Concerts on Main series returns at Ogden Memorial Presbyterian Church (286 Main Street, Chatham, NJ) with a free performance by trumpeter Andy Kozar, one of NYC’s most in-demand contemporary players. He is joined by vocalists Corrine Byrne, Casey Molino Dunn, and pianist Tor Morten Kjøsnes.
Accessible for listeners of all ages, the hour-long performance features Carson Cooman’s "Chasing the Moon" (2009), Alex Weiser’s "Dreaming of Love" (world premiere), and Eric Ewazen’s "...to cast a shadow again" (1991). Paintings by Denise Halpin will be projected to complement Eric Ewazen’s song cycle, a setting of a text by Katherine Gekker that reflects on relationships, the weather, and human nature.
Kozar notes, “this program features lush music especially suited for Ogden’s resonant acoustic. My colleagues and I are very excited to share music that was recently written for us plus works that have become staples of our joint repertoire.”
Trumpter Andy Kozar is known for his “polished and dynamic” playing (The Baltimore Sun) in both solo and ensemble performances that are consistently “inventive” (The New York Times). A strong advocate of contemporary music, he is a founding member of loadbang, a chamber ensemble recognized as “a formidable new-music force” (Time Out New York), and also a member of NYC’s TILT Brass. Additionally, he has collaborated with a range of new music ensembles (ACJW, Argento, Pink Baby Monster, Talea, Signal, Wet Ink, and others), houses of worship (including Ogden Memorial Presbyterian), artists such as Dave Douglas, Pablo Heras Casado, and Brad Lubman, and has worked closely with varied composers (ranging from Augusta Reed Thomas to Pulitzer Prize winners David Lang and Charles Wuorinen). Andy holds degrees from the Eastman and Manhattan School of Music. A Pittsburgh native, he also studied at Carnegie Mellon University. His teaching work includes lectures and master classes at the Peabody Conservatory, SUNY Fredonia, and the University of Colorado.
For this concert he is joined by Tor Morten Kjøsnes – a Norwegian pianist active in Finland, Germany and the USA – plus vocalists Corrine Byrne, soprano and Casey Molino Dunn, baritone. Corrine’s recent highlights include performances with the Boston Early Music Festival, Ensemble Musica Humana, and One World Symphony. She is also a part of the award-winning jazz quintet West Side 5 and, with Musicians On Call, has brought bedside music to hospitals. Currently a doctoral candidate at Stony Brook University, this February she will perform in their production of The Last Five Years. Casey Molino Dunn’s credits include the east coast premiere of Andrew Lippa’s "I Am Harvey Milk" at Avery Fisher Hall, work with Chelsea Opera and New York City Opera, plus concert collaborations with Andy Kozar in Rochester, NY. He serves as the Director of Music at Chatham’s Ogden Memorial Presbyterian and this May sings Papageno in Mozart’s "Magic Flute" with Raylnmor Opera.
The performance also includes accompanying visuals by painter/designer/illustrator Denise Halpin. Trained in Aix-En-Provence and the School of Visual Arts, her work is on permanent display at NYC’s Beth Israel Hospital, East Side Middle School, Mahzen Gril, and the Children's Home of Easton.
About Concerts on Main: Free and open to all, varied hour-long performances by NJ and NYC professionals are held during the fall and winter in Ogden Memorial Presbyterian Church’s historic and acoustically-engaging sanctuary. As needed, younger listeners can take advantage of a nearby indoor playspace. Ogden is located a block from Chatham’s train station, with easy and fast NYC access; there is ample free parking in the vicinity of the church.
