Buffalo Chamber Players Support the Olmsted Parks!

The Buffalo Chamber Players will be pledging 20% of ticket sales from their June 8th concert, "Dead Elvis and other American masterworks," to the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy.  Please read below for additional information on the Buffalo Chamber Players and their June 8th Concert!

BUFFALO CHAMBER PLAYERS PRESENT “DEAD ELVIS”: AN ALL-AMERICAN PROGRAM

Buffalo, NY – On Wednesday, June 8, 2011, special guest BPO associate conductor Matthew Kraemer will lead the Buffalo Chamber Players as they conclude their 2010-2011 concert season. The innovative program explores the unique and diverse canon of American music, featuring works by Michael Daugherty, George Rochberg and Aaron Copland. 20% of ticket sales from the concert will benefit the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy.

“Dead Elvis” will open the program. Written by Grammy award-winner Michael Daugherty, the piece is purposely scored for the same instrumentation as Stravinsky’s “The Soldier’s Tale.”  The Faustian scenario, in which a soldier sells his violin and soul to the devil, is recast around the iconic American performer. Playing the role of Elvis will be bassoonist Glenn Einschlag—dressed in the composer-requested 1970s Las Vegas Elvis jumpsuit.

Written in 1967, George Rochberg’s “Music for the Magic Theater” is a powerful work highlighting the composer’s break from serialism,  the dominant art-music movement of the time. Upon the death of his teenage son in 1964, Rochberg (1918-2005) abandoned serialism, concluding that it "was empty of expressive emotion and ... inadequate to express [his] grief.”

The title of the works refers to Herman Hesse’s novel “Steppenwolf.” In the novel, the Magic Theater is a place where past and present coexist. The piece quotes heavily from a variety of composers, including Beethoven, Miles Davis, Mahler, Mozart and Varèse. The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra premiered an orchestrated version of the work in 1969, under the baton of Melvin Strauss.

The final piece in the program will be the quintessential American composer Aaron Copland’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “Appalachian Spring.” Commissioned by choreographer and dancer Martha Graham in 1944, it quickly became an audience favorite. Often heard in its orchestrated version, the Chamber Players will present the work in its original chamber version for 12 players.

The Buffalo Chamber Players is a critically acclaimed ensemble presenting innovative chamber music programs performed by the region’s finest musicians. Formed in 2007 by BPO violist Janz Castelo, the Players’ mission is to challenge and redefine the public’s perception of chamber music and to promote the city of Buffalo as an inspiring place to live, work and play.

The concert takes place at Buffalo Seminary, 205 Bidwell Parkway at 7:30 PM, and is open to the public. Tickets are $15/$5 for students, and available at buffalochamberplayers.org and at the door.

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WHAT: “Dead Elvis”: All-American Music

WHO: Buffalo Chamber Players

WHEN: Wednesday, June 8, 2011, 7:30 PM

WHERE: Buffalo Seminary, 205 Bidwell Parkway

TIX: $15/$5 students, at buffalochamberplayers.org and at the door

INFO: buffalochamberplayers.org

LABATT USA TO COVER VANDALISM COSTS FOR DELAWARE PARK

LABATT USA TO COVER VANDALISM COSTS FOR DELAWARE PARK

Generous community response gives the parks a lift

Buffalo, New York – Imagine if someone took a spray can to one of Van Gogh’s masterpieces. That’s essentially what happened in Delaware Park earlier this week when vandals, attempted to ruin one of the most cherished treasures in the region. About 100 teenagers and young adults created thousands of dollars in damages, leaving the park in disrepair just before its busiest season.

According to Thomas Herrera-Mishler, CEO of Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, the damage to the parks quieted his otherwise hard-working and enthusiastic staff. “We were all very discouraged,” said Herrera-Mishler. “We get a lot done on a very tight budget and to have someone maliciously vandalize it – was shocking and sad.”

But a quick and compassionate response from numerous small donors, HSBC Bank and Labatt USA provided a boost to morale. Within hours of news reports at local media outlets, donations began pouring in $10 at a time.

