Perform at our Open Mic nights!

DATE CHANGE: September 20th to September 27th

Show off your talent! Prepare and perform a 5min act. If you are a musician, bring your instrument to plug in or mic up to our sound system. Poets, we want to hear what you have written! If you are a dance crew, we can cue up a song for your act.

Plan to arrive early to sign-up. Your order in the show will be determined by the time you arrive.

All ages are welcome to perform!

Hosted by Scott Rigney | srigney721@yahoo.com

The Dugout Galway

International concert organist, recording artist, choral conductor and lecturer

Before the recital, join us for a historical presentation of the Auditorium at 3pm.

Gail Archer is an international concert organist, recording artist, choral conductor and lecturer who draws attention to composer anniversaries or musical themes with her annual recital series in New York City, including A Slavic Celebration, Max Reger, The Muse’s Voice, An American Idyll, Liszt, Bach, Mendelssohn and Messiaen.

Ms. Archer was the first American woman to play the complete works of Olivier Messiaen for the centennial of the composer’s birth in 2008: Time Out New York recognized the Messiaen cycle as “Best of 2008” in classical music and opera.

Her recordings include her 2022 Polish release, Cantius, and Chernivtsi, A Russian Journey, The Muse’s Voice, Franz Liszt: A Hungarian Rhapsody, Bach: The Transcendent Genius, an American Idyll, A Mystic in the Making (MeyerMedia), and The Orpheus of Amsterdam: Sweelinck and his Pupils (CALA Records).

Ms. Archer’s 2023 European tour took her to Italy, France, Austria, Germany and Poland. Highlights include St. Cyriakus R. C. Church, Krefeld, Germany, Basilica Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, Messina, Sicily, the Cathedral of Santa Maria, Alghero, Sardegna, the Church of Saint Bruno Les Chartreux, Lyon, France, and the Church of St. Vitali, Ravenna, Italy, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its extraordinary mosaics.

Learn More: GailArcher.com

Sophia Subbayya Vastek

Pianist and composer Sophia Subbayya Vastek will present an immersive piano program that draws from her acclaimed genre-bending record In Our Softening (“demands to be heard...” -The Crack).

In each of her performances, Sophia creates experiential spaces for listening through intentional, carefully-crafted sound design in partnership with audio engineer Sam Torres. The result is a spacious performance that feels equal parts communal and intimate, grounded in emotional storytelling and care.

Sophia's music has been described as “heaven on earth” (Sun 13), "ghostly, delicate, elegant..." (Independent Clauses), and “vulnerable, exquisitely performed, and sensitive...” (I CARE IF YOU LISTEN).

Sophia developed an intuitive, dynamic playing style over the years that’s rooted in both improvisational exploration and her classical background.

Described as performing with "passion and profound tenderness” (Second Inversion) and “serene strokes and lyrical beauty” (Brooklyn Rail), pianist and songwriter Sophia Subbayya Vastek moves quietly between musical worlds. A musician since childhood - growing up with parents who were also pianists - she has developed an intuitive, dynamic playing style over the years that’s rooted in both improvisational exploration and her classical background. The resulting music is ethereal and cinematic, blossoming into neoclassical/ambient-inspired soundscapes that range from whisper-soft echoes to expressive cascades.

Independent Clauses has described her music as: "Ghostly, delicate, elegant..."

Her most recent LP, In Our Softening (2022), features nine beguiling piano compositions, each track a part of a thoughtfully woven tapestry. The album has been called “a tender and revelatory balm" by editors at I Care If You Listen, “heaven on earth” (Sun 13), and “one of the very best things I've heard all year” by longtime music journalist Steve Smith (Night After Night).

Her debut album, Histories (Innova Recordings, 2017) was produced by Grammy-winning engineer Adam Abeshouse, and described as “a beautiful mosaic of the larger cultural intersections of our world, and how we weave those histories together through music” (Second Inversion). She also released an EP of the complete solo piano works by composer Lili Boulanger (1893-1918), entitled Lili (2020, reissued 2023).

In 2022, Sophia was recognized as a composer by the New York State Council on the Arts and New York Foundation For the Arts (NYSCA/NYFA) as a Music/Sound Fellow, a statewide program focused on the evolution of contemporary art.

She is also a co-founder of Organ Colossal, a nonprofit that produces local musical events and community-oriented music projects in her hometown of Troy, NY, where she currently lives in a converted church with her husband and their two cats, MagnifiCAT and Bella (from Twilight).

Learn More: SophiaVastek.com

with special guest Nicholas Kopp

Nicholas Kopp (aka djdrummernk) is a musician, filmmaker, and educator based in the Saratoga Springs area. When not teaching music lessons or performing around the Capital Region, he can be found developing new work in his home studio with a wide-ranging collection of percussion instruments from around the world. Most recently, his piece titled "A Chaotic and Colorful Mind" was featured on WMHT as part of their series TVFilm. He is pleased to join Sophia for this performance, and to offer a program of his own music carefully crafted with the acoustics of Round Lake Auditorium in mind.

