MoCA CT

Faces in Clay with Bianca Barroca
2024-04-25 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Faces in Clay with Bianca Barroca | 4/25 (6-8 PM)
Learn the basics of sculpting a face with Brazilian ceramicist & sculptor, Bianca Barroca. In this two hour workshop, Bianca will guide you with easy steps to creating your own face mask out of clay, with ample opportunity to add your own personal flair & expression. We provide the clay, tools & glaze options, you make your mask, choose your glaze, and pick up your finished creation one week later. This is the ultimate intro class for people that have always wanted to sculpt human form, but didn’t know where to start.

Spring Recess Art Camps
2024-04-15 09:30 - 2024-04-19 14:30 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Spring Recess Art Camps | April 15-19

Looking for something creative for your child to do during April recess? Offering a morning session (ages 4-6) and a full-day session (ages 5-7), MoCA Westport’s Recess Art Camp offers a day of artsy fun. Campers will spend their day making, learning about artists, and collaborating in a fun, creative environment.
Drop off and pick up

Campers will be dropped off and picked up at the Academy doors located in the back of the building.

Requirements

All participants must be fully potty-trained and bathroom independent.
All food must be tree nut and peanut-free.
Dress campers in clothing you won’t mind them getting messy, pack a nut-free snack, and a water bottle.
FULL DAY CAMPERS PLEASE PACK A NUT-FREE LUNCH & AN EXTRA SNACK

Session Options:

AM (Ages 4-6): 9:30a-11:30a

FULL DAY (Ages 5-7): 9:30a-2:30p

Contact campmoca@mocawestport.org with questions.

Gallery closed for J.Y. Park Piano Competition
2024-04-13 - 2024-04-14 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
The gallery is closed for the J.Y. Park Piano Competition
About the Competition
The Ninth Annual J.Y. Park Piano Competition, generously supported by the Jumy Foundation, is pleased to announce the ninth annual competition, to be held on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at MoCA Westport.
The J.Y. Park Piano Competition promotes young pianists and rewards the artistic accomplishment of outstanding performers. Further, the Jumy Foundation provides awards to the teachers of the winning competitors.
Competition Chairman: Dr. Russell Hirshfield, Professor of Music, Western Connecticut State University

Eligibility
Middle school and High School students living and/or studying in Connecticut, and in Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties in New York.

Divisions
Junior Divisions: Ages 10-13 (as of April 1, 2024)
Senior Divisions: Ages 14-18 (as of April 1, 2024)

Required Solo Repertoire: Senior Division

Compulsory Work: Sonata in B-Flat Major, Opus 22, I. Allegro con brio by Ludwig van Beethoven
A Baroque work
A 19th, 20th or 21st Century work
An American work (jazz compositions are acceptable)

Required Solo Repertoire: Junior Division

Compulsory work: Sonata in G Minor, Opus 49, no. 1, I. Andante by Ludwig van Beethoven
A Baroque or Romantic work
An American work (jazz compositions are acceptable)

Required Four Hand Repertoire: Junior Division (at least one member must be a Junior and a past JYPPC winner)

Compulsory work: Dolly Suite, Opus 56, Movements 1 & 2 by Gabriel Fauré
A contrasting work for piano four hands

Note for solo divisions: all works must be for solo acoustic piano and all repertoire must be performed from memory. For more, visit Jumyfoundation.org

Prizes
Senior Division
First Prize: $1000
Second Prize: $750
Third Prize: $500
Honorable mention(s): $250 each
Junior Division
First Prize: $300
Second Prize: $250
Third Prize: $200
Honorable mention(s): $100 each
Junior Division Four Hand
First Prize: $250 each
Second Prize: $200 each
Third Prize: $150 each

Winner’s Recital & Award Ceremony
Saturday, April 14, 2024 at 2pm, MoCA Westport

Application & Information
The application process will be all virtual. Please visit jumyfoundation.org for further details. Questions may be addressed by email to info@jumyfoundation.org.
The site of the J.Y. Park Piano Competition has moved to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Westport, CT. This facility boasts a Steinway D piano, and is home to the Heida Herman International Piano Competition. We are excited to be associated with MoCA Westport.
Date: April 13, 2024
Location: MoCA Westport 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT 06880

Community Conversations (Virtual Only): Conversation with Curator Victoria McCraven and Asmaa Walton
2024-04-11 18:00 - 19:00
Free Admission; This conversation will take place on Zoom. Register to get the link.

