Now in its 36th season, New York Festival of Song (NYFOS) is dedicated to creating intimate song concerts of great beauty and originality. Weaving music, poetry, history, and humor into evenings of compelling theater, NYFOS fosters community among artists and audiences. Each program entertains and educates in equal measure.

Schedule of Events:

August 25, 2024:

3:00 PM: Happily Ever After: A Modern Person's Guide to Operetta

For decades, operetta charmed audiences across the globe with the promise of happy endings and the allure of sweet melodies. Its perfume is still potent – and surprisingly varied, from the wit of Gilbert & Sullivan, to the opulence of Lehár, to the grit of masters like Sondheim, Kurt Weill, and Astor Piazzolla. Happily Ever After is not just a feast for the ears but also a bracing exploration of popular culture from eight countries. Sung by a brilliant cast of artists featuring baritone Philip Stoddard, tenor Scott Rubén La Marca, and soprano Adriana Stepien, the show reunites Steven Blier with one of his favorite collaborators, the stage director Katherine M. Carter. Presented by Oysterponds Community Activities.

Location: Poquatuck Hall, 1160 Skippers Ln, Orient, NY 11957.

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September 29, 2024:

3:00 PM: NYFOS Next

Pianist and curator Nathaniel LaNasa returns with two concerts showcasing the best in contemporary art song. In September, mezzo-soprano Blythe Gaissert and soprano Britt Hewitt perform pieces for voice and bassoon by Kamala Sankaram and LJ White.

Location: Rubin Museum of Art, 150 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011.

November 3, 2024:

3:00 PM: NYFOS Next

Robin Steitz and Gregory Feldmann return to the series in November, performing Hannah Kendall's Rosalind (2020) for soprano, baritone, piano; with additional songs by Sarah Kirkland Snider, Isabella Gellis, and Joe Rubinstein.

Location: Rubin Museum of Art, 150 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011.

November 19, 2024:

8:00 PM: Mainstage - My Brother's Keeper

Conceived by baritone Justin Austin, this program tells a story of brotherly love and community among Black men in America through art song, soul, gospel, and opera. My Brother's Keeper features a stellar team of Black American male singers, including Austin, tenor Joshua Blue, baritone Will Liverman, bass-baritone Joseph Parrish, baritone Jorell Williams, and tenor Chaz'men Williams-Ali, alongside NYFOS's own Steven Blier. Complimentary reception with the artists included after the concert.

Location: Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center, 129 West 67th Street, New York, NY 10023.

December 17, 2024:

7:00 PM: A Goyishe Christmas to You!

NYFOS's beloved holiday tradition: Yuletide songs by Jewish composers, returning to Congregation Beit Simchat Torah (CBST). Featuring Donna Breitzer, Cantor Joshua Breitzer, Joshua Jeremiah, Rebecca Jo Loeb, Alex Mansoori, and Lauren Worsham, with Alan R. Kay on clarinet and Steven Blier as pianist and host. Tickets $45; general admission. more info.

Location: Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, 130 West 30th Street, New York, NY 10001.

January 15, 2025:

7:30 PM: NYFOS at Juilliard

The young talents of Juilliard's Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts perform after an intensive week-long residency with NYFOS's own Steven Blier.

Location: The Peter Jay Sharp Theater at The Juilliard School, 155 West 65th Street, New York, NY 10023.

February 26, 2025:

8:00 PM: Mainstage - Le Tour De France

A musical voyage to the four corners of France from Brittany to the Riviera, ending with a deluxe stay in Paris. The program includes songs by Francis Poulenc, Joseph Canteloube, André Caplet, Gustav Mahler, Michel Legrand, Charles Trénet, and others, featuring the superb vocal talent of soprano Nicoletta Berry, mezzo-soprano Erin Wagner, tenor Daniel McGrew, and baritone Samuel Kidd, with pianists Steven Blier and Bénédicte Jourdois. Complimentary reception with the artists included after the concert.

Location: Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center, 129 West 67th Street, New York, NY 10023.

March 20, 2025:

8:00 PM: Mainstage - Beginner's Luck: The Artist's Journey

Highlighting the talents of Caramoor's 2025 Schwab Vocal Rising Stars program, Beginner's Luck features a wide-ranging playlist from German Lieder to Bob Dylan, exploring the chaotic decade between adolescence and adulthood, filled with seemingly endless possibility and endless peril. A cast of five brilliant young artists, all in their 20s, will join co-directors Bénédicte Jourdois and Steven Blier in this intriguing musical journey. Complimentary reception with the artists included after the concert.

Preview performance at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts on Sunday, March 16.

Location: Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center, 129 West 67th Street, New York, NY 10023.

April 9, 2025:

8:00 PM: Mainstage - Other Worlds: Songs of Fantasy

Mezzo-soprano Kara Dugan, baritone John Brancy, Grammy Award-winning clarinetist Mark Dover in his NYFOS debut, and pianist Peter Dugan join NYFOS's Steven Blier for a new program that explores the mysteries of the forest, the ocean, and the skies, with songs by Schumann, Spohr, Sibelius, and many others. Complimentary reception with the artists included after the concert.

Location: Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center, 129 West 67th Street, New York, NY 10023.

May 2025:

Spring Gala:

Our annual gala evening with cocktails, dinner, and extraordinary performances in support of NYFOS’s 37th season.

Dates: August 25, 2024 - May, 2025

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