Last month, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Violinist and founder of Music Kitchen, hosted Music Kitchen’s 100th concert for clients and staff at our Antonio Olivieri Drop-In Center.
Music-Kitchen started 14 years ago, is a community service-oriented organization with a mission to bring top emerging and professional musicians together to share, inspire, and uplift New York’s at-risk and homeless population.The 100th concert featured the Dvorak Bass Quintet and “For My Father” composed by Jeff Scott, Performed by Kelly Hall-Tompkins and Ben Russel, violins; Orlando Wells, viola; Peter Seidenberg, cello; Stephen Sas, bass; Allison Charney, soprano. With coverage provided by NBC’s Harry Smith to be aired on Sunday Today in New York on February 17th.
Over 30 clients and staff joined in the 90-minute concert where Kelly introduced the music, its origins, the composer, and the instruments being played. Kelly also explained the Song Cycle Commissioning Project entitled “Forgotten Voices” which will commission 15 of the top composers of our time to create works based on the reflections and insights shared by clients in the audience.
Clients enjoyed listening to classical music and engaging with the artists and Harry Smith of NBC after the concert. Lastly, clients and staff were treated to a cake celebrating the 100th performance.
We look forward to having Music Kitchen back at the Olivieri Drop-In Center again, later this month, for another concert for our clients!