As part of its outreach initiative, Music for Farms will play a private performance at the Janet and Gerald Carrus Institute at the Center for Discovery in Monticello, NY on Thursday, Sept. 9th at 7pm. The Center for Discovery is inspired by people with disabilities to evolve new options for living. The Center for Discovery offers individuals with a range of disabilities and medical frailties – and their families -innovative educational, clinical, residential and social and creative arts experiences designed to enrich their lives through personal accomplishment. The performance is not open to the public – there will be residents, staff, and family members in attendance.

John McDowell and Emmanuel Vukovich, who practice music and farming side by side (McDowell at Camp Hill Farm in Pomona, NY; and Vukovich in Quebec, Canada), have formed an international initiative, Music for Farms, which works to revive and sustain local organic agriculture and farming communities through the arts. Julia MacLaine and Evan Premo join them for this special concert. The program, described below, includes the music of Bach, several original works in contemporary and classical idioms, and the quartet’s own creative arrangements that incorporate African drum rhythms and reflect a weaving of Eastern and Western traditions. This concert will be a benefit for the Rockland Farm Alliance (RFA). The mission of the RFA is to facilitate local sustainable agriculture in Rockland County, New York.

Juilliard and McGill trained Emmanuel Vukovich is the recipient of Canada’s first Golden Violin Award, as well as the Canada Council for the Arts Orford String Quartet scholarship. His twin passions of farming and music are brought to expression in this artistic Musical Harvest. John McDowell is best known as composer of the score to Oscar winning Born into Brothels. He has toured with rock/world band Rusted Root as a pianist and percussionist and founded/led the internationally acclaimed band Mamma Tongue. Cellist Julia MacLaine has been consistently singled out by The New York Times for her rich tone, sweet vibrato and superb musicianship, and performs throughout North and South America and in Europe as a recitalist and chamber musician. Like Julia, an alumnus of Carnegie Hall’s resident Ensemble ACJW, Evan Premo performs chamber music regularly at Carnegie Hall and does outreach in public schools in NYC. An active chamber musician and soloist, Evan also practices farming, woodworking, and ‘homesteading’.

The program will be drawn from the following selections:

• Bach, works for solo violin and solo cello
• F Major, by John McDowell
• Swara Kakali (transcription of a work by Yehudi Menuhin and Ravi Shankar)
• Barn Dances, by Evan Premo
• La Paloma, by Julia MacLaine
• Tango, arr. Music For Farms
• Kalo Kalo, by John McDowell

John McDowell, composer of music to the film Born into Brothels, accompanied by Regent Park Children’s Choir, performed songs from the film at a fundraiser entitled ”Buy a Brick, Build a Home.” The event was held on Thursday, May 27th, 2010 at the Palais Royale in Toronto, ON, Canada.

This VIP Indian Garden Party and Basement Bhangra After Party was hosted by Born into Brothels Academy Award winning Director Ross Kauffman and Executive Producer Geralyn White Dreyfous, who, together are helping raise funds to build Hope House for girls from the red light district of Calcutta.

Here are some great photos of John’s performance:

Music For Farms will perform a concert entitled “An Agricultural Rite of Spring” at the Threefold Auditorium at 260 Hungry Hollow Road, Chestnut Ridge, NY on Friday, May 7, 2010 at 8pm. Tickets may be purchased at the door and are $20 ($15 for students, $10 for children). For more information, call 845-362-0207 or email events@rocklandfarm.org.

John McDowell and Emmanuel Vukovich, who practice music and farming side by side (McDowell at Camp Hill Farm in Pomona, NY; and Vukovich in Quebec, Canada), have formed an international initiative, Music for Farms, which works to revive and sustain local organic agriculture and farming communities through the arts. Julia MacLaine joins them for this special concert. The program, described below, includes the music of Bach and several original works in contemporary and classical idioms, such as their own composition based on the Parcifal legend. The trio’s creative arrangements reflect a weaving of eastern and western traditions, incorporating African drum rhythms. This concert will be a benefit for the Rockland Farm Alliance (RFA). The mission of the RFA is to facilitate local sustainable agriculture in Rockland County, New York.

The program for “An Agricultural Rite of Spring” will be drawn from the following selections:

Parcifal and Zazamanc, by John McDowell and Emmanuel Vukovich

F major, by John McDowell

Pachamama’s Catharsis, by Pedro Malpica

Swara Kakali (transcription of a work by Yehudi Menuhin and Ravi Shankar)

Solo violin works by Bach

Music For Farms (John McDowell, Emmanuel Vukovich, and Julia MacLaine) will perform at The Church of St. John the Evangelist in Montreal on Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 7pm. St. John the Evangelist is located 137 rue President Kennedy street, across the street from Place des Arts (Metro Place des Arts.) Tickets are $25 ($20 student) if purchased online, in advance, at www.fermecadetroussel.org or $30 ($25 for students) at the door. For further information, contact +1 450 346 4993 or laferme@fermecadetroussel.org

You can download a pdf poster for this concert here.

Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Ferme Cadet-Roussel for the rebuilding of a barn that recently burned down. The Farm, growing primarily vegetables and breeding pigs, cows, and horses, covers an area of 30 hectares, and is located in Mont-St-Gregoire. Ferme Cadet-Roussel, considered a pioneer organization in Quebec as one of the first certified organic farms in the Quebec, uses Biodynamic farming techniques (one of the first in the province) and was the first CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm in Quebec, beginning 15 years ago. Equiterre (www.equiterre.org) – the umbrella organization for CSA farms in Quebec – first started at this farm. Cadet-Roussel was also the first farm to start an agricultural land trust in the province – “Protecterre.” Farmers at Cadet-Roussel believe that the link between farmers and consumers has been virtually lost and must be urgently restored to give meaning to society’s work and values. Besides food production, culture and the arts are also central to the life of the farm.

