Name variety show house band The Summer Replacements. Lastly, don’t forget to find her on YouTube with collaborator Richard Binder as #BinderSuze. She sends is so grateful to Jeff and Ben, and the rest of her family and friends for their love and support. www.alexandradesuze.com

Program:

String Quartet in B minor - Teresa Carreño

String Quartet, Op. 89 - Amy Beach.

Melody in A flat major (arranged for string orchestra) – Louise Farrenc

String Quartet in E flat major -Fanny Mendelssohn

Musicians:

Violin: Monica Bauchwitz, Krzysztof Kuznik, Janey Choi, Sage Park

Viola: Jeremy Kienbaum, Miranda Sielaff

Cello: Kirsten Jerme, Ari Evan

Bass: Dominic Law

Caleb Clarke is a Manhattan-based writer, director, and editor who is drawn to themes of grace, shame, and redemption as well as the destigmatization of mental health issues. Caleb wrote the screenplays for three narrative short films produced through Times Square Church. Of those, his favorite project with TSC is Unseen (2023), a short he also directed and edited that explores faith and mental health. Caleb has shot and edited branded content, music videos, a dance film, and worked as an additional editor on a feature length documentary for Athletic Brewing.

Currently, Caleb resides in Washington Heights surrounded by many actor friends who helped inspire the theatrical setting of his upcoming short film An Act of Penance, which he received an Inwood Film Festival Filmmaker fund award. You can view more of his work here: calebmclarke.com. 

Samuel Wright Smith is a multimedia artist, animator and filmmaker based in Manhattan. Sam is interested in projects that blur imagined boundaries and explore connectedness. His animation work primarily utilizes less-common, low-tech physical media techniques, including watercolor, linocut print, collage cutouts, and oil pastel. Smith is interested in philosophies of social practice and dharma art.

His experimental animation work has screened at such festivals as DOCNYC, Rooftop Films, and in a documentary produced by PBS. He is an NYU Tisch Film/TV graduate.

Samuel is a lover of city park sycamore trees, halal cart falafel sandwiches and (controversially) subway rats. Learn more at www.samwsmith.net

Constanza is a multi-dimensional artist from Chile based in LA. As a multi-instrumentalist musician with powerful, expressive vocals, Constanza weaves Electro Pop infused with her Latin roots and classical music influence to create memorable melodies and epic, cinematic build-ups. Her latest release, “Cantos del Viento” is a medicine song, an evocative fusion of ancestral healing and contemporary sound that honors nature’s wisdom. Learn more at @constanzaofficial 

Dr. Lauren Britt-Elmore has the good fortune to have spent her entire career working in and with the theater. Finding her home in theater as an actor, she eventually found her place as a self-described “artist enabler.” She has cultivated that role for more than 20 years as a leader and coalition builder - crafting policy, implementing strategic plans, and leading programs. Check out the great work she is doing at The Flea Theater

IAW founder, Aaron Simms speaks about the origins of the company and the evolution of our film, stage, music and visual arts programming. Plus, he looks forward and shares what is to come next for the company with the announcement of an "anniversary gift to Inwood and Uptown NYC" in honor of our 10th year! Tune in and find out!

Born in the Dominican Republic and based uptown in Washington Heights, Manny Pérez is a Dominican American actor that has gained international recognition for his contributions to film and television. He gained significant attention for his performance in the film "Washington Heights" (2002), which he cowrote and produced. His portrayal in this independent film earned him critical acclaim, with The New York Times noting that he has "charisma to burn."

He has appeared in various television series, including "Third Watch," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," and "The Blacklist." His versatility as an actor has allowed him to take on both leading and supporting roles in numerous films, including "La Soga", which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, it's two sequels, and many others.

Manny is not only recognized for his film work but also for his humanitarian efforts. He has been involved in charitable activities, including donating shoes to families affected by Hurricane Noel in the Dominican Republic. 

Program:

Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky

Overture to The Nutcracker

Gustav Holst

Christmas Day (Choral Fantasy on Old Carols)

Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky

From the Nutcracker:

·       March

·       Trepak

George Frederic Handel

Concerto a Due Cori

Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky

From the Nutcracker:

·       Waltz of the Flowers

A Christmas Medley

Musicians:

Rie Schmidt – Flute 1, Kaoru Hinata – Flute 2 (Doubling Piccolo), Michelle Farah – Oboe 1, Setsuko Otake – Oboe 2, David Gould – Clarinet 1, Meryl Abt – Clarinet 2, RJ Kelly - Horn 1, Nancy Billmann– Horn 2, Sarah Boxmeyer – Horn 3, Laura Weiner – Horn 4, Patti Wang – Bassoon 1, Yuki Higashi – Bassoon 2, Anthony Morris– Double Bass

It’s where we take a pause at this midway point, look back at the first part of 2025, and chose to highlight a musical performance from each Live N’ Local podcast that has appeared throughout the first half of the sixth season of our On Air podcast.

This Seasonal Sampler is less of a greatest hits, and more of a critic’s pick. A curated mixtape of clashing styles and diverse forms with one thing in common – they all hail from the musical melting pot of Northern Manhattan.

2025 LIVE N’ LOCAL SEASONAL SAMPLER - Vol.2

Hot P’stromi

Xianix Barrera Flamenco

Double Entendre Music Ensemble

Curtis Turney and his Afro-Caribbean Septet

Liz Hanely and Jefferson Hamer

Leadlights Ensemble

Diana Lopez, Carla Lopez Speciale and Pablo Zinger from our Viva Tango Concert

Raun Ruffin’s Uptown Motown Throwdown

Inwood Chamber Players from our Magic of Mozart concert 

It’s where we take a pause at this midway point, look back at the first part of 2025, and chose to highlight a musical performance from each Live N’ Local podcast that has appeared throughout the first half of the sixth season of our On Air podcast.

This Seasonal Sampler is less of a greatest hits, and more of a critic’s pick. A curated mixtape of clashing styles and diverse forms with one thing in common – they all hail from the musical melting pot of Northern Manhattan.

2025 LIVE N’ LOCAL SEASONAL SAMPLER - Vol. 1

Mateo Vintimilla

Tom Nelson

String Orchestra of New York City

Combo Nuvo

Lou Bruno Jazz Quartet

Le Flor De Lis

Samuel Torres Trio

Towncryer

Rolando Briceno and his Afro-Venezuelan Latin Jazz Quintet

Inwood Chamber Players

Pablo Zinger, pianist. This concert program including tangos, milongas and valses from the early 1900’s to Astor Piazzolla, the great master of Nuevo Tango. It was recorded live on October 19, 2025 at Good Shepherd Auditorium. 

Program:

La paloma (Sebastián Yradier, Spain, 1809 - 1865, duo arr. Pablo Zinger)

                   Carla López Speziale & Diana López

La cumparsita (Gerardo Matos Rodríguez, Uruguay, 1897 - 1948)

Pato (Ramón Collazo, Uruguay 1901 - 1981)

                   Diana López

Carlos Gardel (France 1890 -1935)

Volver

Por una cabeza

                   Carla López Speziale

A media luz (Edgardo Donato, Argentina 1897 - 1963)

Se dice de mí (Francisco Canaro, Argentina 1888 - 1964)

                   Diana López

Uno (Mariano Mores, Argentina 1918 - 2016)

                   Carla López Speziale

Júrame (María Grever, México 1885 -1951, duo arr. Pablo Zinger)

                   Carla López Speziale & Diana López

Cambalache (Enrique Santos Discépolo, Argentina 1901 - 1951)

                   Diana López

Astor Piazzolla (Argentina 1921 - 1992)

Los pájaros perdidos

                   Carla López Speziale

Balada para un loco   

Yo soy María (from María de Buenos Aires)

                   Diana López

Whatever Lola Wants (Richard Adler, 1921 - 2012, Jerry Ross 1926 - 1955, USA)

I’m easily assimilated, from Candide (Leonard Bernstein, USA, 1918 - 1990)

El día que me quieras (Carlos Gardel, duo arr. Pablo Zinger)

                   Carla López Speziale & Diana López

Kimberly’s short film 'One Day', which she wrote, produced, and directed, has been making its festival run and explores one woman's experience as the world transitions to a matriarchy. Other recent producing includes the short doc film ‘Warriors of Education’ and dramatic short ‘Sound/Vision’(Jeremiah Kipp, dir.), as well as a site-specific run of John Patrick Shanley's play ‘Savage in Limbo’, the one-woman show ‘The Road Back’ (Padraic Lillis, dir.), and the devised play ‘Between the Threads: Jewish Women Project’ (Cora Cohen, dir.) For more visit: www.kimberlydillon.net

Rachel Kerry is an award-winning filmmaker & theatre director who specializes in horror comedy, musical theatre, and interactive storytelling. Her work has been hailed as "unabashed extravagance" by Time Out, "triumphantly weird" by io9, and "uncompromising parody" by The Scotsman. She received her MFA in directing from Australia’s National Institute of Dramatic Art and graduated Cum Laude from the University of Southern California. www.rachelkerry.com

Program:

The Impressario Overture K. 486

Church Sonate No. 14 in C major K. 329

Flute Quartet No. 1 in D major K. 285

· Allegro

· Adagio

· Rondo

Symphony No. 39 in E-flat major K. 543

· Adagio - Allegro

· Andante con moto

· Menuetto

· Finale- Allegro

Musicians:

Helen Campo – Flute

Kathy Halvorson - Oboe 1

Setsuko Otake - Oboe 2

David Gould - Clarinet 1

Meryl Abt - Clarinet 2

RJ Kelly - Horn 1

Nancy Billmann - Horn 2

Patti Wang - Bassoon 1

Yuki Higashi - Bassoon 2

Deb Spohnheimer - Double Bass

As a director, editor, and director of photographer, Steven Mallorca has produced a large body of work that spans across narrative, documentary, commercial, and music video film fronts. Steve co-directed, edited and shot A Peloton of One which won the 2020 Greenwich International Film Festival Audience Award, and served as the Director of Photography and Editor of the 2015 ESPN documentary, The Lost Trophy. His directorial feature debut, Slow Jam King, was hailed by the New York Times as “Do it yourself filmmaking at its purest… with spirited characters and high levels of comic energy” and won Asian Cinevision’s Emerging Director Award. Steve is also the series editor for San Francisco Opera’s 2022 Webby Award-winning documentary series, In Song, as well as Cleveland Orchestra’s performance and documentary series, In Focus. He is also an independent musician, and in December 2022, he released his 3rd album under the moniker Sulu and Excelsior, “So Ends the Honeymoon,” to critical acclaim.