MoCA Westport is excited to host a virtual community conversation with the curator of It Will Go On, Victoria McCraven and the founder of the Black Art Library, Asmaa Walton. Community members will have the opportunity to communicate with the curator of the exhibition and the founder of the Black Art Library in a Q&A session following the discussion.
MoCA Westport’s newest exhibition It Will Go On poses text as a central and connective framework, highlighting artists who employ the written word as a driving component of their practice. Featured as part of the exhibition, Black Art Library provides visitors a relaxed environment to learn more about Black visual art through the pop-up library’s collection. In this one-hour conversation between Victoria and Asmaa, attendees have the opportunity to learn more about our current exhibition It Will Go On and the first New England installation of Black Art Library.
About the Black Art Library:
Black Art Library is a collection of books and other art history ephemera on Black visual art intended to be an educational resource to share within the Black community and beyond. We intend to introduce or expand the community’s knowledge of Black art from the past and the present through art books.
About Asmaa Walton:
Asmaa Walton is a Detroit native, arts educator and ardent developer of the Black cultural archive. Walton completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education from Michigan State University in 2017. Upon earning a Master of Arts in Art Politics from New York University Tisch School of the Arts, in 2018, Walton joined Toledo Museum of Art as an Education and Engagement Intern. In the same year she was appointed the Museum’s first KeyBank Fellow in Diversity Leadership, a position where she identified opportunities for diversity and equity programming across museums and cultural institutions. In 2019, Walton was appointed Romare Bearden graduate Museum Fellow at Saint Louis Art Museum. In February 2020 Walton established Black Art Library which is a collection of publications, exhibition catalogues and theoretical texts about Black art and visual culture intended to become a public archive in a permanent space in Detroit.
About Victoria McCraven:
Victoria McCraven is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Art & Archaeology specializing in the art of the African Diaspora. Before beginning her graduate work at Princeton, Victoria worked as the programs manager at NXTHVN. In 2020, she was selected as the 27th Romare Bearden Graduate Museum Fellow at the Saint Louis Art Museum, and in 2019 received a US-UK Fulbright Postgraduate Award. Victoria’s curatorial projects include Black Bodies on the Cross at the Hood Museum of Art, Nuotama Frances Bodomo: Afronauts at the Saint Louis Art Museum, and Christian Curiel: Between Reveries at NXTHVN. Victoria holds an M.A. in History of Art with Distinction from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, and a B.A. in Geography from Dartmouth College. Victoria is an Emerging Professional Board Member on the College Art Association Board of Directors.
Comment from Black Art Library founder Asmaa Walton:
“Black Art Library was born out of the constant observations I made, while working within museums, on the lack of resources available for Black art education. This gap exists in the mainstream narration of art history. Many cultural institutions were and still are missing the mark when it comes to sharing histories around Black art and artists. I decided to build my own collection of literary works by and about Black visual artists in February 2020. As an arts educator my thought around this was that I could compile all of this information that can live in one place so people can find it much easier. Black Art Library recognizes the need for learning experiences that foreground Black narratives of art and visual culture that are often excluded from mainstream libraries and curricula, and aims to make information about Black artistry available to all. So many Black artists get lost in history and I just want to keep their stories alive and visible.”

