Title: Summer Culture Calendar: Classical Music

Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. And we'll end today with another installment in our pledge drive mini series, looking ahead to the cultural events coming up this summer in New York City. Today we're going a little highbrow, you might say, to talk about classical music and opera with our friend from our sister station, WQXR, midday host, Elliott Forrest. Hey, Elliot.

Elliott Forrest: Hey, Brian.

Brian Lehrer: Let's start with the very popular New York Philharmonic concerts. Five concerts, one per borough again this year. Staten Island, I see is indoors with no fireworks. Maybe-- thank goodness if they're indoors. But what about the full length outdoor ones?

Elliott Forrest: Well, first of all, it's always great to just bring a little wine, a little cheese, a little food, be outside and hear the New York Philharmonic. They start off on June 4th in Central Park, then Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, then Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Cunningham Park in Queens, and then, as you said, indoors at the St. George Theater on Staten Island. I was a little surprised, to tell you the truth, that it will be conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, who's not really expected to take the leadership role until September. But I guess he can't wait. And we can't wait to have Gustavo Dudamel be a part of New York City. And he'll be conducting all of the Parks' concerts this summer.

Brian Lehrer: Do you have any idea whether it's a special experience for a conductor like him to do something in a place like Central Park or Van Cortlandt Park, or is it kind of a pain because the acoustics aren't great outdoors?

Elliott Forrest: Well, I think it's both. I mean, I've talked to a number of musicians and conductors. You know, it can be really hot and it can be really rainy, and then there's bugs and they go, we gotta bring something in case the wind blows our music around. But I think they really love it. It's a way to connect to the people. And I think they get so people who may not come indoors to come to these great concerts in the park. It's always great fun.

Brian Lehrer: Do you know why indoors on Staten Island?

Elliott Forrest: I don't. I don't know what they have outdoors that they can't do but that's what they're going to do.

Brian Lehrer: Also in Central Park, there will once again be a series of free concerts at the Naumburg Bandshell this summer, and they are aired live on WQXR I will say for those who can't make it in person. You'll be hosting some?

Elliott Forrest: I'll be hosting two of them. They start on June 10th with the Knights, which is a great New York based chamber ensemble. The Orchestra of St. Luke's later in June. In July, A Far Cry, which is the name of another chamber ensemble, the NōSīS Baroque Band and the East Coast Chamber Orchestra. There are five concerts. This is a historic bandshell and I don't know if you've been or if the audience has been there recently, but it's a little over 100 years old, this bandshell. It is the oldest continuing series of its kind.

And there were some renovations recently. It needed some renovations and they made it. It's again a great night in the park. If you want to hear great music with birds and a summer breeze and the occasional helicopter, it's a perfect night in the park. And those again are free. They will be on the radio and on demand through WQXR.

Brian Lehrer: And moving on, Lincoln Center hosts all kinds of summer programming, but what are the highlights for classical and opera? I know there are all kinds of music.

Elliott Forrest: There's all different kinds of music. There's been different series at Lincoln Center and now it's all under the umbrella called Summer for the City. I think the interesting thing about this series, Brian, is that many of them are free or choose what you want to pay. There's a Brazil week. There's stuff for kids. There is dance and opera. Another local chamber ensemble that we love, Brooklyn Rider has a night. There's also jazz and comedy. And for the jazzy people, Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks are going to be playing. And that runs from June 11 through August 9th.

Brian Lehrer: Now, Carnegie Hall Citywide is a summer concert series with performances all over town. Is that new? Did they decide, "Hey, Carnegie Hall, we have to compete with the New York Philharmonic?" which of course is associated with Lincoln Center. And they go all over the city.

Elliott Forrest: Yeah, I think the outreach at Carnegie Hall has expanded over the years. They've done a really great job and they've partnered with local community organizations to present these free events. This Carnegie Hall Citywide, you can find some of your favorite music. You can go into a different borough if you want, or go different far afield. For example, on June 12th at 5pm, the Brass Queens will be performing free in Times Square as part of Carnegie Hall Citywide. And then again, our friends the Knights on July 11th at 7 o'clock free in Bryant Park.