She has performed at the “Apollo”, “Gotham”, “Carolines”, and more. Nicky made her reality show debut in 2016 with her spouse, Jamie Roberts on “A Question of Love”.

Her solo show, “Confessions of a Massage Parlor Madam” has raised awareness about trafficking and assault. Ms. Sunshine is a Northwestern University graduate, radio personality on www.108soul.com and co-owner of “Comedy in Harlem”, a stand-up comedy venue. For more visit www.nickysunshine.com

Welcome to a special Inwood Film Festival artist spotlight episode featuring the post screening conversation of the award-winning documentary Minted with filmmaker Nicholas Bruckman.

When the artist known as Beeple shatters records by selling a digital artwork for $69 million, it ignites a global NFT phenomenon that transforms the lives of artists around the world, but they must reckon with the controversies that threaten to collapse this wild and controversial new frontier.

For those who are not familiar with NFT’s or have not seen the film, enjoy a trailer of the film, which will no doubt leave you wanting to find out more about this phenomenon and story. Directly following, you will hear our candid interview with Nicholas Bruckman, led by Inwood Art Works Founder and Executive Producer, Aaron Simms, from the 2025 Inwood Film Festival.

The Indigenous sovereign Onondaga Nation – the Central Fire of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy – follows the Great Law of Peace, never accepted U.S. citizenship, has its own passport, and still maintains a traditional government led by Clanmothers and Chiefs, one of the world’s first true democracies that inspired the Founding Fathers and the women's suffrage movement. The film spotlights the Onondaga Nation’s tireless environmental advocacy and their legal battle with the U.S. over ancestral land taken by New York State in violation of a 1794 treaty with George Washington.

For those who have not seen the film, enjoy a trailer of the film followed by a candid interview with Inwood Art Works Founder and Executive Producer, Aaron Simms which followed the 2025 Inwood Film Festival presentation of The Good Mind.

Program:

Claudio Monteverdi - Cantata Domino

Claude Debussy - Marche Ecossaire

Giuseppe Verdi - Three Excerpts from Aida

·      Celeste Aida

·      Patri Mia

·      March

Gabriel Faure - Pavane

Johannes Brahms - Excerpts from Serenade No. 1

·      Movement I - Allegro molto

·      Movement VI - Allegro

Joseph Haydn - Excerpt from Symphony No. 99

·      Movement IV - Vivace

Jacques Offenbach - La Belle Helene Overture

Musicians:

Helen Campo - Flute 1, Kaoru Hinata - Flute 2 and Piccolo, Kathy Halvorson - Oboe 1, Setsuko Otake - Oboe 2, David Gould - Clarinet 1, Meryl Abt - Clarinet 2, RJ Kelly - Horn 1, Nancy Billmann - Horn 2, Sarah Boxmeyer - Horn 3, Sara Cyrus - Horn 4, Patti Wang - Bassoon 1, Yuki Higashi - Bassoon 2, Jeffrey Levine - Double Bass

The suite includes a collection of instrumental vignettes offering a positive message for our planet along with empowering spoken word interludes and a multi-media presentation conveying the beauty of our planet.

The performance includes the reading of quotations from notable figures on the themes of promoting positive change in society. 

It was recorded live on April 27, 2025 at the Church of the Good Shepherd to a full house. 

Program:

The One World Suite - Comp. Rich Shemaria

1. Prelude to the Dawn

2. The Dawn

3. The Desert

4. The Clouds

5. The Steppes of Mongolia

6. Northeast Sky

7. One World

Other featured songs:

Open Sky - comp. Rich Shemaria

Vivian and Her Sister- comp. Dave Schroeder

Groove Time - comp. Dave Schroeder 

Musicians:

Dave Schroeder, Mongolian Ever Buree, chromatic harmonica, piccolo, alto flute, soprano saxophone

Ethan Helm, alto saxophone, clarinet, alto flute

Brad Shepik, acoustic guitar, tambura

Rich Shemaria, composer and pianist

Bob Sabin, acoustic bass

Tim Keiper, percussion

Violin 1: Suzanne Gilman, Yukie Handa, Katherine Hannauer

Violin 2: Chala Yancy, Katie Von Braun, Diane Yang

Viola: Claire Chan, Rebecca Osborn

Cello: Roger Shell, Gena Taylor

Readers: Ellen Colcord, Barry Kogan, Aaron Simms, Chris Whitney

Video: Ellen Colcord in collaboration with artist Yann Toma

Jay Marks is a New York based animator and filmmaker who collaborates with musicians, comedians, and artists of all kinds. His work includes AMC's Emmy award winning Better Call Saul Employee Training web series, Paul Schaffer and Bill Murray's Happy Street music video, and his most recent short film A Walk in the Park has played at genre festivals worldwide and is about to finish it's festival run in his old stomping grounds at the Inwood Film Festival. Check out more of his work at www.jaymarks.net

Howard attended Pratt Institute and California Institute of the Arts in the late Seventies and his art-making career has mostly involved moving images, First using 16mm film, then video and digital images. His movies have been made to be projected on unusual surfaces, such as the side of a cliff or into the corner of a room. Howard spent two decades doing freelance animation, mostly working on Sesame Street and other similar shows. He began teaching video and animation

classes in the early nineties, and has taught 3D computer animation to college students, but he professes his real love is stop-motion animation.  In recent years, he has been working primarily with special ed students.

Howard began working with collaged objects about 20 years ago and has ongoing installations in various locations around Uptown Manhattan.  He has shown his collage work several times up in Yonkers, Soapbox Gallery in Brooklyn, Le Petit Versailles in the East Village, and at the Tufano Gallery in Cobleskill, NY. He is currently working on an ongoing series of collages called WALLPAPER which are used to cover the walls of large spaces.

Francisco Alvarado is an internationally recognized New York artist born in Honduras, has had over 50 individual and 90 group exhibitions. His artwork is represented in various permanent museum collections including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Everson Museum of Art and Museo Pablo Serrano in Zaragoza, Spain.www.franciscoalvarado.com

Monet Hurst-Mendoza is from Los Angeles and lives in Inwood, NYC. Her plays have been developed with The Alley Theater, Rising Circle Theater Collective, Astoria Performing Arts Center, WP Theater, The Public Theater, Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, Westport Country Playhouse, and Long Wharf Theatre.

Monet was a writer/producer for seasons 21-24 of "Law and Order: SVU,” is a 2025 NYSCA Artist Grantee, and a proud member of The Kilroys, The Dramatist Guild, and WGAE.

It was recorded live on March 30, 2025 at the Church of the Good Shepherd to a full house. 

Program:

G. Bacewicz – Quartet #3

J. Sibelius – Suite Champetre

R. Gliere – String Sextet

Musicians:

Violin: Anna Lim, Arthur Moeller, Keiko Tokunaga

Viola: Jessica Thompson, Molly Goldman

Cello: Mihai Marica, Kirsten Jermé

Bass: Dominic Law

Our guests are plein air painter, Elissa Gore, filmmaker, actor and comedian, Adam Elliott, and muralist and painter, Daniel Bonilla.

Each of these artists are longtime residents of Inwood, and in their own way, have put a spotlight on arts and culture in our Uptown Community.  

Barbara Erin Delo is a Costume Designer and Artisan working in dance, theatre and opera. A New York native, she has previously designed costumes for Williamstown Theatre Company, Bay Street, Berkshire Theatre Group, Theatre at St Clements, Judson Church, The Flea, Hideaway Circus, York Theatre, Capital Repertory Theatre, Castillo Theatre, Martha Graham Dance Company, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Parsons Dance Company, Megan Williams Dance Projects, Battery Dance Company, NYC Fringe Festival, Chain Theatre Company, Third Rail Productions as well as many other NY and regional theatres. In addition, she studied costume design at SUNY Binghamton and NYU Tisch. For more info visit www.barbaraerin.com

Yuby Hernandez is a New York City Native from Washington Heights and has over a decade of experience in non-profit management experience. Besides her non-profit work, she has a passion for documentary film having co-directed Venticinco: El Domino and Un Trabao Honesto, and directed Un Bizcocho Para Mi.  She has worked for the Gotham Film and Media institute, Tribecca Film Festival, SFFILM, and Associate Produced the Documentary Aftershock. In addition, is a graduate of Wellesley College, and has attained an MFA from the School of Visual Arts SocDoc program.

Jana La Sorte has lived in Washington Heights since 2007 and in NYC since 1999. Her background is in arts & culture, community engagement, politics and park management. She joined NYC Parks in 2020 as the Administrator of Historic Harlem Parks before becoming the Administrator of northern Manhattan parks in 2023.

Hannah Eakin is an Arkansas-born, New York City-based actress, singer, writer, and filmmaker. She is a member of Actors’ Equity Association, holds her BM in Music Theatre from Oklahoma City University, works regularly with the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players, and has performed roles like Mary Poppins and Irene Molloy in Hello, Dolly! in regional houses and venues throughout New York City.

As a creator, she finds inspiration in the intimate, complex, and often overlooked narratives of women throughout history. Her screenplays have garnered recognition from the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards and ScreenCraft Drama Screenplay Competition, her musical adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel, Jane Eyre, is a recipient of the New York State Council on the Arts FY24 Support for Artists Grant, and her short film The Poet’s Daughter received a grant from the Inwood Film Festival Filmmaker Fund.

