The Rosen House: Built for Beauty
In anticipation of Caramoor’s Volunteer Fair on April 23 I’ve been talking to Rosen House volunteers and staff to get a sense of what to expect.  I’ve always been intrigued by the artwork in the House and impressed by the story of Lucie and Walter’s life. I’ve been on several tours of the house and its collection, and each time I marvel at the docent’s expertise as much as I admire the artwork. I wonder how they master the material, which includes tapestries, sculpture, paintings, textiles, furniture, stained glass, Urbino Maiolica and a major jade collection.

 According to staff and volunteer docents, the fascination lies not only in the vast collection of fine and decorative arts, which includes 15 complete period rooms that Walter Rosen imported from European palazzos. The real story is about Lucie and Walter—how they built Caramoor, opened the estate to their friends, and bequeathed a legacy to the public. As Lucie Rosen declared, “We built a home, my husband and I, not to be old or new, just to be beautiful.” They likewise did not purchase artwork for its investment value, but instead chose objects that appealed to their sense of beauty, said Merceds Santos-Miller, Rosen House Manager and Director of Rosen House Programs. “Walter was a collector. He collected objects that he loved, and that he and his family could use in their day-to-day lives,” she explained. “As you go through the house, you feel the love they had for each other and for their splendid country home.”

 Several volunteer docents agreed. Eileen Brown, for instance, said she initially had no intention of becoming a docent. However, when she first walked into the Rosen House, she encountered an incredible sense of déjà vu, and felt like she instantly belonged. Now Ms. Brown leads the docent-training program with co-leader Cliff Ray, and sees her role as “helping to integrate people into the fold.” According to Ms. Brown, the volunteer experience is like becoming part of a family, with newcomers learning from the current docents, who act as mentors.

 “When I first started, I had no background in art,” Ms. Brown said. “Merceds said, ‘don’t worry, we can train you,’ and she was right. Now I’m the one doing the training. I share my story, and I make sure the new people have a certain comfort level. I remind them that we all want them to succeed.” There are three days of training, with lots of reviews, and the material is broken down into a manageable size so the information is not overwhelming, she said. “It’s a great program.”

 Judy Rubin became involved for “the sheer beauty” of it. Before moving to Somers three years ago, she lived in Manhattan, where she had done volunteer work for a museum. When she moved north, she decided to check out Caramoor based on its reputation. “I had heard of Caramoor; I knew that it had this wonderful Renaissance collection,” she recalled. “I hadn’t planned to volunteer, but when I saw it, I wanted to share it with other people.”

Now she shares it with the children and adults who take tours of the Rosen House. The children come as part of a formal education program sponsored by Caramoor for local schools, while the adults visit during arranged tours.

Does she find it challenging to hold the children’s interest? “Occasionally I have had times when the kids were more interested in talking to one another,” Ms. Rubin said. “So I try to talk about the things that are unique. For instance, I point out the top of the dining room fireplace, which was made with paper mache two centuries ago. When they hear that, it stops them a little in their tracks and they focus, for a moment at least. It leads them to think there might be other interesting things. You have to be alert to what’s going on around you. You can’t just talk about what you’re pointing at. You’ll have them for a period of time and then you might lose them for a moment and you have to bring them back. It’s kind of like meditating.”

 With the adults, the questions can be more open-ended, leading to an occasional admission of ignorance, Ms. Rubin noted. “The adults tend to ask you about interests they have. I read over my notes every time I have a tour, but every now and then there’s a question I don’t know, so I will go and look it up.”

Fortunately, all the docents can turn to the House’s extensive catalogs for backup. If they are still stumped, Ms. Santos-Miller is on hand to help. And if they are too shy to lead a tour, they can always volunteer to help with office work, assist in the archives, or work as ushers at a concert.

Come to the Volunteer Fair on Tuesday, April 23rd at 10:am in the Rosen House at Caramoor. For more information, please call the Box Office at 914.232.1252 or visit us online
http://www.caramoor.org/support/volunteer

A New Addition to A Day in the Renaissance Arts-in-Education Program
by Scott Ellison

In addition to falconry, Renaissance music and art, the Commedia dell’ Arte is a featured component of Caramoor’s A Day in the Renaissance-an arts-in education program. Commedia dell’ arte is a form of Italian Renaissance theatre that consists of stock characters; such as the clown Arlecchino, loose narratives and musical and physical comedy.  Many of the stock characters developed in Commedia dell’Arte evolved into puppet show characters such as Punch and Judy. The plays would often use puppets or a puppet to depict a character that the audience would be familiar with. So, when we needed a large “walk-around” puppet for the closing act of our A Day in the Renaissance program, I began to wonder where I could find a master puppet builder in Westchester County.