Performing Arts at MoCA: Frederic Chiu & David Gonzalez
2024-03-23 16:00 - 17:30 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Come as early as 6:30 PM to check out the current exhibition. Purchase tickets here.
The Carnival of the Animals is a musical suite composed by the French composer Camille Saint-Saëns. It comprises 14 separate pieces, each one suggesting a particular animal. It has become one of the most popular pieces in history, often serving as an introduction for young audiences to Classical music. David Gonzalez’s original free-verse poetry brings a fresh, modern perspective on Saint-Saëns’ music.
The French composer Camille Saint-Saëns wrote the Carnival of the Animals (Le carnaval des animaux) while on vacation, for a rag-tag student orchestra. He considered the piece frivolous, but it was an instant hit. He therefore banned performances of it and did not allow his publisher to release it during his lifetime (except for one piece that became an instant classic – the Swan). Only after his death was the entire suite published.
When it was finally published, it appeared in multiple forms: the original version for 11 instruments, for full orchestra, for 2 pianos, for 1 piano-4 hands, and for solo piano.
The version Frederic Chiu is playing is for solo piano. Because of the difficulty for the solo pianist playing the parts of 11 instruments at the same time, it turns a piece that might be frivolous into something much more virtuosic and, at the same time, more personal and touching.
About Frederic Chiu:
Frederic Chiu performs in major venues on five continents, such as Lincoln Center in New York, the Kennedy Center in Washington, The Chatelet in Paris, or the Mozarteum in Buenos Aires, and extensive tours in smaller and unusual venues. He collaborates with Classical music friends Joshua Bell, Pierre Amoyal, Gary Hoffman and the St Lawrence String Quartet, as well as non-Classical friends like jazz pianist Bob James, writer/storyteller David Gonzalez, Shakespearean actor Brian Bedford, and the clown Buffo, trying to bring the vivid live concert experience to as many people as possible. He has worked with conductors such as Christoph Campestrini, John Nelson, Stefan Sanderling, Rodolfo Fischer, Susan Haig, Bernhard Klee, Xian Zhang and Alexander Titov.
Among his recital programs, Frederic Chiu presents “Classical Smackdown,” an on-going series where composers face off in head-to-head comparisons, with listeners voting for their favorite composer. After his first successful Smackdown between Debussy and Prokofiev, he presented Bach vs. Philip Glass, with results tracked at ClassicalSmackdown.com. The latest installment: Young Geniuses Smackdown between Mendelssohn and Chopin before the age of 20.
Frederic Chiu has released over 30 recordings, including the most extensive complete piano works of Prokofiev, works of Chopin, Liszt, Ravel, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Schubert, Rossini and Grieg, as well as the Beethoven/Liszt Symphony V and VII, and the solo piano version of Carnival of the Animals. His recent projects include “Hymns and Dervishes,” music of Gurdjieff/de Hartmann, “Distant Voices: Piano music of Claude Debussy & Gao Ping” and Schubert Fantasy for Violin and Piano with William Harvey. He is a regular on St. Paul Sunday and Performance Today, and a favorite of public radios across the country.
Chiu’s teaching program Deeper Piano Studies – a philosophic and holistic approach to piano playing – has been featured at the Juilliard School, Indiana University’s Jacob School of Music, the Manhattan School of Music, the New England Conservatory, the Banff Centre and most of the National Conservatories in China. He currently teaches at both Carnegie Mellon University and The Hartt School in Hartford, CT.
With his wife, Jeanine Esposito, Chiu is the co-founder and artistic director of Beechwood Arts and Innovation in Connecticut, focused on the crossroads between art, innovation and transformation. His efforts to promote music coincide with his desire to foster peace and understanding, recently recognized by a Senatorial Commendation from the United States Congress. He has been, for more than 35 years, a Yamaha artist, and has explored the integration of their instruments ranging from the highest-quality acoustic to the purely digital, and all the different hybrid combinations in between.
About David Gonzalez, Doctor of Arts:
David is the recipient of the International Performing Arts for Youth “Lifetime Achievement Award for Sustained Excellence”. Mr. Gonzalez was named a Joseph Campbell Foundation Fellow and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for “Unique Theatrical Experience” for his production of The Frog Bride at Broadway’s New Victory Theater. He has created numerous productions, including the critically acclaimed ¡Sofrito! with The Latin Legends Band, and MytholoJazz, both of which enjoyed sold-out runs at New Victory Theater. David completed Wounded Splendor, a two-year residency and commission from the University of Maryland that celebrates the natural world and our responsibility to it. Sleeping Beauty, featuring Bach’s Goldberg Variations, premiered at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. David was a featured performer at the National Storytelling Festival, and has performed at festivals in Spain, Switzerland, France, Costa Rica, Norway, Puerto Rico, and throughout the United States. He also appeared for three seasons at the Royal National Theatre in London. Mr. Gonzalez was the Artistic Director for The Alliance for a New Humanity, an international service organization dedicated to peace and sustainability. The Man of the House was commissioned by and premiered at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Mr. Gonzalez’ work Double Crossed: The Saga of the St. Louis toured nationally, including a run at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1998. The same year, David was honored with the Helen Hayes Performing Artist of the Year Award. As If the Past Were Listening, a suite of creation myths, was selected for Lincoln Center Institute’s repertory for three seasons. David’s Latin Jazz poetry project City of Dreams was commissioned by the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and premiered at La Mama Theater. He wrote Finding North, a one-man play based on Underground Railroad hero John Parker that was commissioned by the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and performed at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center; Aesop Bops! and co-wrote Mariel, an Afro-Cuban musical set in the turbulent times of the Mariel boatlift from Cuba, with Grammy-nominated songwriter John Forster. Mariel is the winner of the Macy’s “New Play Prize for Young Audiences.” David is also the author of the opera libretto Rise for Freedom! produced at the Cincinnati Opera, and Jimi and Mr. B, a musical commissioned by the Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center. His long form poem Oh Hudson in collaboration with violin virtuoso Mark O’Connor commemorates the Hudson quadricentennial, and his version of The Carnival of the Animals with classical piano virtuoso Frederic Chui, has toured nationally. David received his doctorate in Music Therapy from New York University and taught there for ten years.
David’s poetry was featured at Lincoln Center’s Out-of-Doors Festival, Bill Moyers’s documentary Fooling with Words on PBS, NPR’s All Things Considered, and the World Science Festival among many other venues. His poetry book, Soundings, is available wherever books are sold. He was the host of New York Kids on WNYC for eight seasons. He earned a doctoral degree from New York University in Music Therapy and has conducted numerous seminars, workshops, and lectures, and worked as a music therapist in clinical and educational institutions. He is the Artistic Director of Crisalida Communications, an organization that supports communities through arts outreach. Online at www.crisalidacom.com

Heida Competition Alum Stephanie Tang Returns with the Paddington Trio
2024-03-20 19:00 - 21:00 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Suggested Donation: $25
To RSVP email thepaddingtontrio@gmail.com
Heida Competition alum pianist Stephanie Tang to return to Westport with the Paddington Trio: Don’t miss an evening of wonderful chamber music! Featuring works by Beethoven and Shostakovich as well as exciting new works by Ellen Lindquist and Sam Perkin.

Program:

Beethoven Op. 1 No. 3
Sam Perkin: Freakshow (2016)

Intermission

Ellen Lindquist: Shining Through (2023)
Shostakovich: Piano Trio No. 2

About Paddington Trio:

“Their youth does not remotely detract from their excellence – these are accomplished musicians by any standard, not only in technique but in rapport and nuance. In places, there was true beauty but never as an end in itself: everything served a higher conception of the music. I have rarely been so excited by performers new to me.” –Strings Attached
Seen as one of the most exciting chamber ensembles of their generation, the Paddington Trio has been recognized in international competitions and live performances for their fresh interpretations and exuberant energy. As did the famous bear, Finnish violinist Tuulia Hero, Irish cellist Patrick Moriarty and American pianist Stephanie Tang have made London their home and emerged as an ensemble of an entirely unique and lasting entity. The trio is celebrated for its close and energetic communication, insightful and imaginative programming as well as its highly refined ensemble playing. The trio’s grand mission is to bridge the gap between new listeners and serious classical music enthusiasts by welcoming everyone into their living room of musical discovery and shared love of chamber music.
Having started their first adventure together at the Paddington Station in 2020, a year after they met, the trio won the First Prize in the 70th Royal Over-Seas League Competition for Strings & Piano Ensemble. Firmly committed to promoting new music, education and outreach in chamber music, they were also honoured with the First Prize of the NEW FORMATS Project Prize 2022 in Graz, Austria, and the First Prize at the Clara Schumann International Competition. In April 2023, they were the winners of the prestigious Parkhouse Award held in Wigmore Hall, and they are currently generously supported by the City Music Foundation, Kirckman Concert Society and GBZ Management. In the summer of 2023, the trio completed an Artist Fellowship programme at their alma mater, the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, and in 2023/24 continues to teach and inspire young ensembles as Chamber Fellows in the renowned Chamber Fellowship Programme at the Royal Northern College of Music.
In March 2023, the Paddington Trio made its concerto debut performing the Beethoven Triple Concerto with Jan Söderblom and the Jyväskylä Symphony Orchestra in Finland. They have appeared in prominent halls and series, such as Wigmore Hall, LSO St. Luke’s, Oxford Coffee Concerts, St. George’s Bristol and the BBC Total Immersion. Their most recent debuts saw them at the TivoliVredenburg and the Schiermonnikoog Festival in the Netherlands, the Edinburgh Fringe, Buxton International and Brighton Festivals, and Lake District Summer Music. The trio has appeared on YLE Radio (Finland) and BBC Radio 3 In Tune.
Tuulia, Patrick and Stephanie have had the privilege to work closely with internationally renowned musicians, such as Eberhard Feltz, Marc Danel, Gary Hoffman, Levon Chilingirian, Robert Levin, Johannes Meissl, David Dolan and members of the Ébène, Takács, Endellion and Meta4 quartets. They join the European Chamber Music Academy in 2023 and also receive mentorships from ChamberStudio and the Netherlands String Quartet Academy. The trio studied under Thomas Adès at the IMS Prussia Cove’s 50th anniversary masterclasses.
Tuulia plays on a 1707 Stradivarius violin, generously on loan from the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki.
Tuulia Hero is an award-winning concert violinist and chamber musician, as well as an accomplished improviser and educator currently based in London. Originally from Finland, Tuulia was trained in violin from the age of 4 and brought up at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, the Hanns Eisler School of Music in Berlin and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Playing a Stradivarius violin from 1707, generously lent to her by the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki, Tuulia is the 2024 artistic grant recipient of the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation in Finland. Tuulia gave her debut in 2012 at the Kauniainen International Music Festival and has since been invited to perform at the Presidential Palace in Finland, Wigmore Hall in London, Konzerthaus in Berlin, and numerous festivals and concerts around Europe, North America and Eastern Asia.
A native of Los Angeles, Stephanie Tang performed in Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall at the age of 12 and has since then performed in major venues such as Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles), Shenzhen Concert Hall, Himalayan Concert Hall (Shanghai), Sendai Concert Hall, venues throughout the Netherlands, Place Flagey (Brussels), Wigmore Hall, Barbican Centre, Milton Court (London), Banff Centre, and Koerner Hall (Toronto). Most recently, Stephanie won Guildhall School’s most distinguished award, the Gold Medal, and in the past she has won 1st prize at the Young Pianists’ Beethoven Competition, 2nd prize at Louisiana International Piano Competition and the Jury’s Discretionary Prize at the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Bronislaw Kaper Awards.
Cellist Patrick Moriarty is one of Ireland’s foremost musicians and is in high demand as a soloist and as a chamber musician. Patrick has performed in venues across Europe such as Wigmore Hall, Barbican Hall, Victoria Hall, Muziekgebouw, Musiikkitalo, IMS Prussia Cove Open Chamber Music, West Cork Chamber Music Festival, and GAIA Music Festival. He has won numerous competitions and prizes such as the 70th Royal Over-Seas League Competition and the prestigious Parkhouse Award in Wigmore hall. Recording work includes working with The Abbey Road Studios Institute as well as multiple recordings for BBC3, RTE lyric FM, YLE and VPRO.

MoCA Some Noise | Open Mic Night
2024-03-08 18:30 - 20:30 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Join us for an Open Mic night at MoCA Westport featuring acoustic music, poetry, and slam poetry on Friday, March 8th at 6:30 PM! Everyone is invited to participate and attend.
Get your tickets to participate or attend here.
Open Mic night is FREE for Members to watch; MoCA Member Participation is FREE; General Admission $10; Participation Fee $5
Contact Isabelle at isabelle@mocawestport.org with questions.

Connecticut Guitar Festival: Global Kick-Off Concert
2024-03-01 19:00 - 21:00 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
A feat of styles and artists kick off the 2024 festival in our beautiful space.
The Festival will take place over three days. Learn more
Global Kick-Off Concert, March 1 at 7 PM – Get Tickets
Performers:

Daniel Lippel: Guitarist Daniel Lippel, called an “exciting soloist” (New York Times) has a multi-faceted career as a soloist, chamber musician, collaborator, and recording artist. Recent recital highlights include the Cleveland International Guitar Festival, Le Poisson Rouge (NYC), Sinus Ton Festival (Germany), the National University of Colombia in Bogota, and the Triangle and New York Classical Guitar Societies. As a contemporary chamber musician, he has been a member of the International Contemporary Ensemble since 2005 and counter)induction since 2019, and played as a guest with many other ensembles, including St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, New York City Ballet, New York New Music Ensemble, Wet Ink Ensemble, Talea Ensemble, and Ensemble Dal Niente, performing at such venues as the Dutch National Opera, Ultima Festival at the Oslo Opera House (Norway), Guitar Foundation of America Convention (Manhattan School of Music), Macau Festival (China), and Kunst Universitaet Graz (Austria), Mostly Mozart Festival, Ojai Festival, and Ottawa Chamber Festival (Canada). He has worked closely with many composers including Mario Davidovsky, Nils Vigeland, Charles Wuorinen, Ken Ueno, Dai Fujikura, Tyshawn Sorey, Wang Lu, Reiko Fueting, Du Yun, Douglas Boyce, Kyle Bartlett, Mikel Kuehn, and John Link. Lippel has also been active in various creative improvised contexts in performance and on recording, including on projects with Cory Smythe, Will Mason’s Happy Place, Alejandro Florez, Dan Bruce, and Aidan Plank. As a longtime guitarist with the eclectic indie group Mice Parade, he performed on several international tours and albums. He is the co-founder, owner, and director of New Focus Recordings, performing and producing on several of its albums, as well as appearing on recordings on other labels including Kairos, Sony Classical Japan, Bridge, Tzadik, Wergo, and New World. Australia’s Limelight magazine called his recent recording of Bach’s works on a re-fretted Well-Tempered guitar “a watershed in Lippel’s ability to bring together novel musicological and philosophical strands in the service of pure pleasure.” Lippel has given presentations and masterclasses to guitar and composition departments at the Hanns Eisler Hochschule (Berlin), Curtis Institute, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Peabody Institute of Music, and San Francisco Conservatory, among others. He completed his DMA at the Manhattan School of Music.

Đani Šehu: Đani Šehu (b. 1980) received his primary education in his hometown of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. After high school, he studied guitar with professor Rafael Andia at the Ecole Normale de Musique Alfred Cortot in Paris, France. In 2000, he continued his education at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna, Austria. He studied with professors Konrad Ragossnig and Alexander Swete and graduated in 2006 at the concert department for guitar. He earned his master’s degree in 2010 studying under professor Alexander Swete. Throughout his education, Šehu attended several seminars and master classes with world-class professors and artists. As a soloist and chamber musician, Šehu has performed throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Austria, France, Sweden, Italy and Germany. He has performed as a soloist with the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra (Bosnia and Herzegovina), the Tonart Simfonietta (Austria), and the Dubrovnik string quartet (Croatia). Since 2006 he is teaching at the Music Academy of University of Sarajevo. His students have gained worldwide attention with their successes at international competitions and concerts throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad. In addition to his active concert schedule, he is a guest of many festivals internationally as a master class clinician and serving as a member of the juries. He is a founder and director of the Sarajevo International Guitar Festival and International “SIGF Summer School”.

Quarantined Quartet: Quarantined Quartet are Elysa (mom), Jason (dad), Joseph (13 y.o) & Noah (12 y.o) Hochman. They are a family guitar quartet that plays a unique brand of guitar fusing Spanish, Classical, Flamenco and Acoustic styles. The Quarantined Quartet has been posting daily on Instagram since March 21, 2020 to track their practice and share it with the world. Right after closing their music school in Manhattan due to the NYC shutdowns. They grew to have a following of over 670k followers on Instagram and over 517k on Facebook throughout these 3+ years. They released an EP under Quarantined Quartet in December 2021. Their uplifting pandemic story was featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Good Morning America, NBC Stay Tuned Now and many more media outlets for their unique family band. Elysa and Jason are also the founders of the New York Guitar Academy. Their academy offers classes and lessons for children to adults in all styles and levels of guitar and they had to closed thier Manhattan studio in 2020 and transfer everything to remote learning. New York Guitar Academy was rated the number 1 school to learn guitar in TimeOut New York Kids. They released 3 books with Classical & Flamenco Guitar Solos & Etudes that features over 65 original etudes and songs for classical and flamenco guitar students.. Their family project unexpectedly lifted their academy online classes to new heights. Jay & Lee Rumba Flamenca is Jason (Jay) and Elysa’s (Lee) highly acclaimed guitar duo that performs Rumba Flamenca and Spanish Classical Guitar in New York metropolitan area. They’ve had tons of notable performances including performances at Lincoln Center, US Open Finals Pre-Game Shows and many more events for widely recognized organizations, businesses, celebrities and museums. They released 2 albums under their guitar duo name “Jay & Lee.” These albums are titled “Strums of Brooklyn” and “Guitar Duets.”

David Steinhardt: Winning over 10 competitions, David is the youngest guitarist to place first at the Hamilton International and Great Lakes Collegiate Guitar Competition. A sought after performer, David has concertized across the US, Canada, and Europe in venues including Carnegie/Wigmore Hall and festivals including Hamilton, Montreal, and Ullapool International Guitar Festivals. Concerto highlights include his debut with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 17 and the Los Angeles debut of Steve Goss’ Concerto of Colours with the USC Wind Ensemble. On the radio, David has performed for NPR’s From the Top, WXXI’s Backstage Pass, and Classical KUSC’s Sunday’s Live. Through online platforms, he has been featured by Guitar Salon International and Guy Traviss. As a podcaster, David was host and producer of The Tonebase Classical Guitar Podcast. Through the show, David interviewed guitarists of well renown including Pepe Romero, Judicaël Perroy, Scott Tennant, Eliot Fisk, and Gabriel Bianco. The podcast focused on insightful topics ranging from pedagogical approaches to recording techniques with listeners across 20+ countries. A passionate educator, David has taught masterclasses/workshops for Guitar Hamilton, Guitar San Antonio, and the Interlochen Arts Academy. He is on faculty at Levine Music and holds a virtual private studio. David currently plays a Paco Santiago Marin guitar.