A self-taught director, she delights in studying the styles and techniques of great filmmakers and innovators. Her ongoing work includes The Sara Teasdale Project, an expansive poetry and film history project culminating in 92 short films. www.hannaheakin.com

Born and raised in New York City, Porfirio Figueroa is a former triple threat who was fortunate to have danced for the legendary Jerome Robbins, and the great Michael Bennett in shows such as “West Side Story” (having played both Chino and Bernardo) and “A Chorus Line” (having played both Mark Anthony and Paul). He has also worked in TV, film and theater in various capacities as a director, playwright, lyricist, and producer.

Locally, he is an active member of Fort Washington Collegiate Church where he conceived, developed, and executed “The Salon Hang,” an art showcase for the Upper Manhattan community featuring over 44 local artists. Porfirio has advised numerous not-for-profit organizations and notable clientele on development, execution, and community outreach. Furthermore, he has advised the Washington Heights Chamber Orchestra, served as a Board Member of the Dance Project of Washington Heights, and AYUDA for the Arts.

He is a Cum Laude Graduate of the State University of New York at Binghamton, and currently serves as the Deputy Director of Community Affairs for the Office of the Manhattan Borough President, Mark Levine.

This career began in 1986 as a production assistant and has continued to this day where Matt is a Producer, Assistant Director and Unit Production Manager. He has been a member of the Director’s Guild of America for 33 years and many of the spots he has worked on would be familiar to millions of people.

She is the co-founder of Form & Pressure Films, a production company dedicated to impact and inclusion. Its first film, Marisol, won the 2019 HuffPost Impact Award and was licensed by HBO. Other films she’s produced can be seen on DUST, Tubi, Amazon Prime, Omeleto, and at film festivals all over the world. www.laurensowa.com

Born in Logan, Utah, Tom received a Bachelor’s of Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas and a Master’s of Jazz Composition from the Manhattan School of Music. He has composed works for string quartet, jazz orchestra and chamber jazz ensemble, songs for soprano, violin and piano and composed for small jazz ensemble as well. Tom is also active as a Musical Director on the New York cabaret scene and works as a rehearsal pianist and dance accompanist. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and two daughters. www.tomdnelson.com



Enjoy this exclusive live post-screening conversation from the 2024 Inwood Film Festival with Daniel McNally, Mike Hussey, Brendan Carroll and Thom MacNamara with host, Aaron Simms.

It’s where we recap and take a look back at the second part of 2024, and chose to highlight a musical performance from each Live N’ Local podcat that has appeared throughout the first half of the fifth season of our On Air podcast. This Seasonal Sampler is less of a greatest hits, and more of a critic’s pick. A curated mixtape of clashing styles and diverse forms with one thing in common – they all hail from the musical melting pot of Northern Manhattan.

2024 LIVE N’ LOCAL SEASONAL SAMPLER - Vol. 2

Monica Bauchwitz and Karl Kramer-Johansen

Crowd Funk

Curtis Turney & Afro-Caribbean Septet

Raun Ruffin & the Sons of Funk

Xianix Barrera Flamenco

Liz Hanley and The Murphy Beds

The Uptown Guitars

Double Entendre Music Ensemble

Hot Glue and the Gun

Edge

Dominican Folkloric Squad

Caballito Negro

Inwood Chamber Players

On Air Concert: Selections from The Nutcracker

A holiday concert performed by the Inwood Chamber Players with arrangements by Inwood resident, Gilbert Dejean. This concert was recorded on December 8, 2024 at 2pm at Good Shepherd Auditorium – 620 Isham Street.

Program:

Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky

Excerpts from The Nutcracker

· Overture miniature

· Waltz of the Flowers

· March

· Trepak

Benjamin Britten – Harp Interlude from A Ceremony of Carols

Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky

Excerpts from The Nutcracker

· Dance of the Mirlitons

· No. 14 Pas de Deux

· Mother Gigone

· Act I Scene 6

Harp Interlude – We Three Kings

Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky

Excerpts from The Nutcracker

· Danse Arabe

· Scene 8th – In the Pine Forest

· Waltz Finale and Apotheosis

Musicians:

Rie Schmidt – Flute 1, Kaoru Hinata – Flute 2 (Doubling Piccolo), Michelle Farah – Oboe 1, Setsuko Otake – Oboe 2 (Doubling English Horn), David Gould – Clarinet 1, Meryl Abt – Clarinet 2, RJ Kelly - Horn 1, Tim McCarthy – Horn 2, Sarah Boxmeyer – Horn 3, Patrick Milando – Horn 4, Liann Cline – Harp, Patti Wang – Bassoon 1, Yuki Higashi – Bassoon 2, Deb Spohnheimer – Double Bass

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Inwood Art Works

On Air Concert: Birds, Bees and Electric Fish

Enjoy this flute and percussion concert "Birds, Bees and Electric Fish" featuring Caballito Negro + Friends. Caballito Negro: Tessa Brinckman, flutes, Terry Longshore, percussion with Lisa Cella, flute and Dustin Donahue, percussion. Carlo Lopez-Speciale provided Spanish translation. This concert was performed on October 27, 2024 at 2pm at Good Shepherd Auditorium.

PROGRAM (PROGRAMA)

Two Seaming | Jane Rigler

Lisa Cella, Tessa Brinckman – flutes (flautas)

music for the small hours (música para las primeras horas de la mañana) | Emma O’Halloran

Dustin Donahue, Terry Longshore – percussion (percusión)

No. 13 | Stuart Saunders Smith

Lisa Cella – flute (flautas), Dustin Donahue – percussion (percusión)

Itch | Will Rowe

Tessa Brinckman - alto flute (flauta alto), Terry Longshore - snare drum (caja)

INTERMISSION

Birds, Bees, Electric Fish | Juri Seo

Birds

Bees

Electric Fish

Tessa Brinckman - flute/alto flute/found sounds (flauta/flauta alto/sonidos encontrados), Lisa Cella - flute/piccolo/ocarina/found sounds (flauta/flautín/ocarina/sonidos encontrados), Terry Longshore – percussion (percusión), Dustin Donahue - percussion (percusión)

Inwood Art Works On Air podcast is a free program produced by Inwood Art Works. Aaron Simms, Founder and Executive Producer. You can support this program by making a tax-deductible donation at www.inwoodartworks.nyc/donate.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Inwood Art Works programming is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Caballito Negro gratefully acknowledges the following support for the live concert performance of Birds, Bees & Electric Fish: 2024 grant from Chamber Music America’s Artistic Projects program, funded through the generosity of The Howard Gilman Foundation; 2024 UMEZ grant, administered by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council; Inwood Art Works; University Of Maryland Baltimore County Music Department for rehearsal space and percussion in preparing for this concert.

Program:

The Magic Flute Overture

Arias:

·        Der vogelfanger bin ich ja (I am the bird catcher)

·        Hm! hm! hm! (Papageno's mouth is locked)

·        Du feines Taubchen nur herein (Sweet little dove, come in)

·        Wie stark ist nicht dein Zauberton (How powerful must be your magic sound)

Arranged by Joseph Heidenreich

Divertimento in F for 2 Oboes, 2 Horns, 2 Bassoons

·        Theme and variations

·        Menuetto

·        Allegro assai

Original arrangement by Mozart

Symphony No. 39 1st Movement

·        Adagio- Allegro

Arranged by Gilbert Dejean

Sextet for 2 Clarinets, 2 Horns and 2 Bassoons

·        Allegro

·        Andantino

·        Allegro

Arranged from the Mozart Horn Quintet K. 407 by Anonymous 

The Magic Flute

Arias:

·        Das klinget so herrlich (That sounds so glorious!)

·        Wie? wie? wie? (How, how, how?

·        Alles fuhlt der Liebe Freuden (All men respond to love's pleasures)

·        Ein Madchen oder Weibchen wunscht Papageno sich! (I wish for a girl or a little wife)

·        arranged by Joseph Heidenreich

·        Der Holle Rache kocht in Meinem Herzen (The vengeance of hell boils in my heart)

Arranged by Gilbert Dejean

Musicians:

Michele Farah - Oboe 1, Setsuko Otake - Oboe 2, David Valbuena - Clarinet 1, Meryl Abt - Clarinet 2, RJ Kelly - Horn 1, Nancy Billmann - Horn 2, Patti Wang - Bassoon 1, Gilbert Dejean - Bassoon 2

To watch this concert, check out the video version on Inwood Art Works YouTube Channel.



To watch this concert, check out the video version on Inwood Art Works YouTube Channel.

To watch this concert, check out the video version on Inwood Art Works YouTube Channel.

You can watch the video version of the performance on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/wUITZvdVne4

Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves Michael Kamen

Bassoon quintet (arr. Michael Elderkin)

The Adventures of Robin Hood Erich Korngold

(arr. Gilbert Dejean)

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex Erich Korngold

(arr. Gilbert Dejean)

Cantina Band from Star Wars John Williams

(arr. Gilbert Dejean)

Musicians:

Michelle Farah, Ellen Gruber, bj Karpen, Setsuko Otake, oboes

William Meredith, Nancy Ranger, English horns

Patricia Wang, Liz Rosa, Atsuko Sato, Yuki Higashi, bassoons

Susanne Chen, contrabassoon

To watch this concert, check out the video version on Inwood Art Works YouTube Channel.

Featuring: Xianx Barrera, Alfonso Cid and Jackson Scott

Raun Ruffin - Vocals

The Sons of Funk:

Venlo Odum - Drums

Thomas Hutchings - Sax

Jonathan Arons - Trumbone

Ruben Austin - Bass

Chris Militari - Guitar

Perrita Kitson - vocals

Howie Robbins - Keys

Band members:

Curtis Turney: percussion/ trombone/ bandleader

Roberto Pitre: saxophone/ flute

Ozzy Cardona: trumpet

Christopher Velazquez: congas

Tommy Fernandez: timbales

Enrique Haneine: piano

Sergio Larios: bass

Program:

A Night In Tunisia (D. Gillespie)

Bluesette (T. Thielmans, N. Gimble)

Killer Joe (B. Golson)

Aspects (H. Ramírez)

Work Song (N. Adderley, O. Brown, Jr.)

