Fresh Developments: Young Patrons of Lincoln Center Launch After Hours @ The Atrium
Telos Ensemble violinist Sarah Whitney and YPLC's Andrew Kalish
LINCOLN CENTER, MANHATTAN: A fun new phase in Lincoln Center’s history unfolded last Friday. The debut of After Hours @ The Atrium, held at the wide open David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, made for a highly stimulating evening.
Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky was on hand with two string specialists (cellist Claire Bryant and violinist Sarah Whitney), an iPad, plus powerful new ideas about music and how it’s made. The debut installment in a series, Arts & Technology 101, was put on by Young Patrons of Lincoln Center, allowing Spooky to explore the connection between iPhone/iPad apps and string ensembles. The pioneering music came in between ample time to socialize.
A membership group for arts enthusiasts in their 20’s through 40’s, the YPLC’s mission is to introduce a new, diverse, audience to Lincoln Center, bridging the “uptown/downtown divide” through events like Arts and Technology 101 — part of a larger 101 series that acts to demystify various art forms — and also through community outreach and volunteer work with young people who wouldn’t typically get exposed to Lincoln Center.
“The curatorial process of YPLC’s 101 events is very hands-on,” explains Andrew Kalish, Manager of Executive Strategy and Business Development for Lincoln Center. “Lincoln Center staff and YPLC members provide a framework that allows the artist the creative freedom to design a truly exceptional, and one-of-a-kind event that provides both an educational component and a unique insight into their art form. This is the same regardless of the venue, as YPLC’s 101 series take place all over the Lincoln Center campus including at the Kaplan Penthouse and the Hauser Patron’s Salon in the new Alice Tully Hall.
“The case with Arts and Technology 101 was no different. We approached Paul Miller due to his unique ability to mix ‘uptown’ classical style with ‘downtown’ avant-garde and his use of technology in his performance. He was the perfect artist to tell the story of the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, a place that not only serves as a gateway to all the various art forms at Lincoln Center, but also illustrates the democratization of the arts through technology and public performance.” — David Weiss