R & R Concerts Name Change To Roosevelt Island Concerts As It Begins 12th Season Bringing Outstanding Chamber & Classical Music To Roosevelt Island, All Mozart Concert March 23 At Good Shepherd - Seeking Donations To Support Providing World Class Music For Entire RI Community

For the last 12 years, Roosevelt Island residents have been very fortunate to be the home of the R&R Concerts free classical music series at the Good Shepherd Community Center.

Take a listen.



Today, R&R Concert Series organizer and Roosevelt Island resident Marc Diamond announces a new name for the classical music concert series - Roosevelt Island Concerts -
 

 Image From Roosevelt Island Concerts

 and reports the following:

The concert series that has been presenting extraordinary performances of classical music on Roosevelt Island for more than a decade will now be known as Roosevelt Island Concerts. As one of the few New York series presenting both chamber music and orchestral concerts, its rich repertoire draws audiences from Roosevelt Island and throughout New York City.

The first event presented as Roosevelt Island Concerts — on March 23 — will feature an all-Mozart program, with Benjamin Hochman conducting the Roosevelt Island Orchestra and soloing in two piano concertos. First up on the program is the Overture to the Marriage of Figaro. All events in the series take place at Good Shepherd Church, the 1888 acoustically wonderful NYC landmark at the heart of Roosevelt Island.

Season XII will continue with the Summer Series, organized by Israel Philharmonic Orchestra cellist Iris Jortner and Israeli Opera violinist and violist Ralph Allen. Guest performers will be announced in the late spring.

The series has maintained a goal of providing world-class music to all New Yorkers and to everyone in its home community of Roosevelt Island, whose diverse population includes residents of subsidized housing as well as million-dollar condominiums. Beginning in March, concertgoers will be asked for a donation of a suggested amount, which will help keep the series affordable to all. Complementing the concerts, outreach events at area healthcare and senior facilities bring the joy of beautiful music to those who might not otherwise be able to experience it.

The series is now in the midst of a major fundraising campaign with the aim of compensating performers at appropriate and competitive levels, expanding the number of creative and tireless individuals who help produce our events, and providing pianists with an instrument of high quality on which to perform.

Founded as R&R Concerts, the series continues to honor the memory of its namesake Robin & Rosemary Russell, who brought to Roosevelt Island a highly regarded series of concerts and a music school. Building on their spirit, and with the deep support of the community as a vital part of its cultural life, Roosevelt Island Concerts will continue to bring extraordinary classical performances to Roosevelt Island as it expands its geographic and artistic reach.

The newly redesigned website is at riconcerts.org.

Check out future Roosevelt Island Concert events, learn about the Orchestra and help support the concert series.

Here's 2008 post from the first Robin & Rosemary Russel Roosevelt Island classical music concert.