04/01/19 – If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On

Dr. Hanna Griff-Steven is the director of culture programs at the Museum at Eldridge Street, where she conceives and administers all public programs including such new programs as: The Triangle Fire 100th Year Tribute, Lost & Found Music series, the egg rolls and egg creams block party (now in its 15th year) and a great day on Eldridge street. Dr. Griff-Steven is also an adjunct professor at the Eugene Lang College of the New School for Social Research, and an adjunct associate professor at the City College of New York University School of Continuing Education. www.eldridgestreet.org [email protected]

Deborah Karpel is a classically trained singer known for her extensive range and ability to sing in nine languages. She was a member of the improvisational comedy group, “Shock of the Funny”, and appeared in the Jeff Weiss Obie award winning serial, “Hot Keys”. Deborah’s production of Yiddish music and culture, “Songs My Mother Never Taught Me” was performed at the Yiddish Book Center in Massachusetts and at the Puffin Foundation in New Jersey and is available on CD. Her latest CD is “La Promessa”. [email protected]

Ismail Butera is regarded for his expressive, lyrical style of playing. His interest in modal music from many world cultures has earned him a reputation as a dedicated and committed performer of folk music. He has performed at celebratory ethnic events among many Eastern European, Balkan and Middle Eastern communities as well as in a number of Klezmer bands in the New York area. Ismail can be heard on a number of recordings in many musical genres. www.ismailbutera.com [email protected]

Par Neiburger is artistic director at the World Music Institute (WMI) where he develops programmatic vision and programs. The WMI is the country’s leading global music and dance presenter. Par joined WMI in November of 2014. His previous experience includes being the executive producer of the Trinumeral Music and Arts Festival, Assistant Director for Asheville Bravo Concerts, Assistant Director for Miami’s Locust Projects and Assistant Director for the South Florida Composer’s Alliance (SFCA/iSAW). www.worldmusicinstitute.org [email protected]

Dr. Edgar “Ted” Coons is a professor of Philosophy, Cognition & Perception at the Center for Neural Science, New York University(NYU). Dr. Coons studied music composition and theory in college, where he became interested in how music affects the emotions of an audience. After joining the NYU faculty in 1965, this led him to create multimedia concerts, first “The Electric Christmas”at Carnegie Hall in 1967, and then a series of multimedia concerts at The Electric Circus disco. Dr. Coons has also collaborated with music therapists in measuring and treating psychological and physiological stresses in musicians, and he is currently exploring the mechanism in the brain involved in empathy and how empathy unites us all through music. [email protected]

Brian Hunter is a tenor, composer and president of the Musicians Club of New York and chairman of the Koussevitzky Young Artist Jury. He has an extensive repertoire spanning through opera, Irish, classical, pop, Broadway and folk music. In addition to performing, Brian worked for impresario Joseph Conlin in presenting hundreds of concerts and scores of cruises, as well as working for both the Palm Beach Invitational and the Cincinnati World Piano Competitions. Brian continues this work through the many events he programs and presents through the Musicians Club of New York. www.musiciansclubofny.org [email protected]

The organization, dedicated to the Indian classical musicians of Brooklyn, is a platform for all lovers of Raga music, listeners and practitioners to get closer to the pulse of NYCs live Indian Classical music scene. Brooklyn Raga Massive is managed by artists, and is meant to help bring the community of Indian music lovers together. The Massive is dedicated to presenting and representing Indian Classical Music in all its diversity of today. www.brooklynragamassive.com