Take Five (P. Desmond)

Inwood Art Works On Air podcast is a free program produced by Inwood Art Works. Aaron Simms, Founder and Executive Producer. You can support this program by making a tax-deductible donation at www.inwoodartworks.nyc/donate.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Inwood Art Works programming is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Band members:

James Noyes - saxophone & vocals

Peter Holsberg - trumpet & Flügelhorn

Asher Ben-Or - guitar

Keith Burton - keyboards & vocals

Craig Akin - bass

David Degge - drums

Program:

Average White Band – Pick Up the Pieces

Pass the Peas -The J.B.’s

Meters – Hey Pocky A-Way/Saints Go Marching

Bill Withers – Use Me

Bill Withers – Lovely Day

Thundercat – Them Changes

James Noyes – You Slay Me

Maceo Parker – Shake Ev’rything You Got

The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk

Inwood Art Works On Air podcast is a free program produced by Inwood Art Works. Aaron Simms, Founder and Executive Producer. You can support this program by making a tax-deductible donation at www.inwoodartworks.nyc/donate.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Inwood Art Works programming is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

It’s where we take a pause at this midway point, look back at the first part of 2024, and chose to highlight a musical performance from each Live N’ Local podcat that has appeared throughout the first half of the fourth season of our On Air podcast. This Seasonal Sampler is less of a greatest hits, and more of a critic’s pick. A curated mixtape of clashing styles and diverse forms with one thing in common – they all hail from the musical melting pot of Northern Manhattan.

2024 LIVE N’ LOCAL SEASONAL SAMPLER

Inwood Chamber Players from “Dancing Through the Centuries Concert”

Kat Modiano

Lars Woodul & David Wolfson

Big Tent

Inwood Chamber Players from our “European Masters” Concert

Hailed as an “excellent violinist” by the Washington Post, Monica Bauchwitz performs extensively in chamber music, orchestral and solo settings. Ms. Bauchwitz has studied and worked both in the United States and Europe. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music and the Conservatoire de Geneve, she has held positions with L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Geneva, Switzerland, and the Esbjerg Ensemble-the national Danish chamber ensemble. Ms. Bauchwitz is the founder of the Manhattan chamber music series “Concerts in the Heights”. This series brings together world-class musicians for performances and educational projects. She is concertmaster and Artistic Director of the conductor-less String Orchestra of New York City.

Norwegian horn player Karl Kramer-Johansen is a much sought-after chamber musician, soloist and recitalist. As a member of the Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players and the Dorian Wind Quintet, he performs regularly in New York City as well as touring across the country. He is a winner of many prizes and awards – including a two-time winner of the American Horn Competition, the George and Elizabeth Gregory Award for Excellence in Performance, the American Scandinavian Society Cultural Award, as well as a 2010 working grant from the Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance.

With arrangements by Inwood resident, Gilbert Dejean. 

Featuring soloists:

Helen Campo - Flute

Danny Miller - Cello

Setsuko Otake - Oboe

Program:

Johannes Brahms

Hungarian Dance No. 4

Ottorino Respighi

From Ancient Airs and Dances Suite No. 2 - Laura Soave

Serge Prokofiev

From Romeo and Juliet - Dance of the Knights

Antonin Dvorak

Concerto for Cello and Orchestra op. 104

2nd Movement Adagio, ma non troppo

Danny Miller - Cello Soloist

Ottorino Respighi

From Ancient Airs and Dance Suite No. 2 - Danza Rustica

Maurice Ravel

Pavane

Ottorino Respighi

From Ancient Airs and Dances Suite No. 2 - Bergamasca

Giocomo Puccini

Senza Mamma from Suor Angelica

Setsuko Otake - Oboe Soloist

Franz Doppler

Fantasie Pastorale Hongroise

Helen Campo - Flute Soloist

Almicare Ponchielli

Dance of the Hours from La Gioconda

Musicians:

Helen Campo - Flute 1, Kimberly O'Hare - Flute 2 and Piccolo, Setsuko Otake - Oboe 1, Karen Birch Blundell - Oboe 2, Meryl Abt Greenfield - Clarinet 1, Jackie Gillette - Clarinet 2, RJ Kelly - Horn 1, Nancy Billmann - Horn 2, Sarah Boxmeyer - Horn 3, Laura Weiner - Horn 4, Patricia Wang - Bassoon 1, Yuki Higashi - Bassoon 2, Jeffrey Levine - Double Bass, Danny Miller – Cello, Violetta Norrie - Harp

The Shrine of St. Frances Cabrini houses the remains of Mother Cabrini, the patron saint of immigrants. This peaceful chapel overlooking the Hudson River is nestled right here in Northern Manhattan. The land was purchased by Mother Cabrini herself in 1899 to house a boarding school for upper-class girls, and she used the tuition to fund orphanages and free schools for the poor. The shrine continues today to be a sacred space to pray, rest and draw close to Jesus through the intercession of St. Frances Cabrini. www.cabrinishrinenyc.org

Lars Woodul has performed as a soloist in professional opera and concert in the US and abroad, specializing in 20thcentury repertoire. He created roles for premières with New York’s Center for Contemporary Opera, including The Secret Agent and Enemies, A Love Story; Marc Blitzstein’s Sacco and Vanzetti; and Seymour Barab’s License to Marry at the York Theater. On the New York concert stage, he has appeared with the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, Lincoln Center’s Meet the Artist Series, and many others.

David Wolfson holds a PhD in composition from Rutgers University, and has taught at Rutgers University, Montclair State University, Hunter College and Penn State University. He is enjoying an eclectic career, having composed opera, musical theatre, touring children’s musicals, and incidental music for plays; choral music, band music, orchestral music, chamber music, art songs, and music for solo piano; comedy songs, cabaret songs and one memorable score for an amusement park big-headed-costumed-character show. Most recently, his Fortune’s Children was (probably) the first opera to be performed live over Zoom; it and its sequels Changing Fortunes and Family Fortunes make up (almost certainly) the first serialized opera. His CD Seventeen Windows, featuring the solo piano suite "Seventeen Windows" and the Sonata for Cello and Piano, is available from Albany Records, iTunes and Amazon.com.

In 2007, she founded SAM Fundraising Solutions, a consultancy specializing in fundraising for art conservation and historic preservation and assisting European organizations with their “American Friends” groups. Her clients in the UK include English Heritage, the American Friends of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the National Museums of Scotland, and in the US the Renee and Chaim Gross Foundation and the Merchant’s House Museum. She has served on several boards, and is currently a member of the Metropolitan Museum’s Textile Conservation Lab Visiting Committee. She is currently working on a book that explores careers in culture.  www.samathisen.com

We talk to him about his activism, affordable housing for artists, his love for Uptown and so much more! Listen up!

Modiano resided in Copenhagen for over a decade before moving to New York City in 2005 to study composition at New York University with Dr. Dinu Ghezzo. She received her Master of Arts degree in Liberal Studies from Empire State College, in New York City in 2018, specializing in Music for Social Change.

With performances and commissions spanning Europe, Israel, Japan, USA and Canada, Modiano’s work includes acoustic and electroacoustic music in the following idioms: contemporary, classical, contemporary-improvisation, progressive-jazz, tango, electronic-acoustic live soundtracks to silent films, and music for choreography. She also performs therapeutic concerts at nursing homes, hospices, shelters, detention centers, and charity concerts for social causes. As an educator, Modiano teaches flute locally and globally, including teaching interactive music appreciation groups. www.modianomusic.net

Aqui franchise. Which is a Dominican romantic comedy set in New York City. Mangu 2, which premiered last night, follows the path of Young Robert, and expounds on the struggles and resilience of a Dominican family living in the United States. Carlitos is the writer, and Christoper plays the role of “Young Roberto.” Listen in as we talk about their work in front and behind the camera of Mangu Aqui.

Program:

Ferenc Farkas - Contrafacta Hungarica

·       Basse Danse

·       Gagliarda

·       Passamezzo

·       Saltarello

·       Interlude

·       Heiduckentanz

Gordon Jacob - The Elizabethan Fancies

·       The Carman's Whistle

·       A Toye

·       Quodling's Delight

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Menuet from Symphony No. 39

Johannes Brahms - Hungarian Dances 3 and 7

Antonin Dvorak - Slavonic Dances 9 and 15

Emile Waldteufel - Skaters Waltz

Peter Lawrance – Boogie

Musicians:

Michele Farah - Oboe 1

Ellen Gruber - Oboe 2

David Valbuena - Clarinet 1

Jackie Gillette _ Clarinet 2

Karl Kramer - Horn 1

Sara Dellaposta- Horn 2

Patti Wang - Bassoon 1

Gilbert Dejean - Bassoon 2

On returning to NYC in the late 1970s, he became a free-lance player, concentrating on both Broadway and concert work. Since his return he’s been a member of the Brooklyn Philharmonic, American Symphony Orchestra, and the New York Pops. Among the many Broadway shows he’s performed on are “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” “End of the Rainbow,” and “Guys and Dolls.” Lou has also performed on the soundtracks to many major Hollywood films. He worked in Elaine Stritch’s band for eleven years on her one-woman Broadway show, “Elaine Stritch at Liberty,” and her night club appearances at the Carlyle Hotel. He appears in the 2012 documentary film about her, entitled “Shoot Me.” Check out www.thebridgeportjazztrio.com

Her own themed exhibitions began in 2013. At her Rabbi’s suggestion, she brought artists, poets, and dancers together on the themes of surviving war and thriving. After hearing survivors give thanks to those who helped them, she went on to honor community neighbors and others on the themes of being thankful, volunteering, making choices, being a human angel, celebrating a spiritual home, welcoming the stranger, and lives that have been disrupted. Her next themed exhibition, set to open in early February 2024, is named Time to Meet Mother Nature.