Camp MoCA Registration is Now Open | Register Now!
2024-03-01 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
REGISTER NOW FOR CAMP MoCA 2024!

FULL DAY M-F 9:30a-3p HALF DAY M-F 9:30a- 12:30p
OFFERING 12 WEEKS OF CAMP (**WEEK 5: JULY 1-3 ONLY**)
ALL CAMPERS MUST BE FULLY POTTY-TRAINED
Join us on Sunday, August 25th at our annual Camper Art Exhibition “KALEIDOSCOPE”

Camp MoCA is a fully accredited youth art camp that offers weekly half-day and full-day options for families who wish to give their children (ages 4-7) an enriching and educational summer experience. At Camp MoCA, we make connections between self, family, and community in all of our creative pursuits.
Our campers enjoy our air-conditioned and expansive indoor facilities along with our outdoor play and garden areas every day. Our camp is designed to provide children with a fun and creative environment where they will learn new skills, make friends, and explore expressing themselves artistically. We believe that exposure to the arts is essential for a child’s development, and we are committed to providing campers with an experience that is both fun and educational.
On a typical day campers will move through art lessons, immersive exhibition time, a science lesson in our working garden, time to play outside, and time to relax with calm structured activities. We have specific plans to diversify instruction to meet the developmental needs of our campers and we have special activities on some days when they have water play, ice cream and dance parties along with an informal camper talent show.
We have a maximum of 24 campers – 2-3 instructors and 2-4 counselors on site at all times along with a Camp Director. Campers bring with them nut-free snacks, lunch and a water bottle. Camp MoCA is the perfect opportunity for parents to give their children a summer experience that they will never forget. Our camp is fully accredited, which means that parents can rest assured that their children are in good hands. We are committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all of our campers. All families and friends will be invited to celebrate their camper’s artwork on Sunday, August 25th at our annual Camper Art Exhibition.
For more information, contact us at campmoca@mocawestport.org

Join Us at MoCA Westport's Artisan Marketplace: Winter Edition on February 11th
2024-02-11 12:00 - 16:00 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Join us on February 11th, from 12pm to 4pm at MoCA Westport to celebrate local artisans’ talent and creativity. This event transcends a mere marketplace; it’s an immersive experience fostering connections, discoveries, and inspiration.
We are delighted to present Ethan Walmark, Westport’s very own 18-year-old Staples High School senior and musical prodigy. His journey began in 2012, at the tender age of 6, when his viral rendition of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” garnered over 30 million “likes” and earned him a spot on NBC’s TODAY SHOW. Since then, Ethan’s dedication to his craft has been unwavering. He has mastered a diverse range of ten instruments, including piano/keys, vocals, and guitar, and even taught himself guitar during the Covid pandemic. Ethan showcases his talents as a multi-instrumentalist with SHS’s Orphenians, Choralaires, and newly-formed A cappella Club. In Fall 2024, Ethan will embark on a music-based college program, where he will continue to hone his skills and pursue his musical passion.
Don’t miss this opportunity to witness firsthand the talent of our local artisans, immerse yourself in the captivating sounds of Ethan Walmark’s piano stylings and enjoy Cowabunga Food Truck. We look forward to welcoming you to this extraordinary event at MoCA Westport.
For more information about the Artisan Marketplace: Winter Edition or to learn about future opportunities for artisans, please visit MoCA Westport’s website or contact us at info@mocawestport.org
Participating Vendors:
HIPV MODERN VINTAGE JEWELRY
L LINEN + CLAY
SARA HUNSUCKER STUDIO
GRACE CONNELL DESIGNS
YOZO STUDIO
TOP BANANA
ELIBEA, LLC
FLORACO
SCLARANDIS
LMNL
HH PERLA
VIEVE INC
SHAWLS BY SONIKA
GENHAPPY
TOCCO STUDIO
JEWELED COQUETTE
WENDY HARRIS PHOTOGRAPHY
HAUTE ENERGY
SANT M
RUNO STORE
EMMY STARR DESIGNS
MOCA WESTPORT TEACHING ARTISTS

Le Rouge Chocolate Workshop
2024-02-10 19:00 - 20:00, 2024-02-10 17:00 - 18:00, 2024-02-10 14:45 - 15:45, 2024-02-10 13:00 - 14:00, 2024-02-10 11:15 - 12:00, 2024-02-10 10:00 - 10:45 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Join us for a day of chocolate fun! During these workshops led by Le Rouge Chocolates, participants will make various chocolate creations. They will take their delicious works home in a beautiful box, perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Kids 8-10 | 10a-10:45a
Kids 11-15 | 11:15a-12:00p
Teens 15-18 | 1p-2p & 2:45p-3:45p
Couples | 5p-6p & 7p-8p

Performing Arts at MoCA: Michelle Pauker
2024-02-09 19:00 - 20:30 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Come as early as 6:30 PM to purchase a drink and check out the current exhibition. Purchase tickets here.
About Michelle Pauker:
Michelle Pauker is an actress, singer-songwriter, and artist raised in Westport, CT. You may have caught Michelle’s past MoCA performance , “Broadway Through the Ages,” and her “Joni Mitchell Tribute: The Gallery” which played to a sold-out audience! Past credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Idaho Shakespeare Festival), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Great Lakes Theatre Co.), Into The Woods (Forestburgh Playhouse). Michelle would like to thank her friends at MoCA for the opportunity to connect with you through art and music.

