Hudson River Museum Announces 2021 Summer Amphitheater Series and Free Summer Hours

View press images here.

YONKERS, NY, May 26, 2021 — Hudson River Museum is pleased to announce our Summer Amphitheater Series on Friday and Saturday evenings from July 9–August 20, 2021, featuring artists of the highest quality across multiple disciplines and genres, with a focus on both iconic and emerging performers who give memorable shows every season. All performances are FREE and begin at 8pm, with doors opening at 7:30pm. No reservations required. Seating is on a first-come, first-serve, basis and we retain the right to limit capacity following NYS and CDC guidelines. Free parking is available. Learn more here.

During such a challenging time, the HRM Summer Amphitheater Series offers culture-hungry audiences a safe outdoor venue, overlooking the majestic Palisades and the Hudson River, where they can come together to enjoy top-quality entertainment. Now celebrating its ninth season, this year’s captivating performances include tango, jazz, classical, R&B and soul, magic, and even a falconer showing off birds of prey.

Free Summer Evening Hours & Free Planetarium Show
The Museum will also offer free admission on Friday and Saturday evenings, 5–7pm, from July 16–August 28, 2021. We will also be offering a free planetarium show on Fridays at 6pm. The Museum is thrilled to be reopening the HRM Planetarium on Friday, July 16, with a free show, after being closed since March 2020 due to the pandemic.

HRM’s Free Evening Hours is sponsored by Entergy.

The Amphitheater schedule is as follows:

Afro-Peruvian Ensemble
Friday, July 9, 8pm
The Afro-Peruvian Ensemble is an unforgettable live experience that celebrates a unique heritage that will get you up on your feet! This all-star ensemble brings you the joyful sounds of the Peruvian coast with a contemporary treatment that is rooted in rich tradition. The ensemble’s repertoire includes uplifting festejos and zamacuecas, dazzling Peruvian waltzes and hypnotic landos, as well as the contrapunto de Cajones (box drum counterpoint) and contrapunto de Zapateo (tap dancing competition)—classics of Afro-Peruvian folklore rarely seen in the US.

Sponsored by Progressive Computing, Inc.

Skyhunters in Flight
Saturday, July 10, 8pm
As twilight turns into night, watch trained birds of prey fly above you as master falconer Brian Bradley demonstrates their special powers. Get a closer look at live owls, hawks, and falcons from around the world, and learn how these beautiful birds play an important role in our environment at the top of the food chain. Discover their amazing adaptations for survival in the wild, and hear about the ancient sport of falconry and its training techniques. See these trained athletes in action in an exciting, informative program for all ages.

Sponsored by John and Barbara Eager.

The New Way
Friday, July 16, 8pm
The four core band members of The New Way all reside in Westchester and have been performing together since 2017, most recently as the house band at Power Lab, since meeting at Westchester Community College in the performing arts program. They play a range of covers as well as original music, with Joshua Bayonne on vocals and keys, Benjamin Martinez on guitar, Tyler Morgan on saxophone, and James Langley on drum pads and vocals. Their music genres are predominantly R&B, jazz, rap, and occasional Latin- and Caribbean-influenced sounds. Their goal as entertainers is to inspire and to be inspired, building, growing, and expanding networks that will last a lifetime, with their creativity leaving an imprint on this world.

Getting to Know You: Mind Reading Under the Stars
Saturday, July 17, 8pm
Forget everything you know about mind reading. Andy Gershenzon, also known as The Brooklyn Wizard, has been a professional magician for more than 15 years. His unique brand of magic and mentalism has been enjoyed by celebrities such as Darren Aronofsky, Woody Harrelson, Sigourney Weaver, Brooke Shields, and even the great David Blaine. His modern approach to this ancient art has kept him a favorite at corporate events and parties across the New York metropolitan area. Throughout the pandemic, Andy has been keeping magic alive around the world with his sold out virtual show. Now is the chance to experience it in person. A not-to-miss opportunity!

Sponsored by SAX LLC.

Charlie Lagond and Friends: Songs & Grooves That Move
Friday, July 23, 8pm
World-class musician and woodwind player Charlie Lagond expresses an extraordinary personal artistry through his original arrangements, his instrument virtuosity, and his ability to bring it all together into an exciting live show. Charlie has worked professionally for over 35 years, performing around the world with his own bands as well as alongside renowned artists Chet Baker, Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Bernard Purdie, Chuck Mangione, The Jackson Five, the Temptations, Natalie Cole, and Kid Creole & the Coconuts, with whom he has performed at several presidential inaugural balls and a command performance by request of Princess Diana. Charlie and his band will perform soulful arrangements from inspirational songs of changing times a la Marvin Gaye, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, The Killers, Earth Wind and Fire, Jimmy Cliff, and more.

Sponsored by Palmer Economic Development Inc.

Museum Mini Ball with the House of Eon
Saturday, July 24, 8pm
Jason Rodriguez and House of Eon bring vogue to the HRM! House of Eon proudly creates access for young people of color and LGBTQIA+ talent to achieve an unforgettable experience, complete with a DJ, commentator, vogue categories with a panel of judges, prizes, and more. This event is open to all. Mini Ball is presented in collaboration with Yonkers Pride.

Tango Night
Friday, July 30, 8pm
Latin Grammy Award–winning bassist and composer Pedro Giraudo is among the most compelling tango artists today. After two decades performing with the most important interpreters of tango, Pedro Giraudo debuted his own tango orchestra at Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night Swing in 2015 and since then has become an active cultural ambassador of this passionate music of his native Argentina. During the performance, join these virtuoso musicians, singers, and dancers for a short tango lesson and performance with the band!

