FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 28, 2021

Contact: Karin Venegas, karin@anatgerstein.com, 347-361-7049; Sandra Tharas, sandra@anatgerstein.com, 347-361-7068; Jamaal Fisher, jamaal@anatgerstein.com, 347-545-2198

Flushing Town Hall Will Finish Year With Strong Lineup of Global Arts Programming in November and December

—Highlights include: mashup concerts, dance and jazz programs, marionette puppetry, and a Diwali celebration and design competition—

(Flushing, N.Y.)— Flushing Town Hall announces an exciting lineup of over 15 global arts programs and presentations as the cultural institution continues to welcome back audiences in the pandemic’s wake.

November will feature two cultural festivals — one Indian, one Mexican: The Diwali Festival, a major holiday celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists, will feature a socially distanced dance party, cooking demonstration, and Rangoli design competition. And, the 11th New York Son Jarocho Festival, which is moving to Flushing Town Hall for the first time, is a three-day program featuring the music, dance, and culture of southern Veracruz, Mexico.

In addition, Flushing Town Hall’s monthly Common Ground: Mini Global Mashups concert series will present a Jewish and South American collaboration in Yiddish Meets Argentina this November and a US-Africa Meets China collaboration in December.

Flushing Town Hall also welcomes its first international artists back to the stage with award-winning Korean folk-pop band ADG7.

It will also be an exceptional season for jazz fans at the Hall with a star-studded NEA Jazz Masters concert showcasing five extraordinary musicians, recipients of the nation’s highest honor in jazz, performing the music of Thelonious Monk and Horace Silver, as well as two more events in the Louis Armstrong Legacy Jazz Jams series and Lioness™: Women in Jazz Concert Series performances by Amanda Monaco’s am4 and The Lioness Collective.

In December, families can look forward to The Dragon King by Tanglewood Marionettes, which returns to the Hall following its sold-out 2018 show.

“We have been practicing strict safety protocols this fall to ensure our staff, artists, and audiences can safely create and gather together,” says Flushing Town Hall’s Executive & Artistic Director, Ellen Kodadek. “We have proceeded with great care and love for all in our community and have been buoyed to be in each other’s presence once again! The arts are healing and have brought us all some much-need joy.”

COVID Policy: In adherence with Mayor De Blasio’s Covid policy for performance venues, Flushing Town Hall will require all visitors, performers, and staff to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 with matching identification. Additionally, masks will be required at all times. For more details on Flushing Town Hall’s Covid-safety measures and vaccine requirements, please visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/covid-safety.

A number of Flushing Town Hall’s in-person events will also be live-streamed or made available later online for virtual audiences who are unable to attend yet in person. For the venue’s full schedule of fall events, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/events

For Calendar Listings:

NOVEMBER 2021

SAT, NOV 6, 11AM-1PM & 2PM-4PM
Diwali Festival
FESTIVAL | IN-PERSON | VIRTUAL
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/diwali-festival

Celebrate Diwali with this all-ages socially distance festival and dance party, featuring Kathak classical dancer Abha Roy and Basement Bhangra's DJ Rekha! Learn Bollywood, bhangra, and Kathak dance moves with Abha and Rekha, the art of rangoli design with Anju Gupta, explore Indian cooking with Queens Curry Kitchen and more. Abha Roy, master teaching artist and artistic director of the Srijan Dance Company, will be joined on stage by Angela Rostick and Ling Tang who will "trade steps" in a cross-cultural dance conversation of kathak footwork, American tap and Chinese Tibetan tap dance.

In-Person Tickets: $15/$10 Members & Children (Pre-sale only)
Virtual Tickets: $7/$5 Members. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

This program is generously sponsored by the Guru Krupa Foundation.

SUN, NOV 7, 1:00 PM
Traditions From Yangtze to EastRiver: Cantonese Opera
GLOBAL MUSIC | IN-PERSON
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/traditions-from-yangtze-to-eastriver-mencius-cantonese-opera-extravaganza

As part of our Thanksgiving program season and in the spirit of hope and renewal, join Mencius Society for the Arts（孟藝學會）for From Yangtze to EastRiver: Mencius Cantonese Opera Extravaganza - a selection of 3 classic Cantonese opera episodes and 2 modern duets performed by folk artists who have made their home in New York City.

In-Person Tickets: FREE w/ Online RSVP

This program is funded by NYSCA's Restart NY: Rapid Live Performance Grant.