Community Conversation on Sixties Mod with WestPAC Curators
2024-02-08 18:00 - 20:00 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Community Conversation on Sixties Mod, Thursday, February 8th from 6-8p | Advanced Registration is Requested
MoCA Westport is excited to announce its upcoming Community Conversation event on Thursday, February 8th, from 6-8pm. This event will feature an insightful discussion with curators Kathleen Bennewitz (Westport Town Curator and Executive Director of the Edward Hopper House Museum and Study Center), Sarah Churchill (Housatonic Community College), and Ive Covaci (WestPAC), showcasing the Sixties Mod Exhibition currently on display at MoCA Westport.
Bennewitz and Covaci will lead a captivating discussion, offering unique insights into the curation process, the significance of the exhibited pieces, and the cultural impact of the Sixties Mod movement.
The event is open to all, with admission available on a pay-as-you-wish basis. Attendees are invited to explore the exhibition starting at 6:00pm, with the conversation and Q+A session commencing at 6:30pm. To secure your spot, please register here.
MoCA Westport believes in making the arts accessible to everyone. For those in need of financial assistance for admissions, classes, or event registration, the museum encourages contacting them at info@mocawestport.org. While masks are not mandatory, visitors are welcome to wear them for added comfort and safety.
Visit mocawestport.org to learn more about upcoming events, exhibitions, and educational programs.

Blossom + Stem Floral Design Workshop
2024-02-08 14:00 - 16:00 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
February 8th from 2:00p-4:00p
Come get flowery with Blossom + Stem Floral Design and create a gorgeous flower centerpiece just in time for Valentine’s Day! Work with premium fresh flowers designing your own custom centerpiece and take your floral creation home! You can bring your own vase (up to 6″ width and 12″ tall) or purchase a Blossom + Stem vase on-site for $25. All other supplies are covered.

THE HEIDA 2024 APPLICATIONS OPENING FEBRUARY 1st!
2024-02-01 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Applications for the 2024 Heida Hermanns International Piano Competition are opening on February 1st!
MoCA Westport will host the world’s rising pianists to compete in one of America’s most celebrated events, the Heida Hermanns International Piano Competition. This competition is both a celebration of music, and of the legacy of pianist, teacher, and philanthropist Heida Hermanns.
The Heida invites accomplished pianists from all over the world from ages 18-35 to apply for a chance to compete. The preliminary round will take place virtually, with finalists being selected to advance to the competition at MoCA Westport.
The 2024 winner will receive a cash prize of $10,000, with each other finalist receiving a prize of $2,500. The winner will additionally receive an invitation to perform a solo recital at MoCA Westport at a later date.
Prior winners include celebrated pianists who have gone on to perform in the world’s most important halls, such as Spencer Myer, Frederic Chiu, Josh Wright, Timur Mustikimov, and Yue Chu.
MoCA Westport last hosted this esteemed competition in 2022, and recently welcomed back winner Artem Kuznetsov this past November in a solo recital. The 2022 finalists included Katharine Benson, Nathan Cheung, and Aaron Kurz.
Applications are open from February 1 to May 31. The competition will take place on November 22-23, 2024.
To apply, click here. For further questions, please contact kristen@mocawestport.org.
–
About the Competition
Heida Hermanns, the founder of the Connecticut Alliance for Music, Inc. (CAM), was a pianist, teacher and philanthropist. She was born in Wiesbaden, Germany in 1906 and received her first piano lessons from her mother. At the age of 15, she enrolled at the Berlin Hochschule fur Musik. Her teachers included Egon Petri, Artur Schnabel, Carl Friedberg and Isabella Vengerova. She made her debut with the Berlin Philharmonic at age 18 and toured Europe as a recitalist and concerto soloist through the 1920s and early 1930s.
Read more about Heida Hermanns here.

Performing Arts at MoCA: Anthony Hervey – Jazz at Lincoln Center Emerging Artist
2024-01-27 19:00 - 20:00 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Come as early as 6:30 PM to purchase a drink and check out the current exhibition. Purchase tickets here.
Anthony Hervey, who was recently recognized by Grammy.com as one of “10 emerging artists to know in 2023,” has impressed audiences across the globe as a first-call sideman for luminaries such as Christian McBride, Jon Batiste, Michael Bublé, and Wynton Marsalis, who described Hervey as a “beautiful trumpet player of the first magnitude.”
He was a member of the nationally renowned Dillard Center for the Arts Jazz Ensemble in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and afterward earned admission to the prestigious Juilliard School. There he honed his craft and graduated with a B.M. in 2019 and an M.M. in 2020. His debut album, “Words From My Horn,” is a blend of soulful and cerebral compositions that draw from his personal, musical, and spiritual memories.
Additionally, Hervey has been commissioned to write for esteemed groups and organizations, including The Westerlies, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and The Soapbox Presents “ Stoop Sessions.” He was recognized by the ASCAP Foundation, earning an Honorable Mention for the Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards for his composition “Brass Games.” He is also on Christian McBride’s Grammy Award-winning Big Band Album, “For Jimmy, Wes, and Oliver”, which was released on Mack Avenue Records. Beyond the studio and stage, Anthony Hervey has also ventured into acting, impressively showcasing his trumpet skills in the Hulu anthology series Monsterland.
He is committed to preserving the rich legacy of Jazz while infusing it with relevance for the present. He has personally experienced the power of music to uplift and inspire. As a result, he strives to share that joy with others and make a positive impact on their lives through the art of Jazz. With unwavering dedication, exceptional talent, and a deep appreciation for the heritage of jazz, Anthony Hervey is poised to leave an indelible mark on the music world.

