THE NEW SEASON @ CARAMOOR
KATONAH’S WORLD-CLASS CULTURAL DESTINATION
BY Drew Bordeaux, B&NC Mag Arts & Culture Editor As large halls welcome back concert goers and the doors of Broadway prepare to open for the first time in almost two years, many feel the pull of the cultural offerings of NYC. But those ‘in the know’ are aware of a way to experience a broad spectrum of outstanding artists while dodging high ticket prices, traffic, and parking garages - and it’s right in our backyard. Caramoor, a beautiful 80-acre estate in Katonah, is a formidable venue and arts center. With another impressive upcoming Fall-Spring 2021-2022 Season line-up, and with partnerships as prestigious as their long-running collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center led by Wynton Marsalis, Caramoor is back in business and proving better than ever. Classical music has always had a home at Caramoor, and there will be no disappointment this year with artists including Stephen Hough, who was lauded by The Guardian for “the most perfect piano playing conceivable” and the Grammy-nominated Danish String Quartet. Increasingly, though, over the past few years the venue has worked hard to diversify their musical offerings, with the addition of upcoming performances by Raul Midón, a Grammy-nominated guitarist and vocalist who has collaborations with Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder under his belt, and jazz phenom Jazzmeia Horn, a vocalist who, in addition to her two Grammy nods, has deftly fused the jazz tradition with R&B, hip-hop, and even Big Band music on her latest release Dear Love. According to Cararmoor’s new CEO, Edward J. Lewis III, this season’s curation is a “vibrant genre-spanning program of established masters and emerging artists; education programs that mentor the next generation of musical stars; and multicultural, sensory-friendly family events that invite everyone to enjoy the music.” When asked about the increased diversity and representation in Caramoor’s offerings, Artistic Director Kathy Schuman said, “Musical diversity is one of the most important things I look at as I’m planning each season. Many people still think of us as a classical music venue, but we’ve really broadened our offerings over the past few years and I hope that anyone can find at least a couple of concerts each 76
BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN
season that appeal to them. I also want to make sure we continue to bring new artists each year, even if it means waiting 2-3 years to bring back someone who was a big hit with our audience. I’m also very committed to representing a diversity of gender, race, and age on our stages, along with different genres of music.” Following their annual Gala this summer, B&NC MAG sat down with Lewis and Schuman for a Q&A on how they bring in such noteworthy artists, what brought Lewis - a highly accomplished arts administrator and fundraiser - to Caramoor, and what the community can look forward to from the venue in the months to come: What inspired you to come to Caramoor? Lewis: I first heard of Caramoor from radio broadcasts of its concerts in the 1990s. I recall the performances being of the highest caliber. In late October 2020, I was approached by a search firm about the CEO position. Once I realized that Caramoor offered all that resonated with me — world class music performances, nature, and history – I knew I had to be here. What is a key lesson you learned as Vice Chancellor of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts that influences your work today? Lewis: I learned that storytelling, especially tech-savvy storytelling, can be a powerful impetus to propel an organization forward. The acceleration of the communication and performance delivery channels available today fosters new opportunities for artists to engage with the greater community, helping us to build and maintain new audiences and donors. You’ve said in previous interviews that sonically, the viola “leads from the middle”- do you find your leadership style at all inspired from your background as a viola player? Lewis: My leadership style has been shaped by my experiences as both an artist and arts administrator. Having built successful high-performing fundraising S E P T / O C T
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