SUN, NOV 7, 5:30 PM
Traditions From Yangtze to EastRiver: Folk & Classical Music
GLOBAL MUSIC | IN-PERSON | VIRTUAL
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/traditions-from-yangtze-to-eastriver-folk-classical-music

In this concert Mencius Society of the Arts （孟藝學會） commemorates EastRiver Ensemble’s work, honoring particularly the collaborative synergy of Xiao Xiannian (蕭先念) on yangqin (hammered dulcimer) and Wu Peter Tang (唐武) on erhu, two childhood buddies who have brought their music and friendship to the northeast American shores, kindling the Dongbei (東北) musical tradition among generations of students and far-flung audiences. The two will perform a selection of personal favorites and New York inspirations, accompanied variously by members of the EastRiver Ensemble.

In-Person Tickets: FREE w/ Online RSVP

This program is funded by NYSCA's Restart NY: Rapid Live Performance Grant.

WED, NOV 10, 7:00 PM
Louis Armstrong Legacy Monthly Jazz Jam
JAZZ | IN-PERSON | VIRTUAL
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/jazz-jam-nov-2021

Monthly Jazz Jams return live at Flushing Town Hall the second Wednesday of every month! Open to professional jazz musicians, graduate students studying jazz, music educators and serious hobbyists, Louis Armstrong Legacy Monthly Jazz Jams invites musicians to perform at Flushing Town Hall. All are welcome, regardless of instrument (vocalists, too!). Our Steinway baby grand and drum kit are available at each Jam. House Band and Jam Sessions are led by Carol Sudhalter, with Joe Vincent Tranchina, Scott Neumann and Eric Lemon. Don't play, but love jazz? Come listen!

$10/FREE for Members, Students, & Jamming Musicians

This program is supported in part by a grant from The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Inc.

THU, NOV 11, 7:30 PM
Lioness™: Women in Jazz Concert Series Presents Amanda Monaco's am4
JAZZ | IN-PERSON
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/amanda-monaco-am4

The second concert in the Lioness™: Women in Jazz Concert series features guitarist/composer and Queens resident Amanda Monaco's am4, a group that is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Monaco has performed at venues such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, and Jazz Standard and with artists such as Milt Hinton, Rufus Reid, and the Mingus Orchestra. Joining her are bassist Sean Conly, drummer Jeff Davis, and tenor saxophonist Jon Irabagon.

In-Person Tickets: $5/FREE for Members & Students

This project is made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature and administered by the Queens Council on the Arts. Lioness: Women in Jazz Concert Series is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

FRI, NOV 12, 8:00 PM
NEA Jazz Masters: The Music of Thelonious Monk & Horace Silver
JAZZ | IN-PERSON | VIRTUAL
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/nea-jazz-masters-the-music-of-thelonious-monk-horace-silver

Flushing Town Hall’s annual NEA Jazz Masters concert returns live to play the music from two of the greatest pianists in the history of jazz: Thelonious Monk and Horace Silver. This concert features five NEA Jazz Masters, the nation’s highest honor in jazz, including Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Kenny Barron on piano, Sheila Jordan on vocals, Albert “Tootie” Heath on drums, and Donald Harrison on saxophone, joined by Kenny Davis on bass. A special surprise guest artist will be announced!

In-Person Tickets: $45/$35 Members/$20 Students
Virtual Tickets: $15/$10 Members

SUN, NOV 14, 7:30 PM
ADG7: Korean Shamanic Folk-Pop
GLOBAL MUSIC | IN-PERSON | VIRTUAL
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/adg7

Co-presented with Korean Cultural Center New York, Flushing Town Hall is proud to present the first international artist since the pandemic. With one foot in the world of tradition and another in glitzy upbeat pop, Ak Dan Gwang Chil (ADG7) is a multi-award winning group featuring three powerhouse female folk singers and a rich repertoire inspired by Korea's sacred, shamanic ritual music (gut) and beloved folk songs (minyo) of Hwanghae Province in the northern reaches of the Peninsula. Their powerful performances engage and immerse like no other, presenting the spiritual blessings and positive energy of traditional music in a thoroughly modern and often comical style.

In-Person Tickets: $15/$12 Members
Virtual Tickets: $7/$5 Members

This program is supported by Korea Arts Management Service and Korean Cultural Center New York. This engagement of Ak Dan Gwang Chil is funded through the Mid Atlantic Tours program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

NOV 17 - NOV 20, Multiple days and times
The 11th New York Son Jarocho Festival
FESTIVAL | IN-PERSON | VIRTUAL
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/new-york-son-jarocho-festival

Son jarocho is the music, dance, and culture of southern Veracruz, Mexico. After almost disappearing from the Mexican musical patrimony during the twentieth century, it has recently experienced a revival, gaining loyal followers around the world. The annual New York Son Jarocho Festival celebrates local East Coast talent and presents transdisciplinary expressions of this 300-year-old tradition.