To my surprise, it was quite easy to find one. I started by contacting Peter Linz of Katonah, a well-known puppeteer who recently worked on the latest Henson Studios film featuring the Muppets: The Muppets (2011). He quickly referred me to master puppet-builder Jim Kroupa who, quite luckily, just happens to live nearby. I needed a ten-foot tall puppet for the final act of a Commedia dell’Arte version of Don Giovanni that takes place at the closing of our Arts-In Education: A Day in the Renaissance program. For many years now, decades really, when Don Giovanni is taken away to the dark side, with members of I Giullari Di Piazza-Caramoor’s Renaissance Theatre Troupe-dancing and playing period instruments in the background, a large puppet representing the devil or one of his servants appears on stage seeking his repentance. The puppet we’ve been using has joyfully frightened and amused countless children and teachers for quite some time, but after years of use it is now time for it to be retired.

When I contacted Jim he was eager to get started. Jim Kroupa has been a puppeteer and puppet builder since childhood. He has worked for, among many others, Jim Henson, Sesame Street and a favorite from my own childhood: The Great Space Coaster. He first asked for a general idea of how I would like this new puppet to look so I drew up a quick sketch.

I began thinking about how could we make a new puppet more interesting, colorful, scary but not too scary, etc. I also wanted the puppet to relate somehow to the Renaissance so I looked at some of the works of the Dutch Renaissance painter Hieronymus Bosch for a bit of inspiration. What we came up with will be quite tall when worn. The performer Mark Mindek who is a member of I Giullari and a noted stilt performer will wear the costume/puppet, hidden beneath a large black cloak; above him will be a large cloaked green face with a large hooked nose, a big toothy grin and beady black eyes. It’s bound to leave quite an impression as the students head for the buses back to school. The puppet is about halfway done and will make its debut when A Day in the Renaissance kicks off at the end of April.

Check back in the coming weeks to see the completed puppet.

Scott Ellison is Caramoor’s Education Program Coordinator. If you would like more information on A Day in the Renaissance visit caramoor.org

What attracted you to Caramoor, and how did your relationship with Caramoor begin?

LARRY ELOW: We began going to concerts in 1968 because Caramoor was conveniently located in Westchester. But on that first summer evening when we were greeted at the Horsehead Gate by Lucie Rosen, we realized that Caramoor was something very special, something beyond the first class music: there was the enchanting setting, the feeling of intimacy, and the hard to define simple magic of the place.

ADELA ELOW: Forty five years later that magic endures, and we have been part of the evolution of Caramoor from its modest beginnings to the world-class institution that it is today. During that time we felt that The American Popular Songbook deserved a place in Caramoor, and in 1995 we were successful in introducing the Caramoor audience to Barbara Cook, and in the years to follow, numerous other cabaret singers. To name a few: Andrea Marcovicci, Karen Akers, Faith Prince, Christine Andreas, Karen Mason, Liz Callaway, KT Sullivan, Steve Ross and others.

What ignited your passion for cabaret? How do you feel that cabaret fits into the history of the American Songbook?

LE: As a jazz pianist and writer of songs for movies and TV, I have had a lifelong love affair with the music of our wonderful golden age of American Popular Song. Adela shares that love with me, and this art form has occupied an important place in our lives. These were the “standards”- written by that special and uniquely brilliant group of lyricists and composers that flourished from the 20’s to the 50’s. These songs formed the essence of America’s three great interrelated musical gifts to the world: Jazz, Popular Song and the Modern Musical Theater.

AE: We grew up listening to this music. During those years, these songs pervaded our culture—they were a significant part of the lives of every age group. Teenagers knew the lyrics from the records they listened to, and the songsheets they bought for a dime. Both adults and children enjoyed the same music, and heard these songs on the radio, in nightclubs, in movies, the theatre and later on TV. These songs expressed the ethos, character and values of what came to be known as The Greatest Generation: the romance, grace, sensitivity, idealism and all those other life attitudes that we took for granted. Fortunately, this music is still heard today at cabaret venues in this country and overseas.

Cabaret at Caramoor is presented in a concert style, which differs from most cabaret presentations where people are seated at tables and enjoy dinner during the performance. How do you think that the atmosphere of the music room — and the arrangement of the music room chairs— affects people’s experience at the cabaret?