The program will be drawn from the following selections:

• Parcifal and Zazamanc, by John McDowell and Emmanuel Vukovich
• F major, by John McDowell
• Pachamama’s Catharsis, by Pedro Malpica
• Swara Kakali (transcription of a work by Yehudi Menuhin and Ravi Shankar)
• Solo violin works by Bach
• Popular Tango and Brazilian selections

**Also included on this program will be a preview showing of Bach in a Barn, a film on music and farming.**

NOTE: Donations to the barn rebuilding campaign can be made online at www.fermecadetroussel.org or by sending a check to Ferme Cadet-Roussel at the following address: 730 Rang Chartier, Mont-Saint-Grégoire, J0J 1K0.

Music for Farms (John McDowell, piano; Emmanuel Vukovich, violin, and cellist Julia MacLaine ) perform as part of the Golden Key Salon Series at Manhattan’s Bechstein Piano Centre. The series features new and distinguished performers, wine receptions and premiere performances. Concerts are on the first Thursday of the month, October through May at the Bechstein Piano Centre, 207 West 58th Street, New York. All performances begin at 7:00pm

Suggested donation: $20 general admission; $10 for students with ID

Seating is limited, reservations are required.
For more information, or for reservations, call 212-581-5550

Of a recent performance earlier in 2010, listener Toinette Lippe wrote to us “I could feel the earth stirring, seeds growing, birds soaring, and the wind in the trees –creation was moving through me–and I was quite wrung out by the end.”.

Here is an archive of information about earlier performances this year of Music for Farms.

May 2 – Novalis Hall, Angus, Ontario, Canada
May 6 – Bechstein Piano Centre, New York, NY
May 7 – Threefold Auditorium, Chestnut Ridge, NY
May 8 – St. John’s Church, Montreal, Canada

John McDowell and Emmanuel Vukovich. Photo by Janet Maya.

Cellist Julia MacLaine

John McDowell teams up with Canadian violinist Emmanuel Vukovich and cellist Julia MacLaine to create the musical ensemble Music For Farms which will perform at Novalis Hall in Angus, Ontario on Sunday, May 2, 2010 at 3pm. Novalis Hall is located at 7841 4th line in Angus, Ontario. Tickets are $20 and can be reserved by calling 1-705-722-5408, or e-mail at rsvp@novalisproject.com. For more information, visit www.novalisproject.com. Downloadable PDF here.

Emmanuel Vukovich and John McDowell, who practice music and farming side by side, have formed an international initiative, Music for Farms, which works to revive and sustain local organic agriculture and farming communities through the arts. Julia MacLaine joins them for this special concert at Novalis Hall. The program includes the music of Bach and several original works in contemporary and classical idioms, such as their own composition based on the Parcival legend. The trio’s creative arrangements reflect a weaving of eastern and western traditions, incorporating African Drum rhythms.

Juilliard and McGill trained Emmanuel Vukovich is the recipient of Canada’s first Golden Violin Award, as well as the Canada Council for the Arts Orford String Quartet scholarship. His twin passions of farming and music are brought to expression in this artistic Rite of Spring. John McDowell is best known as composer of the score to Oscar winning Born into Brothels. He has toured with platinum selling rock/world music band Rusted Root and his internationally acclaimed band Mamma Tongue. Cellist Julia MacLaine has been consistently singled out by critics for her rich tone, sweet throbbing vibrato and superb musicianship. Her performances at Carnegie Hall, in Europe, North and South America and Iceland have established her as one of today’s prominent cellists.

John will be appearing with Krishna Das at the Tibetan Home of Hope fundraising benefit at the Nyack Center, in Nyack, NY on March 7th. VIP admission is at 4:00, food and beverages included. General admission ($30) is from 5:00 to 8:00pm.

Attendees will enjoy The Music of Krishna Das, an auction, chanting monks, home made tibetan delicacies, aromatic teas, wines, and much more. If you are not already on The Tibetan Home of Hope mailing list and want to receive an invitation, please contact them at info@tibetanhomeofhope.org.

The Nyack Center is located at 58 Depew Avenue (corner of Depew & Broadway) in beautiful Nyack, NY.

These concerts on the first Thursday of the month, October through May, feature new and distinguished performers, wine receptions and premiere performances.

Held at the Bechstein Piano Centre
207 West 58th Street, New York
All Concerts begin at 7:00 pm
Suggested donation: $20 general admission; $10 for students with ID
Seating is limited, reservations are required.
For more information, or for reservations, call 212-581-5550

The Golden Key Salon Series at the Bechstein Piano Centre aims to foster artistic development by bringing artists and audience together in an intimate setting for uplifting musical evenings. Held on the first Thursday of the month from October to May, the Salon Series features new and distinguished artists, premiere performances, and post-concert “meet the artists” wine receptions. The concerts are presented in partnership with the Golden Key Music Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging and educating musicians to perform with ease and communicative power.

Complete program as follows:

• Abbe Rose Krieger, flute and Helene Jeanney, piano: Dvorak Sonatina
• Andriy Milavsky, clarinet and Pavel Gintov, piano: Poulenc sonata
• Anna Shelest: Chopin Sonata in B minor
• Emmanuel Vukovich and John McDowell: pieces by Piazzola, another Argentinian composer, and a latin-jazz arrangement of Black Orpheus.