Cocomama
Saturday, July 31, 8pm
A virtual United Nations of women, the diverse members of Cocomama hail from five countries on four continents. Their name refers, appropriately, to the Incan goddess of health and happiness. Playing their own kind of swinging Latin music, powerfully virtuosic yet elegantly musical, Cocomama creates a sound that is all at once original and authentic, fierce, and beautiful!

Diverse Concert Artists
Friday, August 6, 8pm
Diverse Concert Artists is committed to changing the face of classical and crossover music through diversity. They have collaborated with major artists including Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Mark Ronson, Solange, Tony Bennett, and Bebe Rexha, and have performed on the stages of Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, Royal Opera House of Muscat, Merkin Hall, Alice Tully Hall, the Plaza, Broadway in Jagged Little Pill, and many more. Their repertoire ranges from standard classical works to the latest tunes on the top of the charts. This concert celebrates the regional sounds of America, how those sounds have evolved and diversified to become more inclusive, and the power of music to move us to hope and to make change happen. At the same time, this innovative program will proudly dispel some commonly held notions of to whom folk music “belongs” and who plays it.

Support provided by Art Bridges.

Literature to Life: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Saturday, August 7, 8pm
This thrilling adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize–winning novel by Junot Diaz chronicles the life of Oscar, an overweight science-fiction enthusiast who dreams of becoming the Dominican J.R.R. Tolkien. Encapsulating magical realism and Dominican-American history, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao presents audiences with an astonishing vision of the contemporary American experience and explores the endless human capacity to persevere, and risk it all in the name of love. Kelvin Grullon performs the role of the nerd nicknamed ‘Oscar Wao’ in this Literature to Life Signature Performance, with adaptation and direction by Elise Thoron. The solo performance is accompanied by pre- and post-show discussion that encourages audiences of all ages to engage in self-reflection and discovery.

Casplash: African-American and Caribbean Band
Friday, August 13, 8pm
Casplash has been known for delivering lively interactive performances in New York City and throughout the country since 2000. The combination of the steelpan with the soulful voice of lead-singer Richard Dixon is a sultry blend that gives Casplash its unique sound. They will take you on a musical journey that includes plenty of classic calypso and soca music from Trinidad and Tobago, popular reggae music from Jamaica, and old-school Motown and R&B hits from here in the US.

Daria Grace & The Pre-War Ponies
Saturday, August 14, 8pm
The Pre-War Ponies was formed in 2007 by Daria Grace, who wanted to put to use her growing collection of sheet music and repertoire of not-quite-hits from the 20s, 30s, and 40s. She quickly recruited her old friend, trombonist and soprano uke player J. Walter Hawkes, to be a part of the madness, and they have become the core duo of the band. They see no reason to re-hash standards that have already been done so beautifully so many times. They like to dig a little deeper. You have likely heard of Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, and Johnny Mercer, but you probably haven’t heard some of their under-rated chestnuts like “Pardon My Southern Accent” or “Find Me A Primitive Man.” They don’t just stick to the famous songwriters, either. There are plenty of gems from that golden era by the likes of Fred Ahlert, Joe Young, Chas Tobias, and Eddie Jones, none of whom are exactly household names. But maybe they should be . . . More recently, Daria and Walter have been digging into songs from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, so you can expect them to pepper their pre-war repertoire with songs by the likes of The Bee Gees, The Church, and Eleni Mandell.

Yonkers Philharmonic Orchestra
Friday, August 20, 8pm
At the intersection of music and visual art, which share a vocabulary of terms such as “pattern,” “symmetry,” “improvisation,” “boldness,” “simplicity,” “texture,” “nuance,” etc., not to mention the rich historical narratives both told and implied, the Yonkers Philharmonic will perform a selection of pieces that reflect the aesthetics and contexts of the HRM exhibition Wall Power! Spectacular Quilts from the American Folk Art Museum for the culminating event of our Summer Amphitheater Series. Musical Director Tong Chen has selected a program dedicated to the history of American music, including composers such as Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copeland, and others, which is as dynamic as the colorful quilts on view on the Museum’s walls.

Sponsored by Yolanda F. Johnson.

 

Press contact:
Samantha Hoover
shoover@hrm.org
(914) 963-4550 x216

Image: Afro-Peruvian Ensemble

Hudson River Museum is a preeminent cultural institution in Westchester County and the New York Metropolitan area. Situated on the banks of the Hudson River in Yonkers, New York, the HRM’s mission is to engage, inspire, and connect diverse communities through the power of the arts, sciences, and history.The Museum offers engaging experiences for every age and interest, with an ever-growing collection of American art; dynamic exhibitions that range from notable nineteenth-century paintings to contemporary art installations; Glenview, an 1877 house on the National Register of Historic Places; a state-of-the-art Planetarium; an environmental teaching gallery; and an outdoor Amphitheater. Accredited by the American Association of Museums (AAM), the Museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, exhibiting, and interpreting these multidisciplinary offerings, which are complemented by an array of public programs that encourage creative expression, collaboration, and artistic and scientific discovery.

Hours and Admission: Hudson River Museum is open Thursday–Sunday, 12–5pm. Advanced tickets recommended. We follow NYS and CDC protocols for a safe and enjoyable visit. Learn more about our protocols and precautions and purchase tickets here.

General Admission: Adults $8; Youth (3–18) $4; Seniors (62+) $5; Students (with valid ID) $5; Veterans $5; Children (under 3) FREE; Members FREE. The Museum is accessible by Metro-North (Hudson Line—Yonkers and Glenview stations), by Bee-Line Bus Route #1, by car, and by bike. Make your visit a One-Day Getaway, and buy a combined rail and admission discount ticket. Learn more about Metro-North Deals & Getaways.