LE: The term “cabaret” was borrowed from the cabarets in France and Germany, and came into use in the post-Rock era to give some cachet to describe the live performance of a specific kind of music: The American Popular Songbook. So “cabaret” in this sense describes a certain kind of music — not a place.

AE: The concert style seating at Caramoor in the Music Room is the same at many of the most prominent “cabaret” venues in New York, such as the Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Town Hall, Symphony Space, Carnegie Hall and the 92nd Street Y. At venues where people are seated at tables (the equivalent of what used to be called “nightclubs”), such as the former Oak Room at the Algonquin, the Carlyle, Feinsteins, the Metropolitan Room, the Neue Galerie and the new elegant 54 Below, food is usually not served during the performance.

LE: The audience is there to listen carefully, with no distractions. The lyrics are so vital, and the emotional connection with the singer so intense, that any distraction is unwelcome. So the Music Room is the perfect setting for cabaret, as it combines concert seating in a more intimate setting than the typically larger venues.

You are responsible for choosing the cabaret artist each year. How do you go about choosing the artists?

AE: We are privileged to have grown up during that golden age of creativity, and to have experienced live performances by all the legendary singers of this art form, among them Lena Horne, Peggy Lee, Judy Garland, Nat “King” Cole, Frank Sinatra, MelTormé, Mabel Mercer and countless others. Each year we see dozens of cabaret artists, young and old, new and established, in performance.

LE: When we observe an outstanding artist who deserves wider recognition, we make sure we see the exact show that will be performed at Caramoor, since singers have various shows in their repertoire. With each singer I review the entire show, add or delete material and help with continuity. As producers and underwriters, we are responsible for the entire evening, a responsibility we take seriously.

AE: We first saw Jennifer Sheehan in performance at an annual New York Cabaret Convention at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Larry and I are on the Board of Trustees of The Mabel Mercer Foundation that presents this four day event, in which scores of singers of the American Popular Songbook each present two songs. From all over the world, agents, managers, club owners and others in the field, as well as the public, congregate in one setting to view and assess a huge amount of talent.

LE: Jennifer immediately struck us as a brilliant young singer. Later, at the
Metropolitan Club we caught her show You Made Me LoveYou:
Celebrating100 Years of the Great American Songbook, which earned her
raves from the critics. At Feinsteins in New York we saw her new show: I
Know a Place: Spend a Night in the Sensational 60′s. On Saturday, May 4,
2013, at our annual Cabaret in the Music Room benefit evening, she will
be presenting this show.

AE: We need young artists like Jennifer Sheehan to keep our great standard
songs alive, by performing them. Stephen Holden of The New York Times 
shared our feeling: “Young, good-looking and very astute, Ms. Sheehan
gives you hope.”

You work together to make sure every detail of the cabaret is just right. What is it like working together as a team?

LE: We have been “working together” for 61 years, and it’s been a joy every moment. So working on cabaret projects as a team comes naturally to us. Adela had a very successful career as a fashion designer of women’s apparel, and later as a professional artist and sculptor. She is the visual, artistic member of our team. Through computer graphics she designs and produces the invitations and promotional materials for the events, and plans the Champagne and Dessert Reception.

AE: Being very visual, I’m aware of how to enhance the appearance of the artist on stage. I will often suggest what to wear and what accessories will go with their outfit. Sometimes it’s also important to show them how to brighten up their face with jewelry, makeup and hairstyle.

LE: Many of the artists in the field know us as mentors; they are our “cabaret children”. They will accept our suggestions because they know that our only goal and reward is promoting the singers of these classic songs and finding work for them. The songs will disappear if nobody sings them. We help them get performance dates in various venues in Westchester and the city, and sometimes we underwrite the event, as we do with the annual Cabaret in the Music Room benefit.

Cabaret in the Music Room presents Jennifer Sheehan - The Sensational ’60s, I Know A Place on Saturday, May 4th at 8:30pm. For reservations please call 914-232-1492. For more information visit our website: http://www.caramoor.org/festival/cabaret

American Roots music – bluegrass, country, folk, blues, and gospel (among others) is the lifeblood of America’s cultural heritage.  These are the sounds of the American melting pot in full boil, and this summer we will present some of the iconic masters of these forms as well as promising and talented rising stars, among them: the Del McCoury Band, John McCutcheon, Heritage Blues Quartet, Spuyten Duyvil, David Wax Museum, the Stray Birds, Doug & Telisha, and Walkabout Clearwater Chorus.   Tim O’Brien, the Amy Helm Band and Suzanne Vega will appear on the Caramoor stage as well.