Regina is also a photographer whose photo Pigeons was chosen by Artists Unite-MTA’s Subway Elevator Project of 2013 for the 190th St. “A” train station, and her photo Fx Cam – Ft. Tryon Tree was chose by the NMAC postcard project of 2017. She has displayed her collages and assemblage art at Our Savior’s Atonement Lutheran Church’s Creations Projects, and RING Garden’s annual Art in the Garden. For more info: HebrewTabernacle.org

• Living It All Wrong (Pure/Mercury Records 1996)

• The Man in a Jupiter Hat (Bonafide/Mercury Records 2000)

• I’ve Forgotten Everything (Bonafide/Urban Myth Recordings 2006)

• Album No. 4: Trying to Put the Things Together that Never Been Together

Before (Bonafide/Urban Myth 2012)

• Dr. Future (Bonafide/Urban Myth 2023)

Lee has had extensive training in classical piano, jazz piano and composition. In spite of that, he writes music that has meaning and sticks in the brain. Lee lives in NW Bronx with his wife and two children. Check out more of his music at www.leefeldman.com

It’s where we take a pause at this end of the season, look back at the second part of 2023, and chose to highlight a musical performance from each Live N’ Local podcasts that has appeared throughout the second half of the fourth season of Inwood Art Works On Air. This Seasonal Sampler is less of a greatest hits, and more of a critic’s pick. A curated mixtape of clashing styles and diverse forms with one thing in common – they all hail from the musical melting pot of Northern Manhattan.

2023 LIVE N’ LOCAL SEASONAL SAMPLER

Ruth Cunningham

Brian Morales

Pedro Da Silva

Inwood Chamber Players

Double Entendre Music Ensemble

The concert was recorded live on December 3, 2023 at Good Shepherd Auditorium in Inwood, NYC.

Holiday Concert Program:

Excerpts from The Nutcracker - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

• Overture Miniature

• Waltz of the Flowers

Excerpts from The Messiah - George Frideric Handel

• All We, like Sheep, Have Gone Astray

• Glory to God

• For Unto Us A Child Is Born

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

• Marche

• Danse Arab

• Trepak

George Frideric Handel

• Lift Up Your Heads

• Hallelujah Chorus

Serge Prokofiev

• Troika from Lieutenant Kije Suite

Musicians:

Oboes: Michelle Farah, BJ Karpen, Setsuko Otake, Alexis Porcaro,

English horns: Ellen Gruber, Ryan Walsh

Bassoons: Yuki Higashi, Melissa Kritzer, Shotaro Mori, Atsuko Sato

Contrabassoon: Dirk Wels

Program:

Georges Bizet - Suite from Carmen

Giacomo Puccini - Un Bel Di from Madame Butterfly (Clarinet)

Giuseppe Verdi - Sempre Libera from La Traviata (Flute)

Giaccomo Puccini - Senza Mamma from Suor Angelica (Oboe)

Franz Strauss - Concerto for Horn Op 8 1st Movement (Horn)

Julius Fucik - The Old Brown Bear (Bassoon)

Johannes Brahms - Hungarian Dance No. 1

John Phillip Sousa - The Liberty Bell March

Musicians:

Helen Campo, Flute and Piccolo

Setsuko Otake, Oboe

Meryl Abt, Clarinet

RJ Kelly, French Horn

Gilbert Dejean, Bassoon

Equally acclaimed as a film music composer, Pedro received awards at the Cannes Film Festival, Sundance, South by Southwest, and at the Venice Biennale. The films he has worked on have been the official selection of more than 60 international festivals. Pedro is a faculty member at New York University teaching composition, guitar, mandolin, banjo, and sitar. He also presents masterclasses and lectures internationally at museums, universities, and other artistic institutions. www.pedrodasilva.com

Xianix is a dedicated teacher with a thriving flamenco school in NYC for people of all ages, levels and abilities while conducting workshops for the Joyce Theater and New York City Center during their annual flamenco festival. For more information visit www.xianix.com

Colin is a founding member of the Kiley Ensemble, a contemporary theater group in New York City, and he draws on his own experience as an actor to help shape his directorial and writing approach. Born in Iceland, Colin enjoyed a rather nomadic childhood and early adulthood, living in countries on four different continents. He currently calls both Virginia and New York City home.

www.patriciashortfilm.com

She was a film and TV major in high school in Israel specializing in scriptwriting, producing and editing. She became a permanent resident through an application of excellence in the field of production. Her acting credits include Last Week Tonight, and The Path, starring Aaron Paul. Chen's first film, The Book of Ruth, starring Tony and Emmy Awards nominee, Tovah Feldshuh, has been in numerous festivals in the U.S. and abroad, including Cinequest, the Chelsea Film Festival, the Vancouver International Film Festival and more. The film won Best Narrative Short at the San Diego Jewish Film Festival, Best Family Short at the Deep in the Heart Film Festival, Best Narrative Short at the South Dakota Film Festival, and more. Since it concluded its run at the festival circuit, it had more than 125K views online through Omeleto. Her second film, But I'm a Shoe, starring The Legend of Korra's Janet Varney, won Best Script at the SENE Film Festival and is set to premiere in late 2023. www.chendrachman.com

His chamber ballet, Strangers, was his first serious large-form work for woodwind quintet, percussion and 4 dancers -- completed during the pandemic. Brian, being no stranger to orchestral writing, won first place in the Pittsburgh Philharmonic EQT Young Composer Contest and, as both a Talis and Alba Music scholar. He received his M.M. in composition from the Manhattan School of Music and B.M. from California State University Fullerton. Find out more at www.brianmorales.net

Located on the Audubon Terrace Broadway between 155th and 156th streets, the Hispanic Society Museum & Library was founded by Archer Milton Huntington in 1904, as a free, public museum and library for the study of the art and culture of Spain, Portugal, Latin America, and the Philippines. HSM&L houses a vast collection of paintings, watercolors, drawings, prints and photographs, as well as sculpture and decorative objects dating from the first millennium BCE to the 20th century. The library offers an unparalleled collection of over 300,000 books and periodicals dating from the 11th century to the present.

As HSM&L continues comprehensive renovation of its buildings it has maintained and expanded its public and educational programs both in virtual platforms and in person, including its popular concert series, public lectures, and launching of temporary exhibition spaces. They have reactivated the outdoor space with exhibitions and public programs on Audubon Terrace in partnership with several local artists and community arts organizations. www.hispanicsociety.org

She has exhibited in various group shows and in 2019, she curated "Cultural Cousins: a show of Filipinx and Latinx artists" for ChaShaMa, New York, NY. In addition, Jeanne was an artist-in-residence at 36 Chase & Barns Residency, the Textile Arts Center, and ChaNorth Artist Residency, Jeanne has been awarded the 2019 Real Art Award and is a past recipient of the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) Creative Engagement Grant. Discover her work at www.jeannejalandoni.com

For this episode we would like to do something a bit different and unique for our listening audience. The interviewer shall becomes the interviewee, as our host, Aaron Simms, is put on the hotseat and will be on the other end of the questions given by none other than his lovely mother, Debby Simms. Enjoy!

With Anonymous 4, she performed in concerts and festivals throughout the United States, Europe and the Far East and made twelve recordings. Ruth's CD releases include Light and Shadow: Chants, Prayers and Improvisations and Harpmodes: Journey for Voice and Harp.

Keep up with Ruth here:

www.ruthcunningham.com

www.youtube.com/ruthreid/

www.instagram.com/ruthreid11

Enjoy the work of Elizabeth Cunningham here:

www.elizabethcunninghamwrites.com

Also, Jason is working on a song-cycle with composer John Allen Watts, a new musical with Jeremiah James and composer Sujin Kim-Ramsey, and co-authoring a biography with Steve Grillo of The Howard Stern Show. When not doing all that, Jason can be found in and around Inwood wrangling his boys or smooching his wife, and his kitties, Fuzzy Jez Butterworth and Sir Tomcat Stoppard. Keep up with Jason at www.jasonhuza.com

Inwood Art Works Founder and Executive Producer, Aaron Simms had the pleasure of speaking with the man who made “the run” - Inwood’s own John “Chick” Donohue, and producer of “THE GREATEST BEER RUN EVER”, Andrew Muscato.

We recorded the podcast on location in front of a live audience, who have just finished watching the Inwood-based true-life tale of THE GREATEST BEER RUN EVER to close out the 6th annual Inwood Film Festival. While the audio recoring picks up a bit of the live room noise, we are glad this came out well enough to share it with you.

Inwood Art Works Founder and Executive Producer, Aaron Simms had the pleasure of speaking with local Inwood resident, playwright, and screen writer of the "The Whale", Samuel D. Hunter.

We recorded the podcast on location for the first time in front of a live audience who have just finished screening the award winning film to kick off the 6th annual Inwood Film Festival. While the audio recoring picks up a bit of the room noise, we are glad this came out well enough to share it with you.

It’s where we take a pause at this midway point, look back at the first part of 2023, and chose to highlight a musical performance from each Live N’ Local podcat that has appeared throughout the first half of the fourth season of our On Air podcast. This Seasonal Sampler is less of a greatest hits, and more of a critic’s pick. A curated mixtape of clashing styles and diverse forms with one thing in common – they all hail from the musical melting pot of Northern Manhattan. 

2023 LIVE N’ LOCAL SEASONAL SAMPLER

Bridget Kibbey

Frank Rapkiewicz

James Noyes

Annette A. Aguilar

Robert Silverman

Jestin Pieper

Gilbert Dejean & The Inwood Chamber Players

Johannes Brahms - Academic Festival Overture

Claude Debussy - Petite Suite

·        En bateau

·        Cortege

·        Menuet

·        Ballet

Gabriel Pierne - Concertstuck for Harp and Orchestra.

Featured performance by Violetta Marie Norrie - Harp

Gabriel Faure - Dolly Suite

·        Berceuse

·        Mi-a-ou

·        Le jardin de Dolly

·        Kitty-valse

·        Tendresse

·        Le pas espagnol

Antonin Dvorak - Romance for Violin and Orchestra

Featured Performance by Claudia Schaer - Violin

Serge Rachmaninoff - Hungarian Dance

Featured Performance by Claudia Schaer - Violin

John Phillip Sousa - The Liberty Bell March

Musicians: Helen Campo, Flute; Kaoru Hinata, Flute/Piccolo; Michele Farah, Oboe; Setsuko Otake, Oboe/English Horn; David Gould, Clarinet; Meryl Abt, Clarinet; Rachel Drehmann, Horn; Laura Weiner, Horn; Bill Hughes, Horn; Will DeVos, Horn; Patty Wang, Bassoon: Yuki Higashi, Bassoon; Deborah Spohnheimer, Double Bass; Violetta Marie Norie, Harp Soloist; Claudia Schaer, Violin Soloist.