Brian Lehrer: Huh. Let's go up to Westchester. Even though we're framing this generally as outdoor and other summer Arts in New York City. Caramoor. 80th season. WQXR airing a live special on June 2nd. I see Caramoor up in Katonah.

Elliott Forrest: That's right. Again, if you've never been up to Caramoor and if you don't have a car, you can take the bus up there. It is a stunning piece of property up there. And on June 2nd, WQXR will be airing a tribute, an 80th birthday anniversary radio broadcast. I'll be hosting that. You can hear the best of it there. But their opening night is on June 21st. The Orchestra of St. Luke's will be performing Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Doesn't get any bigger than that. The Orchestra of St. Luke's will continue their series there. If you like Broadway, Seth Rudetsky will be doing a Broadway night. There's a night of American roots music. And as you might expect, July 4th, pops, Patriots and fireworks at Caramoor in Katonah, New York.

Brian Lehrer: I've done Caramoor. I like it. And as I recall, they offer besides Metro North, you can take Metro North. If you don't want to drive, you can take Metro North up there. And then I believe they offer a shuttle bus from the Metro North station to the site.

Elliott Forrest: They try to make it easy as you can. Yeah.

Brian Lehrer: The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is another place people could see classical music this summer, right?

Elliott Forrest: Yeah, it's actually, I guess it's the summer solstice. Right. It's the longest day of the year. Friday, June 20th. There's a sunrise performance at 5:15 in the morning.

Brian Lehrer: Oh you're kidding.

Elliott Forrest: Yes. And then there's a sunset performance at 8:30 that night. Raquel Acevedo Klein is a local singer and performer and she's going to be doing music there and in addition, the music of Steve Reich. So we'll be celebrating the longest day of the year at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Brian Lehrer: So who are the freaks who are going to get up at five o'clock in the morning?

Elliott Forrest: There's always some freak that will.

Brian Lehrer: Or stay up all night.

Elliott Forrest: Exactly.

Brian Lehrer: And then there's Little Island, which is a relatively new and really great space on the Hudson.

Elliott Forrest: It is. It's right on the west side highway. They've got 300 artists and 100 shows. And interestingly enough, our colleagues and friends from Radiolab are doing a couple of shows there. In addition to classical music and theater and opera and all sorts of things. If you haven't been to Little Island, walk over to the west side of Manhattan and check it out this summer, there's a lot going on.

Brian Lehrer: And there's a series called Death of Classical?

Elliott Forrest: Yeah. There's a great guy who's put together-- all of his concerts are in cemeteries or crypts and he's got a concert in the crypt under the church at 155th Street. He's got concerts this summer in the Greenwood Cemetery in the catacombs, and another one in the crypt under the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. If you Google Death of Classical, you can't go wrong. It's high level players. It's a little dark, I mean, in theme, but it's always great fun.

Brian Lehrer: And last thing, I understand that you're helping to produce a concert of big band music on the Hudson, but this is on the other side of the Hudson.

Elliott Forrest: That's right.

Brian Lehrer: And pretty far north of Manhattan, depending on what one considers pretty far.

Elliott Forrest: Well, Nyack is only 45 minutes from Times Square. This year is the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and I'm helping put together a concert from a band called Swing Time Big Band. It's music of Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller. It's absolutely free. It's in a gazebo in Nyack with the new Mario Cuomo Bridge as the backdrop. That's July 22, absolutely free. And we're hoping to get as many veterans there as we possibly can.

Brian Lehrer: That's really nice. One of my favorite places to go in the metro area is Rockland Lake State Park in Nyack. And so, listeners, you can check that out on your way to this or whatever. But yep, don't sleep on Nyack.

Elliott Forrest: Take a kayak to Nyack.

Brian Lehrer: I like it. We leave it there. Suffice it to say, New York's culture scene does not flee New York City and vicinity in the summer. Thanks a lot, Elliott Forrest, midday host at our sister station WQXR.

Elliott Forrest: Thanks, Brian.

Copyright © 2025 New York Public Radio. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use at www.wnyc.org for further information.

New York Public Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline, often by contractors. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of New York Public Radio’s programming is the audio record.