To further celebrate this truly American musical tradition, we are thrilled to welcome two longtime friends celebrating some forty years on the road, neo-traditionalists singing in the church of the high and lonesome: Emmy Lou Harris and Rodney Crowell!  The two met and began performing together in the 1970’s and have recently collaborated on an album, “Old Yellow Moon.”  This collaboration features many songs written by Crowell, and is what I call “real country,” meaning old-style, western Kentucky country, with the deep bass and pedal steel that is glaringly absent from today’s watered-down fusion that is somehow inauthentic. 

Long known as an interpreter of songs, 12-time Grammy Award winner Emmylou Harris has, in the last decade, gained admiration as much for her eloquently straightforward songwriting as for her incomparably expressive singing.  As the years have passed, her voice has become even sweeter, always with a twinge of sadness and longing in its tones.  She will dig deep and go straight to your soul!

Rodney Crowell, also a multi-Grammy-award winner, has written songs recorded by Johnny Cash, Norah Jones, Etta James and the Grateful Dead among others.  While primarily known as a songwriter, Crowell enjoyed popularity in hit-radio country music in the 1980’s.  Since then he has continued his prolific songwriting including the songs on “Old Yellow Moon,” his first official collaboration with Emmy Lou Harris since joining her Hot Band in 1975.  He is also a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and most recently the author of the well-received autobiography Chinaberry Sidewalks.

Both Harris and Crowell have touched souls with their sweet, mournful sound.  This summer, expect to be mesmerized by the urban cowgirl in fringe and the black-hatted outsider! 

They will be appearing at Caramoor on July 13^th in the Venetian Theater.

Now that my children are tweens, they are spending more time with their friends and less time with me. More often than not, they try to avoid me entirely, unless, of course, they need money. While they have yet to outright forbid me from visiting their school, I am now strongly discouraged from showing my face anywhere near the campus. That means no more volunteering at the book fair; no more chaperoning class trips; no more rooting for the school sports teams.

What to do with all this newfound free time?  Instead of volunteering at the school, perhaps I could volunteer at Caramoor. According to its website, Caramoor always needs people to help in the gardens, assist with office work, and work as ushers during events. Right now there’s an extra opportunity available: a chance to become a docent and help give tours of the historic Rosen House.

But after years of parenting, do I have the brainpower to memorize and recite details about the abundance of Renaissance artwork on display at the Caramoor estate? Would my one distant semester of Art History 101 be enough? The Rosen House’s extensive collection contains thousands of objects, from the huge gilded bed of Pope Urban VIII (1568-1644), to the Head of Kuan Yin, a painting by Lucas Cranach (1472-1533). The Music Room alone is packed with sculptures, paintings, 16th century tapestries, wrought iron, stained glass, and a collection of Urbino Maiolica, whereas my experience with art history is limited to a quick read and rote memorization of Art through the Ages. When pressed, I tend to remember the more recent and colorful entries—the works by artists dramatized in made-for-tv movies—like Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollack.

Would I be able to handle a volunteer post with that much intellectual responsibility? If you are a former or current docent—for Caramoor or a similar organization—please post a brief account of your experience to help me get a sense of what’s expected.

Caramoor Announces the Upcoming Summer Music Festival Season

On March 20, press, community leaders, donors, trustees, and volunteers were invited to Caramoor for a preview of the upcoming Summer Music Festival. The press conference kicked off with American Roots favorite Spuyten Duyvil, to celebrate the debut of Roots Music in the Music Room. Ted Sperling and Alexandra Silber performed two key solos from She Loves Me!

CEO Jeff Haydon spoke eloquently about the artistic experience that Caramoor visitors enjoy, due in part to its physical environs and the ongoing support of Walter and Lucie Rosen’s original vision: to present incredible music in an inspiring setting.  He emphasized that it is the sum of its beautiful house and grounds, proximity to New York City and its wealth of world-class entertainment, and the Rosen’s original intentions that define Caramoor’s unique sense of place. As an influential creative oasis for both artists and audiences to create and experience music and art, Caramoor maintains its traditions by helping to develop some of the most influential musicians of this generation.

Other highlights of the press conference included Ted Sperling’s discussion of She Loves Me, and Will Crutchfield, Director of Opera, talking about the Bel Canto Verdi in Paris celebration.  Artistic Director of Roots Music Maggi Landau spoke about the American Roots Music Festival and the Woody Guthrie project, and Paul Rosenblum, Managing Director, discussed Caramoor Jazz Festival’s 20th anniversary. Katie Kresek, Family Program Designer, presented Caramoor’s family programs, and the entire press conference left attendees with a feeling of enthusiasm and anticipation.