Listen: djdrummernk.bandcamp.com

Thomas Dressler is known for exciting, passionate performances on the organ.

Before the recital, join us for a historical presentation of the Auditorium at 3pm.

About Tom Dressler

Thomas Dressler is known for exciting, passionate performances on the organ and harpsichord which combine warm musicality with historic techniques. He has been performing for more than thirty years, often on historic instruments, including some of America's oldest and most historic organs.

He has appeared on local television in NY, the Poconos, and Philadelphia. His playing at the opening concert of the 150th anniversary celebration of the Round Lake organ was described by audience members as "riveting" and "stunningly elegant." In August of 2001 he recorded the 1847 Ferris organ at Round Lake, NY, and the CD was released in 2003; it received a feature review in The American Organist magazine. In 2012, he released a CD recorded on the Paul Fritts organ at Princeton Theological Seminary, which was featured on Pipedreams on National Public Radio. Officers of the Central New Jersey chapter of the American Guild of Organists have said, "Mr. Dressler is an organist with solid technique, well known for his exquisite rendering of Renaissance and Baroque music."

But he does not only specialize in "early" music. He also spends much time exploring performance practices of the 19th century, trying to uncover possible modern misconceptions about this music and present it in a manner the composers would have recognized. As a teenager, Mr. Dressler studied organ with James Boeringer and practiced on an 1894 Felgemaker organ. During this time he developed a strong interest in historic "tracker action" organs. He also began to have an interest in historic performing practices (using the information available in old treatises to attempt to play music in a way similar to how the composers may have originally heard it.) When historic fingerings and articulations are matched with the music being played, it is possible to infuse it with a degree of emotion and excitement not possible using purely modern techniques. He pursued these techniques throughout his college years, earning a Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance, cum laude, from Susquehanna University, and a Master of Music in Performance, with honors, from Westminster Choir College. At Westminster, he studied organ with Mark Brombaugh and Joan Lippincott.

Mr. Dressler has held large church positions in Philadelphia and New Jersey. He has also been a featured lecturer in various venues in addition to lecturing at Warren County Community College (NJ), speaking on topics such as Performance Practices of the Baroque Era, various topics in music history and appreciation, and Music and Holistic Health. His special abilities to communicate, both as a speaker and performer, are combined in his performances, where he discusses much of the music he performs. Audiences respond enthusiastically. A reporter from a local newspaper in Pennsylvania has said, "Dressler interacts with the audience on a very personal level, appealing to young and old alike. One comes away from each program knowing they have learned something."

Watch Tom Dressler’s 2020 Organ Recital

Will Kempe’s Players

Midsummer Madness

Will Kempe’s Players’ adaptation of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream is a collaborative creation that comes from a deep love for and knowledge of the story.

Will Kempe’s Players is a regional theater cooperative from Troy, NY that produces a wide range of theatrical performance utilizing the methods used by William Shakespeare and his contemporaries. Our aim is to create quality experiences by promoting an inclusive creative environment and making Shakespeare’s works engaging and accessible to modern audiences while retaining historical authenticity.

This summer, the Capital Region is in for a theatrical treat as Will Kempe’s Players (WKP) introduce Midsummer Madness: A Shakesperience, an interactive twist on Shakespeare’s beloved A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Our innovative Summer production promises an electrifying blend of traditional Shakespearean comedy mixed with modern audience-engaging performance art.

In Midsummer Madness, both the cast and audience will collaboratively create the show each night, ensuring that no two shows are the same. At the start of each performance the cast list will be created live on stage. Actors will be swapping scripts, speed-designing their costumes, and choosing their props in a race against the clock as the show will be set to begin ve minutes after each actor receives their script for that evening's performance. This process, reminiscent of the spontaneous and collaborative nature of Elizabethan theatre, oers a fresh take on Shakespearean performance for the Capital Region.

Key Features of Midsummer Madness:
- Partially Devised Performance: A blend of traditional Shakespeare and contemporary devised theatre practices, ensuring each performance is a unique creation.

- Interactive Audience Participation: Audiences can engage at their comfort level, from responding to cue cards, to selecting cast members, and even singing a group lullaby.

- Exploration of Original Practices: Emulating Renaissance theatre by eliminating directors and traditional production teams, this approach relies on actors’ creativity and ensemble synergy.

Production Concept:
WKP’s approach aims to replicate the spontaneous spirit of Elizabethan theatre. In Shakespeare’s time, actors made swift and creative decisions without always having had extensive rehearsals. By embracing this method, WKP plans to showcase the uidity and playfulness inherent in Shakespearean performance and directly share that joy with our audiences.

Responses to Common Questions:
“Is this a read-through?”
Absolutely not. While scripts are present on stage, actors are breathing life into the text with spontaneous choices, inventive props, and lively performances that will create a dynamic and immersive experience for all involved.

“Why don’t you have a Director?”

