(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- The Montclair Orchestra officially announced its fall season with plans to broadcast concerts from SOPAC in October and the Van Vleck House & Gardens in November, as well as the expansion of their children’s music series, Your-Rhythmics, geared for children aged 3-7. Classes will run throughout October and November. All concerts and programs will be available for virtual viewing.
With arts organizations across the country scrambling to pivot due to health restrictions, MO announces ambitious plans for innovative programming and a continued commitment to its Fellowship program. “This period has been an extraordinarily difficult time for artists and musicians, both financially and artistically,” said President and Founder, Andre Weker. “During this health crisis, we are proud that MO is able to find agile ways to perform diverse and innovative repertoire, and to lead the way for what the future of classical music can offer for musicians and audiences of all backgrounds.”
South Orange Performing Arts Center SOPAC Sessions - MO announces its first concert presented in partnership with the South Orange Performing Arts Center, as part of their SOPAC Sessions Series, on October 22 at 7:30pm. Tune in as MO Music Director David Chan trades his baton for the violin when The Montclair Orchestra musicians take the stage for the first time in many months. Listen to Montclair resident Terrence Wilson as he joins longtime friend and colleague David Chan in their first duo performance since they were together at Juilliard. For the second half, MO Fellows join MO String Mentors to play side by side for an exhilarating performance.
“The conditions at the moment make convening larger ensembles difficult, but there are advantages to the chamber music format which allows us to continue our mission of mentoring the next generation of musicians in a very personal and focused way,” said MO Music Director David Chan. “In the SOPAC program, I will have the tremendous pleasure of reuniting with Terrence Wilson, phenomenal pianist and an old friend from our Juilliard days together. This program will also bring together mentors and fellows in an exciting handful of virtuosic string adaptations.”
Tickets are available for purchase online, and for MO Members the performance is included with membership.
Van Vleck - Later this fall, MO will return to the local Montclair community for a virtual performance from the Van Vleck House & Gardens. On November 19th at 7:30pm, Mentors and Fellows will present an exciting chamber music program of Shostakovich and Mendelssohn.
“It gives me great joy that we are able to resume live music-making despite the challenges we all currently face,” said Music Director, David Chan. “The Van Vleck event will offer a nearly orchestral sonority in the string octets of Shostakovich and Mendelssohn, though the two works are stylistically polar opposites of one another. Altogether, I’m tremendously excited about our fall programs and expect them to help fill the void we’ve all felt in the absence of live music.”
Early Education - In light of the success of their summer offerings, MO will now offer a six-week Your-Rhythmics online course geared for children aged 3-7. The class will utilize Dalcroze Eurhythmics, a playful and experiential form of music education. The course is $50. Each class will be 30 minutes via Zoom, held on 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10 from 3:00pm-3:30pm ET. Register at www.montclairorchestra.org/your-rhythmics.
This innovative music education program will be taught by Dr. Thomas Parente, Montclair resident and active board member of The Montclair Orchestra. A well-known and respected pianist, composer, and Dalcroze clinician, “Dr. Tom” will focus on different musical themes each week with all classes emphasizing the development of children’s coordination through listening, feeling, thinking and rhythmic movement. Children will be encouraged to move and respond freely to improvised piano music. Part of the fun will be listening to the music and musical cues and responding accordingly. “I am very excited about offering this new program”, said President Andre Weker. “It’s a natural step as we begin integrating more youth programming in the future, and a way for us to bring the gift of music to the Montclair community.”
The Montclair Orchestra is unlike any orchestra you’ve experienced before, with extraordinary music students awarded Fellowships to train alongside professional Mentors from world-renowned orchestras. This unique learning environment provides an unforgettable experience for musicians, students, and audiences alike. Now in its fourth season, the orchestra continues to receive accolades under the baton of inaugural Music Director, David Chan.