Full Listing of Summer Music Festival Events

March is National Nutrition Month, Women’s History Month, National Celery Month… giving us various reasons to commemorate what’s important to us while we look forward to spring. What is important to us at Caramoor during this transitional month? Mayor Bloomberg has proclaimed: “March is Cabaret Month in New York City”.

In the past, you may have enjoyed our Cabaret in the Music Room concerts, including last year’s wonderful performance by Liz Calloway. These concerts are made possible by Lawrence and Adela Elow, who generously underwrite our cabaret concerts and who are passionate about this art form. If you’re a cabaret fan, you may be familiar with Larry Elow – as a young jazz pianist and student of Teddy Wilson, he had the opportunity to play several times for Billie Holiday. Recently, he was invited impromptu to the piano at a “Cabaret Month” event, where he improvised “a gently swinging rendition of ‘Good Morning Heartache.’ What Elow calls ‘just noodling around’ would inspire admiration and envy in artists a fraction of his age. History, heart, and finesse abound,” says critic Alix Cohen.

Mr. Elow is an accomplished composer who has supported Caramoor in many ways, including his generous gift of theatrical lighting in the Music Room. As residents of Bedford, Lawrence and Adela are active in the local community, particularly in the areas of education and the arts. In addition to songwriting for pop artists Dorothy Collins, the McGuire Sisters, Percy Faith, etc., Lawrence did musical direction and supervision for United Artists and Allied Artists movie studios. Educated at New York University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, he became a member of ASCAP in 1955. His chief musical collaborator was Raymond Scott with whom he worked on the movies Never Love a Stranger and The Pusher. His other popular-songs include Tropical Merengue, Not as a Stranger, and Penny for TV’s As The World Turns.

Come to Caramoor on Saturday, May 4th to experience a great night of Cabaret in the Music Room. This year, multi-award winner Jennifer Sheehan makes her Caramoor debut accompanied by James Followell (music director & piano), Dan Gross (percussion) and Stephen Benson (electric bass/ guitar). She will perform her show The Sensational ‘60’s, I Know A Place, featuring the best of Bacharach, the Beatles, Bossa Nova, Barbra, Bebop and Broadway. And that’s just the B’s!  Event information

Lawrence & Adela Elow pictured with Liz Calloway in the Rosen House Music Room.

March 16, 2013
It’s funny—the minute a concert is over, life washes in like a tidal wave, and all the things that I’ve put on hold scream for immediate attention. Therefore: a belated log-in about Tuesday’s show.

I worried that we might not have much of a house because my former student Naomi O’Connell was having her official debut recital (courtesy of Concert Artists Guild) at Weill Hall the same night. Our mutual friends would have divided loyalties, of course, and I would have to do my level best not to hold grudges against those who elected to support Naomi on her big night. But we still gathered a very good crowd at Merkin, and even a few of my Juilliard students (bless them) showed up. (It’s a good thing I don’t have to give any of them grades.) 

Sunday at Caramoor had been a watershed day for me at the piano: I was able to implement some of the new technical stuff I’m working on while under the scrutiny of the public. It was a real step forward to have my brains, my hands, and my heart working together at a higher level than ever. But playing in New York is always a bit tougher for me; I’m more nervous, and even after 40 years onstage I’m still aware of who’s out there. Though I say soothing things to my hands and arms they don’t always listen. Still, I felt pretty good in the first half of the show, and continued to play well after intermission in spite of a few moments when some old, habitual tensions invaded my body. I used to think that this was my own private, unutterable burden, but in recent years I have finally learned that I am not alone. It seems that most of us pianists are constantly tweaking our techniques—as we try to make our boxy percussion instrument into something sexy and seductive. On Tuesday I managed to tame the rather overbearing piano at Merkin Hall, but I thought I was working a little too hard at the end of the evening.

Still, the cast sang like gods, Michael was a gem, and I could feel that the audience was moved by the songs—and bowled over by the singers. We ended the Rising Stars experience just right: with a beautiful musical communion. 

A conversation with the Amphion String Quartet.
The quartet is performing in the Rosen House Music Room tomorrow night. Seats are still available! Read more about the quartet and the program notes for their concert. 

The Amphion String Quartet discusses Caramoor’s Student String program.

The Amphion String Quartet is the thirteenth Ernst Stiefel String Quartet-in-Residence at Caramoor. Their residency includes visits to local schools, providing an opportunity for middle and high school string players to work with members of the quartet. The quartet will be appearing in the Rosen House Music Room on Saturday March 16.

Learn more about the Student Strings program.