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Notes from
the High C's
Rockaway Music and Arts Council
by Sharon Gabriel
from a column appearing in
The Wave of Long Island
NOTES FROM THE HIGH "C's"
by Sharon Gabriel
On June 11th RMAC presented the first
of our Barbara Eisenstadt Memorial Concerts in the Rockaway Theatre Company
post theatre in Fort Tilden.. Maestro Dean Karahalis, past conductor of The
Long Island Pops Orchestra, led his Five Towns College Concert Pops
Orchestra through a selection of foot-stomping music which, according to the
audience’s response, was a great success.
The Five Towns College Concert Pops is made up of young men and
women who have already received their degrees in music, are currently in
college and close to graduation, or who are already teaching music. As a
matter of fact, two members of the orchestra come from our area and one
travels all the way from Albany just to play with this group. To say that
they are professional would not be an understatement. Different members of
the orchestra were applauded for their solo parts. If you were sitting in
Lincoln Centre you would not have had a better concert and the cost of
tickets are way lower than theirs.
The program contained everything from Glen Miller's "In The Mood"
to Rossini's "William Tell Overture." Between these two great pieces were
"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" from The Beatles for all the hippies
in the audience, Neil Diamond, Ray Charles and "America" from West Side
Story, among others. The musicians played with the gusto that only Dean
Karahalis can bring to an orchestra.
Many of us would have liked to be able to get up and dance, but as
Dean said, "no dancing in the aisles" only seat-dancing allowed. The
applause and whistles after each selection was incredible.
After a short intermission, four door prizes were awarded. One went
to Hilda Chinitz and another to Roz Eisenstadt and the two others to other
guests at the show.
Included were two baskets with coffee, etc and two prints of
watercolor paintings by Rockaway artists, Arlene Cornell and
Stephen Yaeger. Once the prizes were
given out the concert continued.
The last number, which was not on the program was Souza's "Stars
and Stripes Forever" and Dean Karahalis brought the young children in the
audience up to help him conduct. Included were his two grandchildren plus
John Musumeci's daughter Olivia and her friend, Steven. Dean has such a
knack with the kids and had everyone in the audience clapping along with the
music. The applause and whistling at the end of the concert was just
incredible.
We truly love having Dean appear at out concerts. He is a master
showman but more than that he is a very accomplished conductor. As well as
being the founder of the Concert Pops. He has performed with the Radio City
Music Hall Orchestra, the New York Lyric Opera, the Goldovsky Opera and is
Musical Director/Founder of the New York Brass Choir. In addition he has
appeared with the U.S. Air Force Band, and a Night at the Opera with
Metropolitan Opera star Robert Merrill. In 1992 he was appointed
Conductor-Musical Director of the Eglevesky Ballet and currently is musical
consultant to the Moscow Festival Ballet, Ballet de Bordeaux. In addition to
all this he has appeared with Marvin Hamlisch, Broadway's Tommy Tune and
Joel Gray among others. Dean is a multi-talented man and a wonderful friend
to the RMAC.
Before going any further I want to thank John Gilleece, Director of
the theatre company their sound man and especially Susan Jasper and Peggy
Page of the theatre company who helped us all evening. Peggy and Susan are
just two wonderful people who give their time and effort to our own theatre
company right here in Rockaway. All of the people at the company are just
great. Sometimes I wish I had more energy and ambition because I would love
to be part of their group.
We hope you will join us on Saturday evening, June 25th,
7:30pm at the Post Theatre in Ft. Tilden for our second concert where
Jerry Cardone "Old
Brown Eyes" will sing "Old Blue Eyes" (Frank Sinatra) music. If you
didn't see him you would think Sinatra is singing and the fact that Jerry
looks somewhat like Sinatra only adds to the fun. |
For More Information Contact:
Rockaway Music & Arts Council, Inc.
P.O. Box 0171, Rockaway Beach, NY 11693
Tel: 718-474-6760
Internet:
rmaa@rockawaymusicandarts.org
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