Saturday Tea Experience at MoCA Westport with Tea Arts & Culture
2024-01-20 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Curious about the world of tea? Drawn to the art of tea? Ever wondered how to appreciate tea mindfully and let it positively impact your life and those around you? We invite you to join Tea Arts & Culture, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating connections through the art of tea, for a curated 45-minute tea experience. We will enjoy an artisanal tea as we delve into the rich tapestry of tea, connecting with nature, each other, and ourselves. Registration is required, and spots are limited, so reserve your place now.
10:30-11:15 am or 1:00-1:45 pm
Register Now
Learn more about Tea Arts & Culture
Photo by Kristina Clark.

Winter Exhibitions Opening Reception
2024-01-18 18:00 - 20:00 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Announcing our Winter Exhibitions, Sixties MOD and Through the Lens of Icons: Revisiting the Sixties, opening on January 18, 2024, featuring selections from the Westport Public Art Collections and High School artists.
The Opening Reception will be held on Thursday, January 18, from 6 to 8 PM; advance registration is requested.

MoCA Some Noise: Open Mic Night
2024-01-05 18:30 - 20:00 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Join us for an Open Mic night at MoCA Westport featuring acoustic music, poetry, and slam poetry on Friday, January 5th at 6:30 PM! Everyone is invited to participate and attend.
Get your tickets to participate or attend here.
Click here to fill out this additional submission form for all participants.
Open Mic night is FREE for Members to watch; MoCA Member Participation is FREE; General Admission $10; Participation Fee $5
To participate:

You must pay/register for a ticket AND fill out the submission form.
You have roughly five minutes to perform.
This event is for spoken word and acoustic performances only.
If performing music, please note that MoCA will supply only a microphone and a speaker – all other materials must be brought by the performer.

Contact Isabelle at isabelle@mocawestport.org with questions.

Gallery Closed for Installation
2024-01-01 - 2024-01-18 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Our gallery is closed from January 1st to 18th as we prepare for the upcoming exhibition. We will be open at 6 PM on January 18th for the WPAC opening.

Last Day of Purvis Young Exhibition
2023-12-29 12:00 - 16:00 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Don’t miss the last day to see the Purvis Young Exhibition. Gallery hours are from 12-4 PM.
See what’s coming up next.

Docent-Led Exhibition Tour Thursdays
2023-12-28 13:00 - 14:00, 2023-12-21 13:00 - 14:00 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Join us for a docent-led tour of our Fall Exhibition, This is the Life I See by Purvis Young offered on Thursdays and Saturdays at 1 PM.
Advance registration is requested. The tour is included in gallery admission.
REGISTER NOW.

Featured Image: Purvis Young, Shackled In Blues. 44 by 48 inches. Paint on board. The Collection of Lynne and Jack Dodick.

Docent-Led Exhibition Tour Saturdays
2023-12-16 13:00 - 14:00 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States

Kristen and Joe Holiday Special
2023-12-14 19:00 - 20:00 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Join us for a special evening of holiday and classical tunes performed by Kristen Young (violin) and Joe Bush (piano)!
BUY TICKETS NOW
Joseph Bush is a graduate of the University of Connecticut (UCONN) with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in music under the tutelage of Irma Vallecillo. He received his masters in piano performance from Indiana University studying under Alexander Toradze. Joe has played in numerous venues over many diverse genres. He has taken part in the Wendell P. Whalum recital series at the Hampton University Ministers’ Conference. In December 2016 he debuted with the South bend symphony alongside his teacher Mr. Toradze playing the first movement of Prokofiev’s 3rd Piano concerto. After graduating he has been the artist in residence at Calvary Presbyterian Church in Newburgh New York. Since being there, he has revived and developed their choral program to include 20+ members. He has also organized and performed in numerous concerts. In 2018 Joe was featured in the Howland Chamber Music Circle pop up concert accompanying cellist Daniel Frankhuizen and soprano Rachel Hall, and playing solo works. In 2020 he won second place in the National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM) New York, regional competition where he was also the recipient of one of the two national encouragement prizes. Joe makes his living teaching privately, maintaining a studio of over 50+ students. He also accompanies all over Fairfield County and the greater New York area.
Kristen Young graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Master of Music in Violin Performance and a Graduate Certificate in Arts Management and Entrepreneurship, and from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Music in Music Management. Kristen is the Director of Performing Arts at MoCA where she heads the Music at MoCA Concert Series and the Heida Hermanns International Music Competition. She also teaches violin at the Westport School of Music and plays in the American Chamber Orchestra.