WED, NOV 17, 7-8 PM
Book Presentation: Rafael Figueroa, "Son Jarocho Discography in the US"

Researcher and author Rafael Figueroa Hernandez, PhD., will present his most recent book, Son Jarocho Discography in the US (Red de Estudios de Son Jarocho, 2021). This work extensively catalogs all musical projects published in the US that focus on or include elements from the Mexican son jarocho tradition. FREE w/ Online RSVP

NOV 18, 7-8:30 PM
Panel Discussion: "Identity and Territory in the Isthmus of Veracruz"

In this bilingual (Spanish-English) panel discussion, the Colectivo Altepee will discuss the multiple challenges to the environment son jarocho communities face in the isthmus of Veracruz. Urban projects and oil refineries, as well as forced displacements of people near the region threaten to seriously disrupt traditional knowledge and natural environments that sustain son jarocho in the region. FREE w/ Online RSVP

NOV 19, 7-8 PM
Dance Performance: "Acusticorporal" by Argelia Arreola

Acusticorporal is a solo performance by Mexican dancer Argelia Arreola, a reflection around the body--the body as a projector of everything that it perceives and how it is affected by sound, rhythm, vibration, and words. The body is seen here as a generator of harmony and polyrhythm, turning into a musical instrument in its own right. FREE w/ Online RSVP

NOV 20, 1-4 PM
11th NY Son Jarocho Festival Performances

Son jarocho culture is deeply entwined with the environment, with song lyrics about flora and fauna, geography, weather, and earth cycles. This year, the environment is the central theme of the Festival celebrating this relationship and reflecting on how it affects son jarocho communities across time and space. In-Person Tickets: $15/$12 Members; Virtual Tickets: $7/$5 Members

SAT, NOV 20, 5-7 PM
Culminating Fandango

This is the culminating event of the 11th New York Son Jarocho Festival, organized by SonJarocho MX, a NY-based communal project dedicated to promote and educate about son jarocho traditions on the East Coast. Fandangos are community celebrations where people gather to play, sing, and dance son jarocho--the musical tradition of southern Veracruz, Mexico. In the fandango, all are welcome to participate, from son jarocho professionals to people who love music and community. FREE w/ Online RSVP

11th NY Son Jarocho Festival is produced by the Son Jarocho MX Collective. Events are presented in collaboration with Flushing Town Hall and Kupferberg Center for the Arts, and sponsored by the CUNY Mexican Studies Institute. Argelia Arreola's performance is partly funded by the Mexican Fund for Arts and Culture.

SUN, NOV 21, 1:00 PM
Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashup #3 - Yiddish Meets Argentina
GLOBAL MUSIC | IN-PERSON | VIRTUAL
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/common-ground-mini-global-mashup-3

Common Ground features artists seemingly different in discipline, practices, or cultural identity who explore global connections, celebrating distinctions that make cultures unique. Our NEW series Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashups are curated by acclaimed trumpeter and composer Frank London (The Klezmatics) bringing together two amazing global music artists along with accompanists for an afternoon of music, conversation and exploration. Post-show Q&A.

In-Person Tickets: $15/$12 Members
Virtual Tickets: $7/$5 Members

This program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

DECEMBER 2021

SUN, DEC 5, 2:00PM
Together: Kunqu Singing an Music Live Concert
GLOBAL MUSIC | IN-PERSON | VIRTUAL
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/together-kunqu

Kunqu Society presents a live concert of singing and music, featuring its resident artists and their students. During the pandemic, the Kunqu Society continues and sustains its mission of passing on the Kunqu art, mainly in the oral transmission of singing, the foundational core of this elegant form of traditional Chinese theatre. This concert marks the society’s first live performance since the disruptions caused by the pandemic. By presenting popular Kunqu arias and music pieces in interactive modes of performance, the Kunqu Society showcases a diverse range of singing and music styles to reconnect with its audience, bringing warmth and joy to the holiday season. Supertitles in English with bi-lingual hosts.

FREE with online RSVP

This program is supported by NYSCA (New York State Council on the Arts) & DCA (Department of Cultural Affairs, NYC)

WED, DEC 8, 7:00 PM
Louis Armstrong Legacy Monthly Jazz Jam
JAZZ | IN-PERSON | VIRTUAL
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/jazz-jam-nov-2021

$10/FREE for Members, Students, & Jamming Musicians

This program is supported in part by a grant from The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Inc.