Mirroring Elizabethan practices, we forego a director to highlight the actors' autonomy and collaborative creativity. This method emphasizes the ensemble’s adaptability and the unique nature of each performance.

“How does this process resemble Elizabethan Theatre Practices?”

Elizabethan theatre thrived on actor-driven performances with minimal directorial oversight. Audience interaction was a key component, fostering a communal theatrical experience. WKP’s method is aimed at reviving these principles while promoting spontaneity and collective engagement.

“What is Devised Theatre?”

Devised theatre is a collaborative creation process where the ensemble shapes the performance, bringing in their shared ideas and skills to craft a dynamic show.

Show Title: Midsummer Madness: A Shakesperience

Performance Ensemble (Listed in alphabetical order)

- Ash Visker
- Cameron Richardson - Devin Trager
- Imzak Mohamed
- Jack Ellis
- Melissa Colasessano
- Michael Sinkora
- Phillip Beattie
- Syl Simmons

The casting will vary nightly, ensuring fresh and unpredictable performances each time.

While WKP has temporarily dissolved traditional production roles for our 2024 Summer show Midsummer Madness, we are using that newfound space to empower the ensemble to take collective responsibility for all aspects of the show, thereby removing one more barrier between performer and audience.

Learn More: willkempesplayers.com

Thursdays in June & August

Meet at the Auditorium for a tour, a sip of tea, and an organ demonstration on the Davis-Ferris Tracker Organ, a National Historic Landmark. There even may be a peek at the pipes!

Round Lake Fire Department

Past & Present

In our engaging lecture series, we delve into topics of culture, history, health, and art.

From humble beginnings with wagons and a small firehouse to modern fire trucks and a new station. Fred Sievers will present how the Fire Department has served the community since 1886.

Craig S. Williams is the West Point Organist and Choirmaster

Before the recital, join us for a historical presentation of the Auditorium at 3pm.

About Craig Williams

Craig S. Williams is Craig S. Williams is Organist and Choirmaster of the Cadet Chapel, United States Military Academy West Point, where he plays the world’s largest church all-pipe organ and directs the Cadet Chapel Choir. He is only the fourth organist to hold that position since the present Cadet Chapel building was erected in 1910.

At West Point, Mr. Williams oversees the music programs of five chapels, in which are given well over 400 services, concerts and various other functions annually.  Personally, Mr. Williams performs at approximately 200 of these chapel functions, including worship services, weddings, funerals, class reunion memorial services, recitals, choir concerts and VIP organ demonstrations performing for royalty, cabinet members, generals, members of Congress and many other international government and military figures.  He has been featured on television numerous times including his recent appearance on Fox News’ West Point Holiday Special which received over 2,000,000 views, and he also appears as organist on the West Point Glee Club’s DVD Stand Ye Steady.

Mr. Williams has performed on both organ and piano for over 40 years and continues to perform nationwide. His organ credits include performances at Carnegie Hall with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, several appearances at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center, and at Segerstrom Hall in Orange County, CA with the Pacific Chorale.  His most recent appearance at Segerstrom Hall was in a concert, Superstar Organ Virtuosos, where he shared the stage with Paul Jacobs, Frederick Swann, Christoph Bull and members of the Pacific Symphony.  Mr. Williams has also played on the summer series at the Riverside Church in New York, the Crystal Cathedral, and Ocean Grove Auditorium; and he continues to give numerous recitals and workshops for prominent cathedrals and churches on both coasts.  In 2021, he played a recital in Usurbil, Spain, as guest artist in the Quincena Musical de San Sebastián.  In 2023, he performed two recitals in Italy, at the Pantheon in Rome, and at the Basilica of San Gaudenzio in Novara.

Mr. Williams is an Associate of the American Guild of Organists and served as dean of the Central Hudson Valley chapter from 2012 to 2016.  In the early 90’s, he served as dean of the Brooklyn Chapter. Also, he has been a featured performer for conventions held by the AGO and the American Institute of Organbuilders.

Mr. Williams received the masters in organ performance from Westminster Choir College where he was one of three of the first Currin Scholars, a full graduate level scholarship, studying with Eugene Roan. His piano performance degrees include the masters from the Juilliard School, studying with Martin Canin, where he performed with the Juilliard Symphony at Lincoln Center; and the bachelors from the University of Southern California, studying with Daniel Pollack.

In addition to his duties at West Point, he served as adjunct professor of organ at Nyack College (Nyack, NY) and conservatory faculty at Westminster Choir College (Princeton, NJ) for 19 years. Mr. Williams performs under the management of Seven Eight Artists.

Learn More: Youtube | Facebook

Watch

Craig Williams at the Round Lake Auditorium in 2018

Perform at our Open Mic nights!

Show off your talent! Prepare and perform a 5min act. If you are a musician, bring your instrument to plug in or mic up to our sound system. Poets, we want to hear what you have written! If you are a dance crew, we can cue up a song for your act.

