BridgeMusik Brings Beautiful Music to All

BridgeMusik has proudly announced the launch of its new Chamber Hour Series at the Valley Cottage Library with Old World, New World: American Echoes, a one-hour program tracing the vibrant exchange of musical traditions between America and Europe.

The concert opens with the joyful syncopations of Scott Joplin’s The Entertainer and the dreamy lyricism of George Gershwin’s Lullaby. American originals Charles Ives and Thomas Cabaniss bring wit and invention, while émigré voices Igor Stravinsky, Bohuslav Martinů, and Béla Bartók add sharp contrasts and folk-inspired vitality, reflecting the energy they absorbed during their years in the United States.

At the heart of the program lies the dialogue between Deep River, a timeless African-American spiritual, and Antonín Dvořák’s beloved “American” Quartet. Dvořák’s masterpiece, composed in New York, crystallizes the union of Old World craftsmanship and New World inspiration that continues to shape classical music today.

Performers include BridgeMusik artists and advanced young musicians, offering audiences a chance to hear world-class professionals side by side with the next generation of talented young artists. This free concert marks the beginning of BridgeMusik’s Chamber Hour Series, bringing outstanding chamber music into welcoming community spaces across Rockland County.

“BridgeMusik builds on its mission of connecting professional musicians, young artists, and audiences by presenting engaging chamber music programming in community venues throughout Rockland County,” said Krystof Witek, BridgeMusik Co-Artistic Director and violinist. “We’re thrilled to launch this new Chamber Hour series as a way to bring world-class music directly into the heart of our local libraries and neighborhoods.”