North/South Chamber Orchestra ends 46th season with free June 16 concert in New York

The North/South Chamber Orchestra will close its 46th consecutive season on June 16 at Christ & St. Stephen’s Church in Manhattan with works by living composers from France, the Czech Republic and the U.S. The free concert features clarinetist Berkeley Price and double bassist Troy Rinker, and highlights pieces that blend classical music with jazz, tango and social themes.

Why it matters: - The concert caps North/South Chamber Orchestra’s 46th consecutive season focused on living composers. - The program brings together contemporary works from France, the Czech Republic and the United States in a free public performance in Manhattan. - The lineup includes solo turns for clarinet and double bass, giving the concert a broad range of sound and style.

What happened: - North/South Chamber Orchestra will present its final concert of the 46th season on Tuesday, June 16, at 7 p.m. in New York City. - The concert will be held at Christ & St. Stephen’s Church, 129 West 69th Street, with an expected end time of about 8:30 p.m. - Admission is free, and no tickets or reservations are required. - Entry will be first-come, first-served. - The church is air-conditioned. - Clarinetist Berkeley Price and double bassist Troy Rinker will appear as soloists. - The program will feature recent works by Deon Nielsen Price, Simone Tolomeo, Martin Vitouš and Max Lifchitz.

The details: - Deon Nielsen Price’s Becoming Screenland for clarinet and strings traces the history of Culver City, California, and is based on the Tongva song “Song after the Blessing.” - Simone Tolomeo’s La Violetta d’Alcamo is inspired by Franca Viola, whose refusal of a so-called “rehabilitating marriage” helped drive social change in Italy and contributed to the repeal of that law in 1981. - Martin Vitouš’ db&SQ, written in 2018, is a three-movement work for solo double bass and string orchestra with a jazz influence. - Max Lifchitz’s Four Tango Sketches, written in 2022, pays tribute to Astor Piazzolla on the 100th anniversary of Piazzolla’s birth. - Berkeley A. Price is principal clarinet with the Salt Lake Symphony, and he has performed across the U.S., Japan, the United Kingdom and Panama. - Troy Rinker studied at Indiana University and The Juilliard School and has performed with the Oratorio Society of New York, the EOS Chamber Orchestra, the New York Pops and the American Composers Orchestra. - North/South Consonance, Inc. has operated since 1980 and focuses on music by composers from the Americas and around the world. - The organization’s work is supported in part by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the Music Performance Fund, the Zethus Fund, the BMI Foundation and individual donors. - More information is available on the North/South Consonance website. - The organization also maintains social media on Facebook and YouTube.

Between the lines: - The season-ending program reflects North/South Chamber Orchestra’s continued emphasis on contemporary, often cross-genre composition. - The repertoire connects classical performance with historical narrative, women’s rights, jazz, tango and folk material. - The free-admission format lowers the barrier for audience access, which can help expand turnout for new-music programming.

What’s next: - North/South Consonance will continue its programming after the June 16 season finale. - Additional concert information will be posted through the organization’s website and social channels.

The bottom line: - North/South Chamber Orchestra closes a season built around living composers with a free Manhattan concert that mixes new music, solo features and socially rooted works.