The Bayard Cutting Arboretum State Park in Great River is partnering once again with the Islip Arts Council for two months of free concerts at the Upper Carriage House.
The next performance is slated for Sunday, Feb. 9, featuring Extra Chi with Terence Purtell on piano and Michelle Lisi on flute. According to Eventbrite, Purtell is a composer, vocalist, and musical director. Lisi has performed on several woodwind instruments, including at the New York State Capitol, the U.S. Capitol in Washington, and in Montreal, Canada.
The winter concert series runs through mid-March, with each concert beginning at 1 p.m. These performances are free to the public through funding from Bayard Cutting Arboretum, the Natural Heritage Trust, and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
In an interview with South Shore Press, Arboretum Director Kevin Wiecks praised the classical concerts for complementing the park’s natural setting and its unique mission, which combines a historic manor house with 691 acres of landscape.
“The landscape was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and the manor house was designed by Charles Haight so there’s a lot of history,” Wiecks said. That history is a big consideration when deciding on the most appropriate entertainment events to hold there, Wiecks explained.
“We try to choose wisely about the outreach that complements the landscape, and part of that is the winter concert series. It fits very well with what our mission is, and people look forward to it every year. In fact, folks will call the arboretum so that they don’t miss either the winter or the summer concerts,” he added.
An arboretum, Wiecks said, is a museum of trees, and Bayard Cutting is accredited for its distinctive collection, with some trees dating back to before 1886, when the manor house was built.
“Every tree has a story behind it,” he said. “We have diversity that's only shared by about 40 other arboretums in the entire world.” The Cutting family, who transferred the park to the state in 1936, were also a big fan of conifers, Wiecks noted.
The concerts attract an audience that appreciates nature, art, music, and culture, in contrast to other parks where activities like frisbee, volleyball, and picnics take center stage.
“First and foremost, our mission is to provide a place of quiet beauty so people can walk and reflect on the beauty of nature,” he said.
The remaining winter concerts include: Queensound on Feb. 16 with soprano Linda Teixeira and Helena Kim on piano; Quintessence on March 2, featuring violin, cello, double bass, and more; Piano Duo on March 9 with Elinor Zayas and Karen Baer; and Cambiata Cello Duo on March 16 with Paul Finkelstein and Suzanne Mueller.
The Bayard Cutting Arboretum is located at 440 Montauk Highway in Great River. Parking and seating are available on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, call the Islip Arts Council at 631-888-3525. Additional details can be found at https://parks.ny.gov.