A Message from our Artistic Director
One of the great joys of being the Artistic Director of Piano by Nature is getting to explore imaginative concepts for our concerts, ones that are creatively satisfying for our guest artists and interesting and enjoyable for you, our incredible PBN community.
One of the ideas that has lingered all these years has been the dream of placing a grand piano in a more rugged, outdoor Adirondack setting for a concert. And yes, I am a pianist who is wondering if non-pianists think about such things. Do you? This idea has become more and more prevalent in the last few years, and I either need to do something about it or look into therapy! My guess is that all those years in the dark cavernous practice rooms of music school are finally catching up with me. There were so many sunny days I would have much rather been outside, and I often fantasized about having a piano practice studio on a roof, or at least on a nearby lawn. Why should pianists be denied the great outdoors?!
After living in the Adirondacks for more than a few years, my fantasy seems to have morphed into a new location–one of our many beautiful outdoor trails. In my dream, I enjoy both playing it myself, and also listening to someone else playing. I find it easy to imagine hearing the resonant sounds of a piano combined with a rustling of leaves and the whir of the wind beneath a canopy of trees with sun shining through. This idea just seemed to keep growing, boldly intruding on reality.
Two years ago, I adopted an older upright piano, stored in my garage, ready to pull the trigger for the moment I would be able to realize this dream. Not long after, I discovered the CATS Essex Quarry Trail. The quarry site is a gorgeous outdoor amphitheater of both natural and man-made elements. Formed of giant slabs of blue stone along with cut marks and shaped blocks from the stone mason’s decades of work, this area seems tailor-made for awe. Cut-stone benches define the edges of the enclosed space with a delightful soundscape of frogs, birds aplenty, and a flat spot just perfect to use as a stage. The ideal spot.
Come hear pianist Ben Cosgrove’s compelling improvisations at the Essex Quarry on Saturday, June 3rd at 3:00PM. Ben will take us on a one-of-a-kind musical journey, completely unique to this location and season, and for me, a dream come true. On Sunday, June 4th at 3:00PM, you can return to the elegance of the Hand House in Elizabethtown to hear Ben create something equally awe-inspiring and unique. Both concerts will explore ways in which music can help to create a sense of belonging in this place, at this time. And both concert events celebrate our shared love of pianos, by and in nature.
-Rose