She has been a winner of competitions such as the Vincenzo Bellini in Italy, the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in New York, and the Carlo Morelli competition in her native Mexico, among others. Ms. López-Speziale holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from the National Conservatory in Mexico and as a Fulbright fellow, received Master and Doctor Musical Arts Degrees from the Manhattan School of Music. Find more of her work at www.carlalopezspeziale.com

He is also the author of five published books, and is the creator, writer and executive producer of a new comedy web series based on his story CONEY ISLAND SURPRISE, starring Anita Gillette and Brian Hathaway. The pilot has been chosen as an "official selection" in the Inwood Film Festival and played at the LA Independent Shorts Festival where it won several awards. Check out more from Stephen at www.stephencolewriter.org

He is the founder and owner of "Green Canvas Productions," a video production company that produces commercials and explainer videos, and is the co-host of "Uptown Films," a 30-40 minute weekly podcast created to: improve the Uptown NYC cinema landscape, appreciate the craft of filmmaking, and spotlight the array of career paths within the industry.

In addition, Gregory is the Executive Director and President of the "Bronx Independent Cinema Center," a movie theater and incubator coming soon to the Bronx! Follow at @1.5million_documentary

performing with renowned Latin artists Santana, Cal Tjader and Sheila E. She has led her Latin Brazilian Jazz group Annette A. Aguilar & StringBeans since 1992 and has released three albums to wide acclaim. The band toured three times as Latin Jazz Ambassadors for the U.S. Department of State, and  has also toured and shared the stage with many top New York City Pop, Jazz and Latin groups including Darlene Love, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, Tito Puente, and many others. Keep up with her on social media including @aaabeans on instagram.

A former child actor, Frank appeared in two productions picked by TIME Magazine as Top of the Decade in 1969 before retiring at age 10. He studied percussion and electronic music at Berklee College of Music, eventually developing an interest in integrating technology into live performance. This led to a long and successful career in new media, encompassing over 500 projects since 1990, including the first CD-ROM, the first interactive music site on the Internet, and the first website to receive an Emmy nomination.

He’s also a professional rock drummer with an extensive discography, and has performed in front of over 40,000 people, most notably with John Ashton, formerly of The Psychedelic Furs. Returning to his theater roots with his partner, playwright Bambi Everson, they've released six volumes of her work in paperback in the last year, had a sold out run at the 2019 NY Fringe Festival, and co-host a web series on cinema. Check out more from Frank at www.frank-coleman.com

2022 LIVE N’ LOCAL SEASONAL SAMPLER

Maggie Clarke - Truth Doesn't Matter

Jimmy Delgado - Timbales

Leadlights Ensemble - El Manicero

Bob Windbiel - It's All Over Now Baby Blue

Sanakori Ramos - Edwin Sudano’s Earth Mother

Frank Rhodes - Mi Canción

Tony Davis - Goodbye

Marchena - Un Día Antes

He has recorded for numerous labels, including his most recent release for solo piano and electronic processing, 'Post-,' for New Amsterdam Records; and with Third Coast Percussion for Cedille in an album that won the Grammy award for Best Chamber Music Performance.

He is a cofounder of Bent Duo, an interdisciplinary project with Bill Solomon, that frequently explores issues of queer identity, theory, and aesthetics through performance, multimedia work, and artistic collaborations. As a generative artist, his work often focuses on experimental queer traditions of availablism, aesthetics of extremity, and the disruption of traditional hierarchies between and among artists and the public. Learn more at www.davidfriendpiano.net

James’ plays have also been produced by The Williamstown Theatre Fringe Festival, The Ice Factory, and many others. He has been awarded residency fellowships from Yaddo, The MacDowell Colony and the Edward Albee Foundation. In addition, James was a member of the 2018 Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab. Visit www.uptheatre.org to view James' legacy and find out more about his past and upcoming work.

His compositions are made of a handful of notated themes which are related by subtle motivic and structural correspondences and linked together by passages of free improvision.

As a theorist, he is working on a dissertation at Columbia University which studies cases to theorize the nature of musical “influence,” drawing on ideas surrounding notions of creativity, embodied cognition, hybridity, craft, and aesthetics in the process. Find more of his music on bandcamp and follow @charliekirchen

Internationally, she was in the original Toronto company of Sunset Boulevard with Diahann Carroll, directed by Trevor Nunn, and she played the Gumbie Cat and Griddlebone in Cats/Paris in French, and Cats/Vienna in German.

Mary was also an original company member in the Anastasia 1st National Tour in 2019, where she understudied and performed the role of the Dowager Empress. Select Off Broadway credits include: Fidler Afn Dakh at National Yiddish Theater Folksbiene, directed by acclaimed actor/director Joel Grey, Noel Cowards’ After the Ball at Irish Rep, and four shows for New York City Center’s Encore Series.

When not performing, she teaches voice in New York, and is a founding teacher for the Joffrey Ballet Summer Musical Theater Workshop. Check out her work at www.maryilles.net

In 2013, his non-fiction book about dreams "A Field Guide to Lucid Dreaming" was published by Workman, co-authored with two friends. The book was translated into eleven languages and is on its seventh printing, selling over 75,000 copies. Learn more about his projects at www.dylantuccillo.com

After becoming a father, he became pursued photography as a career and worked for the Inwood Newspaper Manhattan Times.  His film projects were included in the first and most recent Inwood film festivals, and his photography was featured in Inwood Art Works “Focus on Photography” gallery exhibition. Check out more of his work at www.vivarphoto.com

Michael’s first feature project, Exposure 36, where he acted as lead producer was released in the Spring of 2022 and he is currently in pre-production for a post-apocalyptic thriller to be shot toward the end of the Summer. In his first foray into directing horror, Michael is incredibly excited to announce Drifter, a slasher film hitting the film festival circuit this year. In addition to his narrative projects, Michael works as a producer of branded content for Vox Media. Check out more of his work at www.michaelpizzano.com

Inwood Art Works' On Air podcast has a duality to it. It is unique in that it is the only podcast that specifically profiles and features the artists that reside in Northern Manhattan and its surrounding community, and it also functions as a document of historical record; preserving the stories and personalities that are vital elements to creating the fabric that makes up our cultural canvas of our artistic landscape.

With that in mind, and true to the mission of the program, we present an exclusive recording of "The New World" - a jazz composition written and performed specifically for the On Air podcast by local composer, Rich Shemaria. 

Bob’s hybrid, concert instrumental and vocal music has been performed by Jed Distler and Jenny Lin, just to name a few. And locally, Bob played guitar in the pit band for Inwood’s Pied Piper Children’s Theater for several productions while his children Bix and Genevieve were on stage.  

After graduating from Lehman College, he became the electric guitar teacher at the school and formed the Lehman Guitar Ensemble, for which he arranges music ranging from classical to jazz to blues to pop to rock ’n roll.  In addition, he continues to record and occasionally perform professionally with both EDGE and OUTLET.

Robbie Bailey is a freelance photographer and digital consultant in New York City. She studied radio and television broadcasting at North Carolina State University, followed by documentary photography studies at the International Center of Photography. Her commercial clients include: Toys 'R Us, Betsey Johnson, Ralph Lauren, and the New York Yankees. 

The Baileys collaborate on their personal documentary projects and environmental portraits. Their photographs have been published in the New York Times as well as being featured on The Today Show, The Discovery Channel, and NBC’s Nightly News. Keep up with their work at www.baileyphoto.com

Jesse was the Executive Producer of Bob Dylan In The 80s: Volume One, a tribute album to Bob Dylan’s overlooked 1980s catalog, and of Sincerely, L. Cohen: A Live Celebration of Leonard Cohen, a tribute concert that took place in Brooklyn after the passing of Leonard Cohen.

In addition, he is currently the producer of The Relix Sessions on Twitch, a weekly live-stream concert series with the largest viewership of a music channel on the Twitch platform. You can also catch him spinning his favorite brands of funk, disco, soul, reggae, and classic rock at festivals like Bonnaroo and Outside Lands. Keep up with him at www.jesselauter.com

As an actor, she recently played “Beli” in the Spanish adaptation for “The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao”, and gave an award winning performance in her role as "Ramona" from the adaptation of the novel "En el nombre de Salomé" – both at Repertorio Español. Bonilla studied with Terry Schreiber, The Acting Studio and The School for Film and Television in New York City, and in June of 2020 she graduated with her Masters Degree in Mental Health Counseling from Alfred University. Keep up with her on Instagram @maitebonilla

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Carol received a B.F.A. in Painting from Cornell University and studied at the New York Studio School. She is a tenured adjunct professor at Pratt Institute and teaches Graphic Design at CUNY’s City College of Technology. 

Recent show venues include Equity Gallery, Newbury Fine Arts, Boston, and at Zurcher Salon, May ’22. Her artwork is included in public and private collections, including the Portland, Oregon Museum of Art. 

Diamond was awarded a Purchase Prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters’ Invitational Exhibition, a Pratt Institute Professional Development Grant, and the National Academy Museum’s Edwin Palmer Prize. Her work has been featured in Hyperallergic, Too Much Art, and the Manhattan Times, among others. Her art writing and reviews are published in Art Critical, Painters on Painting, Two Coats of Paint, and Delicious Line. Keep up with her work at www.caroldiamond.com

In addition, Joe has shot music videos and concert films with Leonard Cohen and U2, Dinosaur Jr, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The National and many others. He has a BFA in Film from NYU, and an MFA in film from Columbia University, and he has gone on to share his experience by teaching filmmaking at NYU Singapore-Tisch Asia, Barnard College, SVA, Hunter College, The New School and the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. Find out more about him and his work at www.joefoleydp.com.

