Oneonta Concert Association

Grammy-award-winning jazz bassist Ron Carter’s Golden Striker Trio will come to Oneonta on Friday, May 17, as part of OCA’s 85th anniversary season finale.

The concert, the last of OCA’s five-concert series, will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center at 24 Market St. The public is invited to free pre-concert reception at 6:30 p.m. in the Foothills Atrium, featuring entertainment by OCA Young Artists Cedric and Curtis Taylor, refreshments and a silent donation auction.

Carter, a member of the Miles Davis Quintet from 1963 to 1968, was named “Outstanding Bassist of the Decade” by The Detroit News, and “Jazz Bassist of the Year” by Down Beat magazine. With more than 2,000 albums to his credit, Carter may be the world’s most recorded jazz bassist.

Carter’s Golden Striker Trio also features celebrated artists Russell Malone on guitar and Donald Vega on piano.

News Clip: thedailystar.com/artsentertainment/x326078314/Grammy-winning-bassist-to-close-OCA-season

Visit the artists at: www.roncarter.net

85 Years of OCA on Exhibit Through May
An exhibit tracing Oneonta Concert Association’s 85-year-mission of bringing the area “world-class concerts at affordable prices” is on display at the Greater Oneonta Historical Society at 183 Main St, Oneonta, through May 2013. OCA held an opening reception of the exhibit on April 27, 2013 at the Historical Society.

Visitors can browse through collections of OCA concert programs, posters, news clips, and memorabilia, installed by students of Cooperstown’s Graduate Program.
Hours: Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Tues. and Thurs. noon-3 p.m.; first & third Fridays of the month 4:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Web site: www.oneontahistory.org

Siblings Madalyn (violin) and Cicely Parnas (cello) are quickly establishing themselves on the international classical scene with their “electricity and drama,” says The New York Times.

The duo, to be joined in Oneonta by acclaimed French pianist Vincent Adrangna, will offer works by Brahams, Ravel, and modern composers.

Concert is at at 7:30pm The First United Methodist Church, 66 Chestnut St., in Oneonta. Don’t miss OCA Young Artist Jacob Efthimiou, who will open at 7:15pm with a short set on cello. The concert is sponsored by WSKG Public Broadcasting.

Press clips: coming soon

Visit the artists online at: www.parnasmusic.com

Pittsburgh’s “masterful” period ensemble Chatham Baroque presented a morning preview and evening concert March 8, 2013 at The Oneonta Theatre. Group musicians on period instruments were joined by a singer and two dancers, who presented entertainment from 17th and 18th century Spain and Italy.

The ensemble, founded in 1990, is “one of Pittsburgh’s greatest treasures” and “among the 10 best classical concerts,” according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The group also performed for area school children on March 7.
The Red Caboose restaurant on Main Street in Oneonta hosted a “pre-curtain” dinner for concert-goers.

Press clip: www.otownscene.com/?s=Chatham

Visit the artists online at: www.chathambaroque.org

OCA has been awarded an $8,000 grant for 2013 from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) for its quality programming.

We are seeking to raise matching funds from community and business partners.

To help, mail a check (payable to Oneonta Concert Association) to:

PO Box 244
Oneonta, NY 13820

Put “NYSCA Grant Match” in the memo area of your check, and we’ll make sure you receive recognition! Any amount toward this grant match is welcome.

Oneonta city historian and author Mark Simonson marked OCA’s 85th anniversary in an article published Dec. 27, 2012 on the front page of the region’s daily newspaper, The Daily Star. The article, one of the paper’s occasional “On the Bright Side” features, chronicles OCA from its founding in 1928 through the current 85th anniversary season.
Read Simonson’s full article here:
thedailystar.com/localnews/x730420930/Oneonta-Concert-Association-offers-free-holiday-show

Simonson writes a column that appears twice weekly in The Star, and is the author of several books on area history. On Saturdays, Simonson’s column focuses on the area during the Great Depression and before; Monday columns address local history after the Depression. His columns can be found at www.thedailystar.com/marksimonson.

In 2002, Simonson wrote an article for The Daily Star marking OCA’s 75th year.
Read the full article here: OCA 75th Article Reprint, by Mark Simonson
The article also appears in Volume 2 of Simonson’s book series Reminiscing Across the Valleys. For more information on that book, and others by the author, click here: www.oneontahistorian.com/publication.htm

Simonson’s books can be purchased at The Oneonta History Center and at The Green Toad Bookstore, both on Main Street in Oneonta, and through the author’s website, www.oneontahistorian.com.

