August 16, 2007
For Immediate Release
Contact: Susan Trien, 585-410-6359, strien@museumofplay.org

Strong National Museum of Play® announces the lineup for its 2007–2008 Making American Music adult concert series. The popular series serves up an eclectic menu of musical styles sure to please any palate—from big band and country tunes to jazz, classical, and Broadway favorites. All performances take place on Wednesday evenings in the museum’s theater at 7:30 p.m.

September 19, 2007—Big Band Standards, featuring The Rochester Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra. Tap your feet to the beat of big band favorites by Count Basie, Miles Davis, and Nat King Cole. Vocalist Maggie Mullen swings the tunes with her clear, sweet voice, complementing the 19-piece ensemble. From the smooth sounds of jazz standards to the muted trumpets of big band dance music, you’ll hear it all!

October 17, 2007—The Music of Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber, featuring Cindy Miller. Settle in for an evening of musical theater masterpieces including Stephen Sondheim’s “Broadway Baby” and “Send In the Clowns” and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Memory” and “With One Look.” Cindy Miller entertains with a brief history of the Broadway shows and the stars who originally sang these songs.

November 14, 2007—Songs of New York State, featuring Dave Ruch. Musician and historian Dave Ruch presents lively songs and ditties from all corners of the Empire State, with an emphasis on the Genesee region. These are the songs of real-life “Yorkers” from the past, collected and interpreted for all to enjoy, and performed on the banjo, guitar, mandolin, and other traditional instruments.

January 23, 2008—Jazz + Blues = Swing, featuring The White Hots. What do you get when you mix jazz and blues, and then toss in a few standards? A swinging time with The White Hots! Tina Albright sings in the style of the great jazz crooners, her warm tone blending with the quartet on guitars, bass, and harmonica. You’ll hear favorites including “Route 66,” “Summertime,” and “The Thrill Is Gone.”

February 13, 2008—What Is This Thing Called Love?, featuring Tony Caramia. Just in time for Valentine’s Day! Pianist Tony Caramia plays heart-warming tunes by Cole Porter, George Gershwin, and Richard Rodgers. Professor of Piano at the Eastman School of Music, Caramia has appeared as a guest on Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz show on National Public Radio.

March 19, 2008—A Tribute to Johnny Cash, featuring Craig Wilkins. Enjoy a tribute to the Man in Black by Craig Wilkins, a musician who met Johnny Cash twice, attended twenty of his concerts, and has performed his music for more than three decades. From “Folsom Prison Blues” and “I Walk the Line” to “Give My Love to Rose,” Wilkins and his band pay homage to Cash with a performance of his songs from the last sixty years.

April 16, 2008—Brass Chamber Music: Songs and Dances, featuring Plus One. Marching from the Civil War to the present, the brass quintet Plus One performs chamber music selections from the American Brass Band Journal and George Gershwin. The most contemporary work on the program, “Dance Suite” by Wesley Nance, is a four-movement piece that demonstrates the close relationship between music and the steps in dances by showcasing the waltz, fox trot, salsa, and rumba.

May 14, 2008—The Sinatra Era, featuring The Gateswingers Big Band. The Sinatra style, made famous by such standards as “The Way You Look Tonight,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” and “You Made Me Love You,” continues to entrance and enchant audiences. Rochester’s Gateswingers Big Band brings their own inimitable style and commentary to this loving tribute to Frank and other standard masters of the era.

Full Series Tickets: nonmember $112; museum member $88; senior (age 62 and older) or student $96. Mini-series tickets: (for 4 to 7 concerts) nonmember $15 per concert; museum member $12 per concert; senior (age 62 and older) or student $13 per concert. Individual Tickets: nonmember $16; museum member $13; senior (age 62 and older)or student $14.

Bill Gray’s at the Skyliner Diner is open from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on concert evenings.
The Everything for Play Shop will be open until 7:30 p.m. Coffee and light refreshments are available for purchase during intermission. The museum’s facilities are wheelchair accessible.

For tickets, call 585-263-2700.

Strong National Museum of Play®, located in downtown Rochester, New York, is the only museum in the world devoted to the study of play as it illuminates American popular culture.

Hours:
Monday–Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.;
Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Sunday, 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.
Admission Fees
General Admission (does not include Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden™):
Adults $9.00; Seniors $8.00; Children (2–17) $7.00; Children younger than two free; Strong members free.
Admission to Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden™:
General Admission fee plus $3.00 per person for members and nonmembers; Children younger than two free.
Due to limited capacity, entry to Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden™ is by timed tickets only. Advance purchase is recommended. Please call 585-263-2700 to purchase timed tickets.