Leslie Kincaid Burby is thrilled to be directing live theatre once again as the Covid pandemic (hopefully) winds down. Last fall she directed Sherlock Holmes: The Baker Street Irregulars for Pied Piper Theater of New York, an open-air production in the spectacular outdoor setting of the Audubon Terrace. The previous fall, due to pandemic restrictions, Leslie was delighted to direct the companies first film, Robin Hood, which she co-wrote and edited with husband Joseph Burby. She has also received the New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Direction for her work on Eddie Antar's Drama Desk nominated play, The Navigator, which was developed at the WorkShop Theater, where she is an Associate Artistic Director.

Joe Burby is an accomplished actor, a versatile VO guy, and wears many other hats as well. Recent stage appearances include as the character WAR in The Four Horsemen of the Internet by Duane Yancy; Will Brown in Mesquite, NV at The Workshop Theater; and Dead Tom in The Dudleys at HERE Arts Center with Loading Dock Theater.  He has provided voice talent as well as on-camera appearances for the National Road Safety Foundation's PSAs, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum in NYC, among others. Joe also works as a real estate agent at New Heights Realty here in Inwood, Manhattan and also directs and writes for Pied Piper Theatre of NYC.

Recent NYC gallery exhibitions include SPF 16 at the Arsenal Gallery on 5th Avenue, Photoville in Brooklyn (2016 and 2017), Alice Austin House Museum, and many others. His Elevated Lines was exhibited in 2018 at the Inwood Art Works pop-up gallery. In addition, select work from his City Limits project was recently acquired by New York Historical Society for the museum’s permanent collection.

Bruce is a strong advocate for business education for photographers and has taught at the International Center of Photography. He is an active member of ASMP and has served on the National and NY Chapter board of directors. Learn more at www.asmp.org/newyork. View his work at www.brucekatzphoto.com.

Learn more about the photosafari mentioned in the podcast at www.newyorkcityphotosafari.com

2021 LIVE N LOCAL SEASONAL SAMPLER - VOL. 2

Rich Shemaria – The Invisible Bridge 

Jerome Kitzke – The Green Automobile 

Eri Yamamoto – Improvisation 

Asher Ben-Or – Untitled Guitar Instrumental 

Manuel Valera – Expectativas 

Atom Fellows – Space Girls Will Save Us 

Eli Yamin - Me and Lulu 

On Air is created and produced by Inwood Art Works.

You can support this program by making a tax-deductible donation at www.inwoodartworks.nyc/donate.

She has combined her passion for dance, performance, children and her love of the Washington Heights community through the creation of Dance Project of Washington Heights (DPWH) - a nonprofit dance organization she co-founded that provides access to dance education to the Washington Heights community. Learn more at www.danceprojectwh.org

Julia dances nationally and internationally and regularly performs with companies including New York Baroque Dance Company and the Connecticut Ballet. She received ten years of education from the Royal Swedish Ballet School and was a Scholarship Student at the Joffrey Ballet School.  In the summer of 2021 she was the first choreographer to be awarded a position in Early Music America's Emerging Professional Leadership Council. She has served four years as Board Member and Choreographer of Higher Ground Festival (NYC), as a Choreographer and Advisory Board Member of Bach Cello Suites Festival. Keep up with Julia's projects at www.juliabengtsson.com

Melissa is also the Executive Director of the EstroGenius Festival and founding co-producer of Women in Motion, both are performance and development platforms celebrating and supporting women and non-binary artists. In 2020, in reaction to the sudden closure of the dance field, Riker founded Dance Rising a collective of dance artists and administrators that uses performance as activism and advocates for the dance field of NYC.

Born in 1971, in Fort Huachuca, Arizona and raised in a Catholic blue collar suburb of Baltimore County, Atom moved to New York City in 1992 to become a rock star. He played countless gigs in dive bars and clubs while also honing his recording engineer skills, eventually building a modestly successful recording studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. After Atom and his wife’s first child was born in 2007, he began his new career as a stay-at-home dad. It was during these years that Atom dived into filmmaking, producing short films and music videos for musical acts including Coyote Love, Thomas Denman, Terminal Service and many others. 

Then during the pandemic lockdown of 2020, while Atom was brainstorming music video ideas with his teenage daughter for his original song “Space Girls Will Save Us” she pitched, “What about a dark kids show?” and The Anarchy Funhouse was born. 

On this Live N' Local episode of Inwood Art Works On Air we are excited to welcome Grammy nominated Cuban pianist & composer Manuel Valera. Valera was born in Havana, Cuba, but since 2000 he has lived in New York City, where he attended New School University. His playing is influenced by Bill Evans, Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett, and he has worked extensively in many groups including those of Dafnis Prieto, Arturo Sandoval, and Paquito D'Rivera. In 2005, Manuel’s released his first CD as a leader, called Forma Nueva. He followed that up with a succession of records: Historia, Melancolia, Vientos, and Currents. After taking a hiatus as a leader, to focus on sideman work, in 2012 Valera released New Cuban Express; a big band album which earned him a nomination for a 2013 Grammy Award in the category "Best Latin Jazz Album.”

A lifelong resident of Inwood, NYC, Asher Ben-Or has been playing the guitar since the age of 13 after falling in love with Rock and Roll and Blues music. Since that time his musical journey has spanned several rock bands, cover bands, freelance work in and around NYC, and most recently, a steady roster of gigs performing jazz inspired by Django Reinhardt. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jazz performance from the City College of New York and works a second career as a real estate agent here in New York City.  You can keep up with him at www.asherben-ormusic.com

Takashi Harada is a Japanese Painting (Nihonga) artist born in a small porcelain-making town, Arita, Saga, in Japan. After completing the PhD program of the Graduate School of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music (which is currently Tokyo University of the Arts), he was granted a fellowship to study overseas by the Japanese Government in 2005, and has been exhibiting his artworks in Japan and the US collectively over 30 years.  Working outside of Japan has allowed him to explore his Japanese identity, and also, given him opportunities to contemplate the connection between humanity and other natural elements while collecting images of nature in other countries.  You can follow his work at www.takashiharada.com

Originally from the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, Jerome Kitzke has thought himself to be as much a storyteller as he is a composer. Some of his stories are about life's personal roads, like The Redness of Blood and Sunflower Sutra which both express his love for his blood family. Many, however, like Haunted America and The Paha Sapa Give-Back are about the roads that go looking for what it means to be an American from the late 20th to the early 21st Century, especially as it relates to the connection between how we live on this land and the way we came to live on it. Kitzke's music celebrates American Vitality in its purest forms. It thrives on the spirit of driving jazz, Plains Indian song, and Beat Generation poetry, where freedom and ritual converge. It is direct, dramatic, and visceral — always with an ear to the sacred ground.

Rich Shemaria is a long-time Inwood resident and currently the Jazz Composer in Residence within the NYU Steinhardt Jazz Studies Program, where he teaches composition and arranging and directs the NYU Jazz Orchestra. Along with Dave Schroeder, he formed the band Combo Nuvo; which recorded his One World Suite, a composition he wrote as a positive statement on climate change, and the band toured it internationally.  He has written music for Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, Tom Scott, and and was director of the UMO Jazz Orchestra, the National Radio Big Band of Finland based in Helsinki.  His album 3:AM (Amosaya Records), features his New York City ensemble, the Rich Shemaria Big Band; which you can see and hear performing live on YouTube.

2021 LIVE N LOCAL SEASONAL SAMPLER

Andrea Wittgens – Skyline Blue

Leonor Falcon and Juanma Trujillo - Para Emilio

Paul Brantley - Hotel Biron

Tatyana Kalko – Cameron

Daniel Linden – In the Waiting Room

Ric Molina - Free Improv Nick Grinder - Look

Louise Rogers and Mark Kross – Too Much

Chris Way - Cells

Marco Lienhard - Beginnings

John Albin - I’m Gonna Buy me a Ticket

Chris Whittaker - Vocalise

On Air is produced by Inwood Art Works. You can support this program by making a tax-deductible donation at www.inwoodartworks.nyc/donate.

Chris Whittaker’s musical language of classical, jazz, pop, and gospel music melds genres and brings people together. He started playing piano by ear and writing songs when he was around 6 years old which began a journey that eventually led him to study composition at the Peabody Institute the John Hopkins University, then on getting his masters in conducting at the University of Michigan. In 2015, he co-founded the Washington Heights Chamber Orchestra, a non-profit performing arts organization committed to engaging the community through free concerts and educational programming. In addition, he also serves as Music Director for Fort Washington Collegiate Church in Upper Manhattan and leads Marble Collegiate Church’s Jazz Vespers service.  You can keep up with Chris' work at www.chriswhittakermusic.com.

This Live N' Local episode features Inwood resident and the director of both Taikoza and East Winds Ensemble, Marco Lienhard. Marco lived and performed in Japan for 18 years as a member of the legendary Taiko group Ondekoza under director Tagayasu Den (who instigated the renaissance of Taiko).  In Ondekoza, he mastered the Taiko, the Shinobue, the Noh flute and the Shakuhachi under Katsuya Yokoyama.  Marco has performed as a soloist at Carnegie Hall, Suntory Hall, Osaka Festival Hall, among others, and his music has been nominated five times for the “Just Plain Folks Awards” in 2014 and in 2019 for best song, and best album for Instrumental and Asian Music.  Go to www.taikoza.com to keep up with Marco!

Carlos Deschamps is an Uptown native who creates short films and does photography work under his brand Cinematic Heights Productions. His short films Distances and Horror in the Heights both were official selections at the Inwood Film Festival. Raised by a Dominican family in Washington Heights and Harlem, Carlos knows the importance of a community in a small neighborhood. He loves to eat all kinds of food, enjoys learning about various cultures and their histories. Putting that passion to use, he has created and co-hosts a new podcast called Empanadas Sin Raisins with his best friend Ariel Gonazlez, in which they have an entertaining and educational discussion about topics that heavily influences society. To keep up with Carlos, follow @cinematicheights on Instagram. 

