The Principal Brass – a quintet of brass players from the New York Philharmonic – will perform at the season’s first performance of the Village Life Arts Series.  The concert is a special Father's Day benefit celebrating the inaugural fundraising event of the new community auxiliary group, Friends of the Warwick Valley Humane Society. 100% of the proceeds and donations will benefit the Warwick Valley Humane Society.  The concert is scheduled to take place on the afternoon of June 17, beginning at 2 p.m. at Warwick Grove’s Neighborhood Center, located at 12 Cropsey Street, Warwick, New York.  Tickets are $25 per person and reservations are highly suggested.  A reception with the musicians will follow the performance.

The Principal Brass enjoys worldwide exposure and an international reputation.  Members include Philip Smith, trumpet; Ethan Bensdorf, trumpet; Philip Myers, french horn; Joseph Alessi, trombone; and Alan Baer, tuba.

The group’s debut came in 1983 when they joined with the Canadian Brass for a concert in Ottawa, Canada. This was the beginning of a regular musical collaboration between these two brass quintets. Subsequent joint performances brought them to the summer festivals of Tanglewood, Wolf Trap, Great Woods, and Mostly Mozart, as well as concerts in cities throughout Canada and the United States. The Principal Brass, with their brass colleagues from the Boston Symphony Orchestra and The Philadelphia Orchestra, collaborated with the Canadian Brass in four recordings.

The Principal Brass has hosted an annual Christmas Holiday Concert at Avery Fisher Hall since 1995. Joining as guests on this extravaganza have been Lee Musiker and his jazz trio, the Canadian Brass, the German Brass, the West Point Brass, Percussion, and Vocalists, Sesame Street’s Bob McGrath, and the Salvation Army's New York Staff Band.

The Principal Brass and the New York Staff Band have also joined forces in two Gala Festivals at Alice Tully Hall in New York. In addition, The Principal Brass performed with the Empire Brass at the Carnegie Hall Centennial Gala in May 1991.

The Principal Brass has been a regular encore feature on the Philharmonic’s tours of Europe, South America, Asia, and the United States, as well as the orchestra’s residencies in Cagliari, Italy, and Vail, Colorado. In addition to performing at the 2009 International Trumpet Guild Conference, the ensemble has performed solo concerts in major universities and cities throughout the United States. International visits have included Germany (Berlin and Munich), Luxembourg, Mexico (Monterey), China (Shanghai), and Brazil (Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo). Having toured Japan in 1999, 2003 and 2007 the Principal Brass will visit again in 2012.

Eileen Moon, Associate Principal Cello at the New York Philharmonic is organizing the event. Eileen is a resident of Warwick and supports causes very dear to her that she has helped to develop, produce and present as charitable events. Her passionate love for animals, combined with a deep respect for and friendship with local professionals and artists, has been the driving force in the formation of a new auxiliary group, Friends of the Warwick Valley Humane Society. “It is not difficult to feel empathy, frustration and sadness for animals who have not yet been adopted. What I have learned is that through the care and tenderness of the staff, under the leadership of President Suzyn Barron, and holistic therapies utilized by integrative veterinarian Dr. Pam Shultz DVM of Orchard Grove Animal Hospital, these same animals are happy, well-balanced and healthy. Our mission is to raise funds and awareness through education and performance, on behalf of the animals and the incredible staff and volunteers at WVHS, who work tirelessly for our community.”

The primary mission of WVHS is to provide a clean, comfortable safe haven for lost, abandoned, unwanted, abused and neglected animals and to properly care for them with medical attention to the injured and ill until these animals are re-united with their families, adopted or appropriately released. Friends of the Warwick Valley Humane Society is currently inviting all interested potential “Friends” to consider one of three levels of membership. Call 845-588-5200 or email friends.WVHS@gmail.com for more information.

The Village Life Arts Series will close with another extraordinary event – a performance by the Warwick Chamber Players, featuring a quartet of the New York Philharmonic’s finest virtuosi.  Principal Cellist Carter Brey will join Assistant Concertmaster Michelle Kim (violin), Associate Principal Cello Eileen Moon, and Robert Rinehart (viola) in an unforgettable chamber concert on Sunday, October 21 at 2 p.m.  Other concerts will include popular New York Cabaret Performer Nicole Johndrow, accompanied by Warren Freeman, on Sunday, July 15 at 4 p.m.; and The Gabriele Tranchina Quintet, as part of the Hudson Valley Jazz Festival, on Saturday, August 18 at 4 p.m. There is no charge for admission to these concerts, however donations are suggested.  Proceeds from the Nicole Johndrow and Warwick Chamber Players concerts will go to the Warwick Valley Humane Society (WVHS). 

All concerts will take place in the Neighborhood Center, located at 12 Cropsey Street.  Seating is limited.  Reservations may be made by calling Warwick Grove at 845-988-5274 or in person at 6 Hudson Street, Warwick, New York.

For more information about The Village Life Arts Series or Warwick Grove, please visit www.warwick-grove.com or call 845-988-5274.

 Warwicwick Grove utilizes the principles of Traditional Neighborhood Design, which looks for its inspiration to many of the most cherished historic towns and villages in the United States such as Charleston, South Carolina; Stonington, Connecticut and Nantucket, Massachusetts.  Traditional Neighborhood Design places emphasis on human scale, a lively mix of uses and a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere.www.warwick-grove.com