SAT, DEC 11, 11:00 AM & 2:00 PM
The Dragon King by Tanglewood Marionettes
FAMILY PROGRAM | IN-PERSON | VIRTUAL
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/dragon-king

An underwater fantasy based on Chinese folklore, The Dragon King tells the tale of an intrepid Grandmother who journeys to the bottom of the sea in search of the elusive Dragon King, and the answers to why he has forsaken the land above. Colorful puppets, an exciting adventure, and a Dragon King that will knock your socks off! All this and more can be found in this award-winning production.

In-Person Tickets: $12/$8 Members & Children
Virtual Tickets: $5/$3 Members & Children

SUN, DEC 12, 1:00 PM
Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashup #4 - US-Africa Meets China
GLOBAL MUSIC | IN-PERSON | VIRTUAL
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/common-ground-mini-global-mashup-4

In-Person Tickets: $15/$12 Members
Virtual Tickets: $7/$5 Members

This program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

SAT, DEC 18, 2:00 PM
Music from China: Poetry in Music
GLOBAL MUSIC | IN-PERSON
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/music-from-china

Join us in the midst of the holiday season and reconnect with poetry with Music from China. Known for presenting music in traditional, contemporary and popular styles, Music from China's quintet of Chinese strings – erhu, pipa, ruan, zheng – and Western flute performs music inspired by the great poets of the Tang, Ming, Song dynasties, with some pop culture mixed in. As arrangements of ancient melodies or modern creative works, they express the sentiments of timeless poetry.

In-Person Tickets: FREE w/ Online RSVP

This concert is funded by NYSCA's Restart NY: Rapid Live Performance Grant.

SUN, DEC 19, 2:30 PM
Lioness™: Women in Jazz Concert Series Presents The Lioness Collective
JAZZ | IN-PERSON
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/the-lioness-collective

The third concert in the Lioness™: Women in Jazz Concert Series features the Lioness Collective sextet performing jazz compositions written by the band members and other female composers in jazz. Lioness is a collective of female jazz instrumentalists living in New York City whose mission is to inspire and educate the community at large by sharing music created by women in jazz, both past and present.

In-Person Tickets: $5/FREE for Members & Students

Support Global Arts With A Gift Today!

All gifts of $50 or more give you exclusive Flushing Town Hall Circle of Friends membership benefits including a Smithsonian membership, ticket discounts, and more! Donations in any amount are appreciated to support the artists and the nonprofit cultural organization as they continue to provide programming and entertainment across New York and the world. https://www.flushingtownhall.org/circle-of-friends

Flushing Town Hall is a not for profit organization that receives major support from the National Endowment for the Arts; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; New York State Assembly Member Ron Kim; The City of New York, Major Bill de Blasio; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Commissioner Gonzalo Casals; Queens Borough President Donovan Richards; The New York City Council, Speaker Corey Johnson; Council Members Costa Constantanides, Daniel Dromm, Barry Grodenchik, Peter Koo, Karen Koslowitz, Paul A. Vallone, Jimmy Van Bramer; Howard Gilman Foundation, Booth Ferris Foundation, Guru Krupa Foundation, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation.

To view current donor lists, please visit www.flushingtownhall.org/donor-listings

About Flushing Town Hall

Flushing Town Hall (FTH), a Smithsonian affiliate, presents multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens and New York City, in order to foster mutual appreciation. As advocates of arts equity since 1979, we support local, immigrant, national, and international artists, developing partnerships and collaborations that enhance our efforts. As a member of New York City’s Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), we serve to restore, manage and program the historic 1862 landmark on behalf of the City of New York. FTH celebrates the history of Queens as the home of Jazz, by presenting the finest in Jazz performance. We are committed to arts education and hands-on learning, for the arts-curious, arts enthusiasts, and professional artists. We serve one of the most diverse communities in the world and strive to uphold the legacy of inclusiveness that has defined our community since the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657.

Land Acknowledgement:

Flushing Town Hall acknowledges that we are on the traditional land of the Matinecock People, one of the original tribes of New York, and the first people of Flushing, Queens. The Matinecock continue to live and work on this land to this day. Flushing Town Hall honors their elders who have stewarded this land throughout generations.

For more information:
www.flushingtownhall.org
(718) 463-7700 x222
137-35 Northern Blvd. Flushing, NY 11354