Sky Pape is an abstract artist known for using traditional materials like ink, graphite, and paper in new and unconventional ways to produce intricate canvases in large and small scales. Sky's work has been collected by the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim, and The Brooklyn Museum of the Arts (among many others), and has twice graced the cover of the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. By Sky's own account, she is “a culture-hound, nature enthusiast, and pom-pom waver for creative folks of all stripes." Listen in as she talks with Aaron about all this, and more.Have a look at Sky's Time Being series, or her Passing Through, both of which she discusses with Aaron.

And be sure to check out Andrea's Patreon page!

1. In the Heights Medley. Arranged by Dan Pardo and performed by Calliope Brass. Recorded September 13, 2020, at the 809 Restaurant and Lounge, 112 Dyckman St., New York City.
2. Amour, viens aider ma faiblesse from Samson et Dalila. By Camille Saint-Saëns. Performed by Laura Virella, mezzo soprano. Recorded November 7, 2020, at Our Savior’s Atonement Lutheran Church, 112 Bennett Ave., New York City.
3. Intracopas. Written and performed by Miguel Tejada. Recorded September 13, 2020, at the 809 Restaurant and Lounge, 112 Dyckman St., New York City.
4. Two Phony Sick Days. Written and performed by Kevin Delaney. Recorded February 22, 2020, at the Theater at St. Peter’s Church, 619 Lexington Ave., New York City.
5. Ebben? Ne andrò lontana from La Wally by Catalani. Performed by Kirstin Chambers, soprano and Keith Chambers, conductor/pianist. Recorded June 28, 2020, at 97 Park Terrace West, New York City.
6. J Brahms Scherzo from "FAE" Sonata. Performed by Alighieri Duo. Recorded November 7, 2020, at Our Savior’s Atonement Lutheran Church, 112 Bennett Ave., New York City.
7. Show Me Your Facebook. Written and performed by Samantha Echo. Recorded February 22, 2020, at the Theater at St. Peter’s Church, 619 Lexington Ave., New York City.
8. Molly on the Shore. Written by P. Grainger; Arranged for woodwinds by Gil DeJean performed by Double Entendre Music Ensemble. Recorded February 22, 2020, at the Theater at St. Peter’s Church, 619 Lexington Ave., New York City.
9. Prenderó quel brunettino from Cosi Fan Tutte by Mozart. Performed by Lori Phillips, soprano, and Mary Phillips, mezzo soprano. Recorded September 13, 2020, at the 809 Restaurant and Lounge, 112 Dyckman St., New York City.
10. The Wild Rover. Performed by Jamie Ignao. Recorded September 13, 2020, at the 809 Restaurant and Lounge, 112 Dyckman St., New York City.
11. Miel Coeur. Written and performed by Jamie Reynolds. Recorded February 22, 2020, at the Theater at St. Peter’s Church, 619 Lexington Ave., New York City.
12. Little Heart. Written and performed by Hot Glue & The Gun. Recorded September 13, 2020, at the 809 Restaurant and Lounge, 112 Dyckman St., New York City.

Opera is just one of Laura’s passions, though. Her heart is never far from her native Puerto Rico, and she uses her voice to champion the underperformed Puerto Rican classical repertoire, and, through the Puerto Rican Art Song Project, to promote Puerto Rico’s under-appreciated novelists, poets, and essayists. Hear Laura talk about all of that and perform five arias, including "Death Dances 'Round My Head," from Frida.

Hot Glue & The Gun is Carrie Klein and Joel McGlynn, two upper Manhattan musicians and theater artists who are dedicated to the idea that art is not a spectator sport. Hot Glue & The Gun's live shows meld comedy, drama, music, love, and a sensitivity to the state of the world into an experience that (as one critic put it) will "tease your senses, prod your brain, and force you to dance." Their weekly live virtual variety show, the Gluey Zoomy Show, defies description, with guests ranging from classical musicians and oil painters to yogis and community activists.

Be sure to catch their livestream concert, a night of GLUEY gratitude, Saturday, November 21!

Improvisational sketch artist and teacher Kevin Scott has founded three improv ensembles, including his current company, Centralia Improv, named for the blighted Pennsylvania town beneath which a coal fire is destined to burn for centuries. Kevin has taught and directed improv and sketch comedy at The Second City Training Center and the People’s Improv Theatre (aka the PIT); you’ve seen his students on Saturday Night Live, The Office, Bridesmaids, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and 30 Rock, and that's just for starters! Centralia Improv's podcast, the Centralia Improvisational Podcast, is available wherever fine podcasts are downloaded.

Miguel Andrés Tejada began his musical life as a classical pianist, studying under the famed Cuban teacher Hilda Melis Gras, in his hometown of Santiago in the Dominican Republic, but while still in his youth (and already an accomplished pianist) Miguel’s attention turned to jazz. In 2007 he was awarded a full scholarship to Boston’s Berklee College of Music, where he studied jazz composition and arrangement with Joanne Brackeen. Since then Miguel has played with a who's who of jazz musicians, and his compositions have been praised for their masterful use of Salsa, Merengue, Boleros, Samba, and Western Classical music. His “Rumbeando” received the National Music Prize, awarded by the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Culture. Follow Miguel on Instagram at migueltejadajazz.

Jamie Ignao hails from Greenock, Scotland, but his musical career began at Walt Disney World, in Florida, where his tenor voice got him noticed by a member of the Central Florida Lyric Opera. Two years later, in 2013, he made his debut at Carnegie Hall in The Remarkable Theater Brigade’s production, “Opera Shorts.” Since then he’s sung Arturo in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, Le Remendado from Bizet's Carmen, and Ralph Rackstraw in Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore, among other roles. Beyond that, Jamie is an accomplished guitarist and rock vocalist well-known to uptown music fans for his bear-hug embrace of musical genres, from pop to metal. That love is at the center of “Ashley and Jamie’s Acoustic Show,” the Facebook live show Jamie and Ashleigh present every Saturday evening from 8-11 EST. Be sure to check out Jamie's other bands as well: Hey Buddy, Coyote Love, and Dance Floor.

For information about eating disorders visit NEDA.

Learn more about David at davidanzuelo.com and unkledaves.com. If you're interested in Origen of Alexandria and the historical roots of white supremacy, you can find the article David mentions here.

Incidentally, Lori and Mary are not just sisters, but identical twins.

For this episode Aaron is joined by Gordon Ostrowski, recently retired stage director and assistant dean at the Manhattan School of Music.

Kevin Delaney is a veteran of New York's post-punk and singer-songwriter scenes, but these days he writes and records, as he puts it, “on a solitary iMac in the wilds of northern Manhattan.” Kevin sings, and he plays acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin, bass, and harmonica. He even fakes it on keyboards. He’s recorded two albums, Pause for Effect and Himalayan Moon, which Smother Magazine called "excellent, stirring, a must-have, and compelling.''

Inwood Art Works On Air is produced by Inwood Art Works. If you would like to support this this podcast by setting up a $2 to $20 monthly tax-deductible donation to Inwood Art Works please visit www.inwoodartworks.nyc/support/donate-now. If you would like to feature your small business and support Inwood Art Works On Air by sponsoring an episode, contact us. Corporate and neighborhood small business sponsorships are available; email info@inwooodartworks.nyc for more info.

Inwood Art Works On Air is made possible with funds from the NYSCA Electronic Media and Film Grant Program, in partnership with Wave Farm: Media Arts Assistance Fund, and the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

Watch for new Inwood Art Works On Air episodes! Live N' Local episodes drop the first Thursday of each month, and Artist Spotlight episodes drop two weeks later. Subscribe so you don't miss a thing! And please, show local artists (and us!) some love by leaving some stars and a review on Apple Podcasts.

Inwood Art Works On Air is produced by Inwood Art Works. If you would like to support this this podcast by setting up a $2 to $20 monthly tax-deductible donation to Inwood Art Works please visit www.inwoodartworks.nyc/support/donate-now. If you would like to feature your small business and support Inwood Art Works On Air by sponsoring an episode, contact us. Corporate and neighborhood small business sponsorships are available; email info@inwooodartworks.nyc for more info.

Be on the lookout for new Inwood Art Works On Air programming released monthly! Subscribe to this podcast or the Inwood Art Works YouTube channel to make sure you don't miss an episode. And please show us some love by reviewing this podcast on iTunes.

Inwood Art Works On Air is a free podcast produced by Inwood Art Works. If you would like to support this monthly program by setting up a $2 to $20 monthly tax-deductible donation to Inwood Art Works please visit www.inwoodartworks.nyc/support/donate-now. If you would like to feature your small business and support Inwood Art Works by sponsoring an episode, contact us! Corporate and neighborhood small business sponsorships are available. Email info@inwooodartworks.nyc for more information.

Watch for new Inwood Art Works On Air episodes! Live N' Local episodes drop the first Thursday of each month, and Artist Spotlight episodes drop two weeks later. Subscribe so you don't miss a thing! And please, show local artists (and us!) some love by leaving some stars and a review on Apple Podcasts.

Inwood Art Works On Air is produced by Inwood Art Works. If you would like to support this this podcast by setting up a $2 to $20 monthly tax-deductible donation to Inwood Art Works please visit www.inwoodartworks.nyc/support/donate-now. If you would like to feature your small business and support Inwood Art Works On Air by sponsoring an episode, contact us. Corporate and neighborhood small business sponsorships are available; email info@inwooodartworks.nyc for more info.

Watch for new Inwood Art Works On Air episodes! Live N' Local episodes drop the first Thursday of each month, and Artist Spotlight episodes drop two weeks later. Subscribe so you don't miss a thing! And please, show local artists (and us!) some love by leaving some stars and a review on Apple Podcasts.

Inwood Art Works On Air is produced by Inwood Art Works. If you would like to support this this podcast by setting up a $2 to $20 monthly tax-deductible donation to Inwood Art Works please visit www.inwoodartworks.nyc/support/donate-now. If you would like to feature your small business and support Inwood Art Works On Air by sponsoring an episode, contact us. Corporate and neighborhood small business sponsorships are available; email info@inwooodartworks.nyc for more info.