Plan to arrive early to sign-up. Your order in the show will be determined by the time you arrive.

All ages are welcome to perform!

Hosted by Scott Rigney | srigney721@yahoo.com

Thursdays in June & August

Meet at the Auditorium for a tour, a sip of tea, and an organ demonstration on the Davis-Ferris Tracker Organ, a National Historic Landmark. There even may be a peek at the pipes!

A Unique Vietnam Story

In our engaging lecture series, we delve into topics of culture, history, health, and art.

Kat Fitzpatrick, daughter of a CIA operative, will present her experience in Vietnam with historic images. It is a story of love with a happy ending, despite the difficulties they endured.

Kat Fitzpatrick

"A Saving Grace: A Unique Vietnam Story" 

Come to the August 21, 2024 presentation and slideshow at the Round Lake Auditorium to hear Kat Fitzpatrick, daughter of a CIA operative, speak about her unique Vietnam story. 

She will share why her family was invited into a critical war zone in 1974, insight into the super-secret propaganda radio station her father coordinated, and personally documented (by her mother) glimpses into the slow, but steady decline of America’s footing in that beleaguered country.

Ultimately, it is a story of love and one with a happy ending, though the details are hair-raising, harrowing, and, at times, heartbreaking on both a personal and universal level.

“The slideshow will include historical images as well as those from Fitzpatrick’s 2015 "Retracing Her Father's Footsteps" in South Vietnam. By blending the old and the new, the familial with the global, Fitzpatrick hopes to re-ignite the examination of war, loyalty, and responsibility through the subject of the Vietnam War, which documentary maker Ken Burns called: "a tragedy of epic proportions."

Kat Fitzpatrick, M.F.A., is a freelance writer and educator, and the author of the narrative nonfiction book, For the Love of Vietnam: a war, a family, a CIA official, and the best evacuation story never heard and the pedagogical chapbook, The Fight to Write: What the Vietnam War Taught Me about Truth & Writing.

The Noise of Summer is a seasonal Capital District, NY based vocal band that specializes in performing contemporary a cappella music. Founded in 2022, the group is a mix of upper and lower voices who share a passion for a cappella music and performance. The majority of the group's members are professionally trained musicians with affiliations to some of the Northeast's most notable names in contemporary a cappella, including Hyannis Sound, Ithacappella, the Buffalo Chips, and the Potsdam Pitches. 

This family friendly performance will feature a cappella pop and rock covers at the historic Round Lake Auditorium. 

*Participants limited to 5 for each of the three instrument times

Master Classes

The Juliani Ensemble’s mission is to spread the joy of music through performance, education, outreach, and artistry of the highest level. Junior high students and older are all welcome.

1:00 Flute - Emily Seaberry Graef

2:00 Violin - Julian Graef

3:00 Cello - Anita Graef

The Juliani Ensemble, a highly acclaimed chamber music ensemble comprised of world class musicians, has delighted audiences with inventive, energetic chamber music concerts since its inception in 1999. As a performing partner at the Chicago Cultural Center in Preston Bradley Hall, the Juliani Ensemble performed to enthusiastic, appreciative audiences for over twenty years. They built a dedicated following and have garnered critical praise, including in the Chicago Tribune and other publications. Recent appearances include performances for “Concerts from the Library of Congress,” residencies at the University of Missouri, Epiphany Center for the Arts, next season at Washington and Lee University, live radio features on 98.7 WFMT, and engagements both nationally and internationally.

The core of the ensemble is comprised primarily of members of the multi generational Graef family musicians. Many of their Grammy-winning ensemble members are affiliated with organizations such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Eastman School of Music, and more. The Juliani Ensemble programming stays fresh and fluid as our concerts feature international players in addition to the family core.

The Juliani Ensemble’s mission is to spread the joy of music through performance, education, outreach and artistry of the highest level.

The Musicians

Emily Seaberry Graef | Flute

Emily Seaberry Graef is the founder and the flutist of the Juliani Ensemble. Ms. Graef is a graduate of The University of Michigan School of Music where she won the Nelson Howenstein Award for outstanding flute performance. Emily did postgraduate study at The University of Maryland and at The Mozarteum Academy in Salzburg, Austria where she studied with Helmut Zangerle. She is the former Principal Flute and soloist with The Rome Festival Orchestra and has performed as flutist with The Chicago Winds, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's MusicNOW series and on the nationally acclaimed and broadcast Dame Myra Hess series. Emily was the co-founder of The Galena Chamber Ensemble, a chamber music organization which performed in Galena, Illinois for 10 years in historic Turner Hall. She has been an artist in residence at the People's Music School and is a former faculty member of the Merit School of Music. Beginning in 1999, Ms. Graef and the Juliani Ensemble were performing partners with The Chicago Cultural Center for 20 years, performing chamber music concerts throughout the year in historic Preston Bradley Hall. Ms. Graef has maintained a teaching studio for more than 30 years.