Regional daily newspaper The Daily Star gave OCA “Cheers” in an editorial following May’s “Dancin’ in the Streets” weekend in downtown Oneonta. A host of entertainment events, school workshops, and a free family street fair highlighted the celebration.

The May 11-13, 2012 festival featured entertainment events hosted cooperatively by arts groups in the area, including OCA’s concert at Oneonta Theatre featuring the acclaimed Taylor 2 dance company.

OCA joined with Oneonta’s Arts Task Force and Main Street Oneonta host the collaborative weekend festival. Free Saturday street fair events were offered, as well as other performances at a variety of downtown venues, including the Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center and Oneonta’s Wilber Mansion.

The weekend also highlighted the city’s first-ever “Arts Field Day” on May 11, which brought free performances to area school students.

The paper’s editorial stated the day was “a joint effort of the Oneonta Concert Association, Center Street Elementary School and the SUNY Oneonta Theater Department, featured a performance at the Oneonta Theatre by the Taylor 2 Dance Company, followed by activities at the school with SUNY Oneonta dance students.”

The Daily Star editorial praised the cooperative effort, stating: “We’re glad to see so many groups work together to help bring an appreciation of the arts to students. We wish OCA continued success and growth in its project.” Read The Star‘s editorial here:
thedailystar.com/editorials/x728157016/Cheers

The Star also published an advance news article on May 11, 2012, introducing the concept of Arts Field Day to the public, and detailing the events to be offered. Read that article here:
thedailystar.com/localnews/x610438507/Arts-Field-Day-to-feature-singing-dancing

Even before Arts Field Day, OCA began co-hosting arts events with Oneonta’s Arts Task Force and CANO (Community Arts Network of Oneonta). The first event was “Arts in Music,” a musical reception and arts show held in April 2012 at the historic Wilber Mansion in Oneonta.

The event featured premiere performance by OCA Young artist Julia Robinson, plus refreshments, food, and exhibition of artworks at the newly-formed CANO’s home at the restored 1875 mansion.

Read what OCA’s president said about new collaborative arts efforts in an April 3 press clip here:
thedailystar.com/localnews/x1615716810/Art-and-music-event-to-put-stamp-on-art-groups-season

Pianist Richard Fountain was featured in a free concert hosted by OCA on Thursday, Dec. 27 at the First United Methodist Church in Oneonta.

The hour-long holiday concert was part of OCA’s 85th Anniversary celebration, in addition to its regular concert series.

Fountain played works by J.S. Bach, Aaron Copland, Charles Ives, Gary D. Belshaw and others, including selections from his recent solo album featuring American composers, “American Ivory.”

Fountain last appeared for OCA in 2007, as part of the association’s 80th anniversary celebration. OCA was delighted to have him return to help celebrate its 85th season.

Press clip: thedailystar.com/artsentertainment/x1746068669/Arts-Briefs

Visit the artist at: richardfountainpianist.com

Listen to Fountain’s album at: kickstarter.com/projects/15689406/american-ivory-a-celebration-of-american-solo-pian

Oneonta, NY Mayor Richard Miller read a proclamation in honor of OCA’s 85th Anniversary at a public event at City Hall in Oneonta on Dec. 4, 2012.

The proclamation was read in the city council’s chambers before the start of the city’s regular Common Council meeting, and presented to OCA president Diana Staley Kang. The Council meets twice monthly at 7:30 pm at City Hall, at 258 Main St. in Oneonta.

The document marks the founding of OCA in 1928, and traces the growth of the area’s oldest concert association to the present day.

The mayor noted the city’s marking of OCA’s formation by then-Oneonta mayor B.C Laurens, and quipped that he hoped that in “another 85 years” a future mayor might note his own proclamation.

The mayor praised OCA for its commitment to the community, and invited citizens to “take advantage of all the programs OCA has to offer.”

OCA president Kang, who attended the ceremony with several OCA board members, thanked the mayor and council for the “special honor” accorded OCA.

Violinist Tim Fain, winner of the Avery Fischer Career Grant, was seen onscreen and heard in the hit film “Black Swan, and heard as the sound of Richard Gere’s violin in the film “Bee Season.” In his new solo show, he presents vibrant contemporary repertoire, accompanied by video and audio contributions from celebrated artists. Fain also hosted a workshop on the making of “Portals” before his concert.

Press clip: thedailystar.com/artsentertainment/x1839362284/OCA-to-present-violinist-Tim-Fain-in-Oneonta

Visit Tim Fain online at: timfain.com and at: portalsproject.com

YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvqOXzVTXM4&feature=plcp