Then came the phone call from Labatt USA.  “They asked how much it would take to repair the damage in Delaware Park. We gave them the total and an hour later they offered to cover the cost in full,” said Herrera-Mishler. “The most effective way to counteract the vandals is to remove the graffiti, fix the playground and repair the fountain. To do it quickly and with the help of our community, only diminishes the vandals’ negative impact on us.”

Donations will go toward quickly restoring the damage and to implement additional security measures to help prevent future attacks.  Specialized and expensive formulas are required to remove and prevent graffiti on the parks’ historic buildings and these donations will allow the Conservancy to move fast to restore the Marcy Casino and Delaware Park Rose Gardens before this coming weekend’s weddings.

 “Without the money in-hand, we wouldn’t be able to immediately make the repairs,” said Herrera-Mishler. “There will be many brides and grooms toasting Labatt for their generosity.”

Additional vandalism occurred at Day’s Park, Cazenovia Park and Martin Luther King, Jr. Park. If you would like to make a one-time $10 donation, please text the word “parks” to 20222 on cell phones* or visit Olmsted’s website at www.bfloparks.org

About Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy

The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy is a not-for-profit, independent, community

organization that promotes, preserves, restores, enhances, and ensures maintenance of Frederick Law Olmsted-designed parks and parkways in the Greater Buffalo area now and for future generations. In 2008, the Conservancy released its Plan for the 21st

Century, a blueprint for the management and restoration of the entire park system.

Listed on the National and State Register of Historic Places, the Olmsted system in

Buffalo is the first of its kind in the nation designed by America’s greatest landscape

architect. The major Olmsted Parks in Buffalo are Cazenovia, Delaware, Front, Martin

Luther King, Jr., Riverside and South Parks. 

Visit www.BFLOParks.org for more details.

* Your phone bill will show a $10 charge or will be deducted from your prepaid account. Standard message or data rates may apply.  Privacy policy.

SEVERE VANDALISM IN DELAWARE PARK!

On Saturday night, May 21^st, the southern half of Delaware Park in the City of Buffalo sustained significant damage due to vandalism.  The Marcy Casino building (199 Lincoln Pkwy) was the victim of graffiti on several of its columns and walls as well as the elevator for the handicapped.    The Ivy Bridge in Rumsey Woods was spray painted.  The decorative top of the ornamental fountain in the Rose Garden was snapped off.  The slide at the children’s playground was maliciously destroyed by caving in its base and the top being tied up with rope.  Earlier in the evening more than 100 teenagers and young adults were witnessed congregating around the Marcy Casino.  The president and CEO of the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, Thomas Herrera-Mishler, held a press conference today at 2:00 pm at the Marcy Casino to address this recent rash of vandalism.  Council Members LoCurto, Rivera, and Police Chief Barba were in attendance for the press conference.  Below are a few photos of the damage.

It is up to the community who patronizes the park to see that the Japanese Gardens are maintained as a kid-friendly place free from crime and destruction.  Those with information regarding the vandalism are asked to contact the Buffalo City Police tip line, (716)847-2255, and or the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, (716)838-1249.

Community Watch: Riverside Park Vandalized!

     Earlier last week, Riverside Park sustained a significant amount of criminal damage. Vandals destroyed the stone work on a park entrance sign on Crowley Avenue along with a stone park bench. Recently planted trees were also torn out of the ground and a Port-a-potty was also flipped over and broken. Several bleachers were damaged and flipped over along with a large sign used by the football league. The vandals also left graffiti all across the park. Anyone with information regarding the vandalism of the park is asked to contact the police.

     Riverside Park is a shared asset that benefits the Riverside community and the City of Buffalo at large. The park is a popular place for sports and recreation in the area. In recent years the Conservancy has enhanced the football field with a grant from the National Football League and the Buffalo Bills. It is up to the community who patronizes and benefit from the park to see that Riverside is maintained as a kid-friendly place free from crime and destruction. Those with information regarding the vandalism are asked to contact the Buffalo City Police tip line, (716)847-2255, and or the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, (716)838-1249.