Julian Graef | Violin, Viola

Violinist and violist Julian Graef has earned acclaim as an artist of remarkable versatility. He has been featured in Strings Magazine, on the “Concerts from the Library of Congress” series, and in many of the world’s foremost concert halls. In addition to an active touring schedule as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician, Mr. Graef also serves as the Co-director of the Juliani Ensemble, and as the founding Executive Director of Tallgrass Chamber Music Festival. With the Juliani Ensemble, Mr. Graef has given performances and masterclasses at universities and conservatories throughout North America, while also directing the Ensemble’s resident series; Saturday Salons at Primitive Gallery in Chicago, IL. Mr. Graef obtained both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Eastman School of Music. He performs on a 1949 Natale Carletti viola and an unnamed 1810 Stradivarius model violin.

Anita Graef | Cello

Described as a musician of “superb artistry” (Pasadena Now) who plays with “high energy and polish” (WQXR), cellist Anita Graef has earned recognition for her music making as an artist who is equally at home exploring traditional as well as contemporary works, along with a deep commitment to service, outreach and education. Notable appearances include features in Strings Magazine, as well as Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert series, and “Concerts from the Library of Congress.” She has also performed as a guest of various radio programs, including WQXR, WFMT, WGTE, WUOL, WOSU, WVPB, NPR and others. Ms. Graef has performed as a soloist with orchestras across the United States, with recent and upcoming engagements including the Louisville Orchestra, Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra and others. Highlights from recent seasons include her New York debut with the Riverside Symphony, as well as recital appearances at the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg, Ojai’s Chamber on the Mountain, the Charlotte Warner Concert Series at Kenyon College, an Artist-in-Residence position with the Taft Museum of Art, and return appearances to “Live from WFMT” and “Temecula Presents,” among others.

She completed her Bachelor’s studies at the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. Following this, she obtained a Master’s Degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Anita performs on a modern Italian cello by Ferdinando Garimberti, dated 1923.

For more information, visit anitagraef.com.

Chamber Music Concert

This performance involves the ensemble’s core members, the Graef family musicians. Join us for an evening of Bach, Beethoven, and a little organ.

The Juliani Ensemble, a highly acclaimed chamber music ensemble comprised of world class musicians, has delighted audiences with inventive, energetic chamber music concerts since its inception in 1999. As a performing partner at the Chicago Cultural Center in Preston Bradley Hall, the Juliani Ensemble performed to enthusiastic, appreciative audiences for over twenty years. They built a dedicated following and have garnered critical praise, including in the Chicago Tribune and other publications. Recent appearances include performances for “Concerts from the Library of Congress,” residencies at the University of Missouri, Epiphany Center for the Arts, next season at Washington and Lee University, live radio features on 98.7 WFMT, and engagements both nationally and internationally.

The core of the ensemble is comprised primarily of members of the multi generational Graef family musicians. Many of their Grammy-winning ensemble members are affiliated with organizations such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Eastman School of Music, and more. The Juliani Ensemble programming stays fresh and fluid as our concerts feature international players in addition to the family core.

The Juliani Ensemble’s mission is to spread the joy of music through performance, education, outreach and artistry of the highest level.

The Musicians

Emily Seaberry Graef | Flute

Emily Seaberry Graef is the founder and the flutist of the Juliani Ensemble. Ms. Graef is a graduate of The University of Michigan School of Music where she won the Nelson Howenstein Award for outstanding flute performance. Emily did postgraduate study at The University of Maryland and at The Mozarteum Academy in Salzburg, Austria where she studied with Helmut Zangerle. She is the former Principal Flute and soloist with The Rome Festival Orchestra and has performed as flutist with The Chicago Winds, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's MusicNOW series and on the nationally acclaimed and broadcast Dame Myra Hess series. Emily was the co-founder of The Galena Chamber Ensemble, a chamber music organization which performed in Galena, Illinois for 10 years in historic Turner Hall. She has been an artist in residence at the People's Music School and is a former faculty member of the Merit School of Music. Beginning in 1999, Ms. Graef and the Juliani Ensemble were performing partners with The Chicago Cultural Center for 20 years, performing chamber music concerts throughout the year in historic Preston Bradley Hall. Ms. Graef has maintained a teaching studio for more than 30 years.

Julian Graef | Violin, Viola

Violinist and violist Julian Graef has earned acclaim as an artist of remarkable versatility. He has been featured in Strings Magazine, on the “Concerts from the Library of Congress” series, and in many of the world’s foremost concert halls. In addition to an active touring schedule as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician, Mr. Graef also serves as the Co-director of the Juliani Ensemble, and as the founding Executive Director of Tallgrass Chamber Music Festival. With the Juliani Ensemble, Mr. Graef has given performances and masterclasses at universities and conservatories throughout North America, while also directing the Ensemble’s resident series; Saturday Salons at Primitive Gallery in Chicago, IL. Mr. Graef obtained both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Eastman School of Music. He performs on a 1949 Natale Carletti viola and an unnamed 1810 Stradivarius model violin.

Anita Graef | Cello

Described as a musician of “superb artistry” (Pasadena Now) who plays with “high energy and polish” (WQXR), cellist Anita Graef has earned recognition for her music making as an artist who is equally at home exploring traditional as well as contemporary works, along with a deep commitment to service, outreach and education. Notable appearances include features in Strings Magazine, as well as Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert series, and “Concerts from the Library of Congress.” She has also performed as a guest of various radio programs, including WQXR, WFMT, WGTE, WUOL, WOSU, WVPB, NPR and others. Ms. Graef has performed as a soloist with orchestras across the United States, with recent and upcoming engagements including the Louisville Orchestra, Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra and others. Highlights from recent seasons include her New York debut with the Riverside Symphony, as well as recital appearances at the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg, Ojai’s Chamber on the Mountain, the Charlotte Warner Concert Series at Kenyon College, an Artist-in-Residence position with the Taft Museum of Art, and return appearances to “Live from WFMT” and “Temecula Presents,” among others.

She completed her Bachelor’s studies at the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. Following this, she obtained a Master’s Degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Anita performs on a modern Italian cello by Ferdinando Garimberti, dated 1923.

For more information, visit anitagraef.com.

Porch Concert Summer Soiree

Delight in an evening of excellent music, exquisite food, and wonderful company with friends and musicians.

Experience the magic of a summer concert with the Juliani Ensemble at a stunning home in Round Lake. The musicians will perform on one of the newly renovated grand porches, while you relax on the beautiful lawn. The home holds historical significance as one of the first permanent residences in the Methodist camp community.

Stay refreshed with complimentary water during the concert. Afterward, we'll stroll to a charming village green across the street for Tapas Under The Tent. Enjoy a signature drink, or bring your favorite beverage.

Savor delectable tapas crafted by Spring Into Health, a local company founded by two passionate ladies, Anouk and Danielle, who ignite learning and connection through food and health. The evening's dishes will be prepared using real, well-grown, seasonal ingredients.

Program

The Juliani Ensemble, a highly acclaimed chamber music ensemble comprised of world class musicians, has delighted audiences with inventive, energetic chamber music concerts since its inception in 1999. As a performing partner at the Chicago Cultural Center in Preston Bradley Hall, the Juliani Ensemble performed to enthusiastic, appreciative audiences for over twenty years. They built a dedicated following and have garnered critical praise, including in the Chicago Tribune and other publications. Recent appearances include performances for “Concerts from the Library of Congress,” residencies at the University of Missouri, Epiphany Center for the Arts, next season at Washington and Lee University, live radio features on 98.7 WFMT, and engagements both nationally and internationally.

The core of the ensemble is comprised primarily of members of the multi generational Graef family musicians. Many of their Grammy-winning ensemble members are affiliated with organizations such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Eastman School of Music, and more. The Juliani Ensemble programming stays fresh and fluid as our concerts feature international players in addition to the family core.

The Juliani Ensemble’s mission is to spread the joy of music through performance, education, outreach and artistry of the highest level.

The Musicians

Emily Seaberry Graef | Flute

Emily Seaberry Graef is the founder and the flutist of the Juliani Ensemble. Ms. Graef is a graduate of The University of Michigan School of Music where she won the Nelson Howenstein Award for outstanding flute performance. Emily did postgraduate study at The University of Maryland and at The Mozarteum Academy in Salzburg, Austria where she studied with Helmut Zangerle. She is the former Principal Flute and soloist with The Rome Festival Orchestra and has performed as flutist with The Chicago Winds, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's MusicNOW series and on the nationally acclaimed and broadcast Dame Myra Hess series. Emily was the co-founder of The Galena Chamber Ensemble, a chamber music organization which performed in Galena, Illinois for 10 years in historic Turner Hall. She has been an artist in residence at the People's Music School and is a former faculty member of the Merit School of Music. Beginning in 1999, Ms. Graef and the Juliani Ensemble were performing partners with The Chicago Cultural Center for 20 years, performing chamber music concerts throughout the year in historic Preston Bradley Hall. Ms. Graef has maintained a teaching studio for more than 30 years.

Julian Graef | Violin, Viola

Violinist and violist Julian Graef has earned acclaim as an artist of remarkable versatility. He has been featured in Strings Magazine, on the “Concerts from the Library of Congress” series, and in many of the world’s foremost concert halls. In addition to an active touring schedule as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician, Mr. Graef also serves as the Co-director of the Juliani Ensemble, and as the founding Executive Director of Tallgrass Chamber Music Festival. With the Juliani Ensemble, Mr. Graef has given performances and masterclasses at universities and conservatories throughout North America, while also directing the Ensemble’s resident series; Saturday Salons at Primitive Gallery in Chicago, IL. Mr. Graef obtained both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Eastman School of Music. He performs on a 1949 Natale Carletti viola and an unnamed 1810 Stradivarius model violin.

Anita Graef | Cello

Described as a musician of “superb artistry” (Pasadena Now) who plays with “high energy and polish” (WQXR), cellist Anita Graef has earned recognition for her music making as an artist who is equally at home exploring traditional as well as contemporary works, along with a deep commitment to service, outreach and education. Notable appearances include features in Strings Magazine, as well as Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert series, and “Concerts from the Library of Congress.” She has also performed as a guest of various radio programs, including WQXR, WFMT, WGTE, WUOL, WOSU, WVPB, NPR and others. Ms. Graef has performed as a soloist with orchestras across the United States, with recent and upcoming engagements including the Louisville Orchestra, Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra and others. Highlights from recent seasons include her New York debut with the Riverside Symphony, as well as recital appearances at the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg, Ojai’s Chamber on the Mountain, the Charlotte Warner Concert Series at Kenyon College, an Artist-in-Residence position with the Taft Museum of Art, and return appearances to “Live from WFMT” and “Temecula Presents,” among others.

She completed her Bachelor’s studies at the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. Following this, she obtained a Master’s Degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Anita performs on a modern Italian cello by Ferdinando Garimberti, dated 1923.

For more information, visit anitagraef.com.

Thursdays in June & August

Meet at the Auditorium for a tour, a sip of tea, and an organ demonstration on the Davis-Ferris Tracker Organ, a National Historic Landmark. There even may be a peek at the pipes!

The Round Lake Libraries annual sale featuring more than 15,000 used and some rare books!

Preview day

Friday from 5pm - 7pm
Hardcovers $2, Paperbacks $1

Weekend Hours

Saturday from 9am - 5pm
Sunday from 10am - 4pm
Hardcovers $1, Paperbacks 50¢

The Round Lake Libraries annual sale featuring more than 15,000 used and some rare books!

Preview day

Friday from 5pm - 7pm
Hardcovers $2, Paperbacks $1

Weekend Hours

Saturday from 9am - 5pm
Sunday from 10am - 4pm
Hardcovers $1, Paperbacks 50¢

The Round Lake Libraries annual sale featuring more than 15,000 used and some rare books!

Preview day

Friday from 5pm - 7pm
Hardcovers $2, Paperbacks $1

Weekend Hours

Saturday from 9am - 5pm
Sunday from 10am - 4pm
Hardcovers $1, Paperbacks 50¢

Perform at our Open Mic nights!

Show off your talent! Prepare and perform a 5min act. If you are a musician, bring your instrument to plug in or mic up to our sound system. Poets, we want to hear what you have written! If you are a dance crew, we can cue up a song for your act.

Plan to arrive early to sign-up. Your order in the show will be determined by the time you arrive.

All ages are welcome to perform!

Hosted by Scott Rigney | srigney721@yahoo.com

Carpe Diem Theater | ROOTS

ROOTS: Realizations On & Off The Stage presents students with critical information about making theater as well as the roles and responsibilities of theater makers themselves. Teaching artists from Broadway, Off-Broadway, international touring companies, and beyond, bring their experiences to the Round Lake Auditorium for Carpe Diem Theater's free workshop series.

These workshops are open to all ages, but are geared towards teens and beyond. All community members are welcome! 

ASHLEYSIMONE KIRCHNER

JULY 18 (1pm) | DANCE

AshleySimone Kirchner is a professional director and choreographer based in New York’s Capital Region. She hails from Central Pennsylvania, where she trained at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and Pennsylvania Regional Ballet under Marcia Dale Weary and Sandra Carlino, respectively. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance with a concentration in Ballet from Marymount Manhattan College, where she performed restaged and new works from choreographers including Lar Lubovitch, Merce Cunningham, Benoit Swan Pouffer and Christopher d’Amboise. She began her work in the region in 2010 with Playhouse Stage Company (formerly Park Playhouse) as Dance Captain in Annie Get Your Gun, and has since performed in many acclaimed productions with PSC including Cabaret, Spamalot & Avenue Q. She now serves as the Associate Artistic Director, Resident Choreographer, and Director of Education at Playhouse Stage Company. You've seen her work in most productions since 2015 including Head Over Heels, Newsies, In the Heights, Something Rotten, Singin' in the Rain, and Spring Awakening. She is also on the faculty at the University at Albany in the Department of Music & Theatre and is a guest Director/Choreographer at Siena College. Ashley was formerly the Lead Dance Instructor and Choreographer for the Musical Theatre Department at Regional Center for the Arts in Trumbull, CT, and Director of Education at the Palace Theatre in Albany. Her work stretches beyond the region as she continues to teach Master Classes and choreograph at theaters and dance studios across the country. She is a proud member of SDC, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. She is thrilled to join the Carpe Diem team this summer for ROOTS!

Learn More: carpediemtheater.org/roots

Carpe Diem Theater | ROOTS

ROOTS: Realizations On & Off The Stage presents students with critical information about making theater as well as the roles and responsibilities of theater makers themselves. Teaching artists from Broadway, Off-Broadway, international touring companies, and beyond, bring their experiences to the Round Lake Auditorium for Carpe Diem Theater's free workshop series.

These workshops are open to all ages, but are geared towards teens and beyond. All community members are welcome! 

CHLOE KOSTMAN

JULY 17 | VOICE (pt 1)

Chloe is a Brooklyn native actor, singer, dancer, songwriter and all-around creative human. Her career has consisted of lots of theatre in and around New York City. She’s passionate about new musicals, originating new roles and making the arts a more equitable and inclusive space for all. Off the stage she hikes and travels a whole lot, teaches yoga and is in a folk Americana band called the Oshy Anna’s. Chloe is so excited to be back working with Carpe Diem!

NICHOLAS BARASCH

JULY 17 | VOICE (pt 2)

Broadway: She Loves Me (Theatre World Award; Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle nominations), The Mystery of Edwin Drood, West Side Story. Off-Broadway/NY: Irish Rep’s The Butcher Boy (Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Lucille Lortel nominations), Big River (City Center Encores!), Anna Nicole: The Opera (BAM/New York City Opera). 1st National Tour: Hadestown. Regional: Delaware Theatre Company, The Ahmanson Theatre, The National Theatre. TV/Film: Julian Blossom on “Riverdale” (CW), “Bull” (CBS), “How to Make it In America” (HBO), “The Backyardigans” (Nickelodeon), Low Tide (A24), She Loves Me (Great Performances on PBS).

Learn More: carpediemtheater.org/roots

Carpe Diem Theater | ROOTS

ROOTS: Realizations On & Off The Stage presents students with critical information about making theater as well as the roles and responsibilities of theater makers themselves. Teaching artists from Broadway, Off-Broadway, international touring companies, and beyond, bring their experiences to the Round Lake Auditorium for Carpe Diem Theater's free workshop series.

These workshops are open to all ages, but are geared towards teens and beyond. All community members are welcome! 

HANNAH HARTMAN

JULY 16 | ACTING

Hannah is a voracious learner with an unquenchable desire to push the boundaries within herself and continually challenge the techniques she's mastered with experimental work. With a strong foundational background in Shakespeare and classical theatre, Hannah trained in Meisner Technique at Baron Brown Studios before becoming a student with Oscar-winner Tim Robbins' theatre company The Actors' Gang, where she explored Commedia Dell'arte, Viewpoints, and "the style". She is now a proud company member with The Actors' Gang after participating in several company workshops, a live ensemble production and a film project directed by Tim Robbins.

Learn More: carpediemtheater.org/roots

Carpe Diem Theater | ROOTS

ROOTS: Realizations On & Off The Stage presents students with critical information about making theater as well as the roles and responsibilities of theater makers themselves. Teaching artists from Broadway, Off-Broadway, international touring companies, and beyond, bring their experiences to the Round Lake Auditorium for Carpe Diem Theater's free workshop series.

These workshops are open to all ages, but are geared towards teens and beyond. All community members are welcome! 

EMMA ALTERI

JULY 15 | DANCE

Emma Alteri is an actor / singer / dancer based in New York City. She graduated from Wagner College in 2021 with degrees in Theatre Performance & Arts Administration.  She has been seen at several regional theatres around the country, including at Playhouse Stage Company as Margo in Bright Star and at Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts in Colorado. She made her principal understudy debut as Stephanie Mangano in Saturday Night Fever in Lancaster, PA and most recently spent a summer at The Little Theatre On The Square performing in The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Pickles) and Escape to Margaritaville.

​Emma is currently on the road with the 1st National Tour of The Cher Show understudying Babe, and playing the featured role of Bridget.

Learn More: carpediemtheater.org/roots

Ten4Ten+

July 1-5, Performance on Friday July 5th at 7:30pm

Ten4Ten+ (T4T) is a one-week theater intensive and performance opportunity open to students ages 16-22 years old.  Our mission is to provide an immersive and collaborative production experience to promote artistic autonomy, in-depth scene study, and build confidence in advanced theater makers.

Owning Your Artistry

T4T is a program designed to put the students at the center of their own creative process. This showcase opportunity aims to provide each participant with dramatic and vocal coaching for material that explores themes and skills they're interested in. The scenes/monologues/songs are selected in collaboration with each year's cast.

Working with the Pros

Broadway and other industry professionals will stage and conceive the production, leaving the students to work together and execute the shared vision for the show.  With a second weekend of encore performances, performers are introduced to an immersive theater experience in a new venue. Adapting content for various venue styles is another practical skill we explore as a group to best prepare our participants for their future performing pursuits.

What's in a Name?

This program was designed to provide performers who have aged out of our Camp program (10th grade and beyond) with 10 minutes of well-coached material (monologues/songs/scenes). This idea of Ten4Ten+ guides the process to ensure each participant has a rewarding experience.

Learn More: carpediemtheater.org/ten4ten