Friends Performing Arts Series
Beginning in the 1960’s, under the leadership of John E. Clark, the Friends of the Library was established and continues over 50 years later bringing distinguished artists and musicians to our community.
All performances are free to attend and take place in the Owen Johnson Auditorium at the Library.
Notable Past Performances
All Past Performances
2023-2024
- The History of Rock ‘n’ Roll
- The Clusters
- The Rusty Spur Band
- Rhonda Denet’s Silver Fox Songs Showcase Series
- Evan & James
- 4 Ways from Sunday
2022-23
- Four Hands Over Paumanok
- Shtrykov-Tanaka Duo
- The Clusters All Star Revue
- New Vintage Orchestra
- Sugar and Spice
- B.D. Lenz & The All Stars
- Solid 70s
2021-22
- B.D. Lenz & The All Stars
- New York Exceptions
- Serenade Duo
- Rusty Spur Band
- Daniela Liebman, Piano
2019-20
- Summer Breeze
- Maxim Anikushin, piano
- Steel Silk Band
2018-19
- Shtrykov-Tanaka Duo
- Lady Blue Saxophone Quartet
- Brandon Ridenour, trumpet
- Terry Nigrelli Jazz Band
- Master of Soul
- Island Symphony Orchestra
- Gleb Ivanov, piano
2017-18
- Gemini Journey
- Maxim Anikushin, piano
- Donald Sinta Quartet
- New York Exceptions
- Harlem Blues & Jazz Band
- Cross Island
- The Neave Trio
2016-17
- N2K Duo
- Cross Island
- Steel Silk Band
- Leon Bates, Piano
- Anton del Forno, Classical Guitar
2015-16
- Richard Kastle, Piano
- The Neave Trio
- Terry Nigrelli Jazz Group
- We Are!
- Canta Libre Chamber Ensemble
2014-15
- Ashu, Saxophonist
- Anton Del Forno, Classical Guitarist
- The Waterfront Six
- Alive! …and Kickin’
- The Kende Trio
2013-14
- Linden String Quartet
- Hye-Jin Kim, Violin
- Joao Luiz, Guitar
- Sebastian Baverstam, Cello
- Harlem Gospel Choir
- Maxim Anikushin, Piano
2012-13
- New York Chamber Soloists
- Sebastian Baverstam, cello
- Maxim Anikushin, piano
- Swingtime Big Band
- Vy Higginson Gospel
- Amphion String Quartet
- Richard Kastle, piano
2011-12
- John Davis / Mark Twain Birthday Celebration
- New York Woodwind Quintet
- Canta Libre Chamber Ensemble
- Hye-Jin Kim, violinist
- Gleb Ivanov, pianist
- Soul Rebels brass band
- Jose Franch-Ballester
- Linden String Quartet
2010-11
- Afiara String Quartet
- Emmanuel Ceysson, harp
- Aulos Ensemble
- Swingtime Big Band
- Imani Winds
- Calmus Ensemble, Leipzig
- Gleb Ivanov, pianist
2009-10
- Barynya Russian Folk Dance & Music
- Carducci String Quartet
- Gleb Ivanov, pianist
- Jorge Avila, violinist
- Shades of Harlem
- Kende Trio
- The Brasil Guitar Duo
- Afiara String Quartet
- Aulos Ensemble
- Emmanuel Ceysson, harpist
- Swingtime Big Band
- Imani Winds
- Calmus Vocal Ensemble
- Gleb Ivanov, pianist
2008-09
- Bridget Kibbey, harpist
- Carducci String Quartet
- Phyllis Chen, piano
- Swingtime Big Band
- Harlem Gospel Choir
- Darrah Carr Irish Dance
- Alexandre Bouzlov, cellist
- Gleb Ivanov, pianist
2007-08
- Essential Graham
- Brasil Guitar Duo
- Celebrations
- Sacred Music Sacred Dance
- Svetoslav
2005-06
- Dracula
- Shangri-la Chinese Acrobats
- Philadanco
- Tamburitzans
- Taming of the Shrew
- Paul Taylor 2
- Vassily Primakov, pianist
- Soo Bae, cellist
- Ailey II
- NY Gilbert & Sullivan Players / “Wand’ring Minstrels”
2004-05
- Murderers, Madmen & Kings
- NY Ballet Theatre
- Leon Bates, piano
- St. Petersburg Ballet
- Bill Warfield Jazz Quintet
2003-04
- Shangri-la Chinese Acrobats
- Ballet Folklorico “Quetzalli”
- Harlem Blues & Jazz Band
- Winner of 2003 Concert Artist Guild Asmira Woodward-Page, violin
- Mina & Brian
2002-03
- Ailey II
- Flamenco Vivo / Carlotta Santana
- Feigin Duo
- Alpin Hong, pianist
- Swing Dance America
2001-02
- American Ballet Theatre Studio Company
- Ballet Los Pampas
- Steward Goodyear, pianist
- National Acrobats of China
- Ballet Concierto De Puerto Rico
2000-01
- North Carolina Dance Theatre
- Gran Ballet Folklorico de Mexico
- Kevin Maynor, bass-baritone
- James Lent, piano
- Cinderella
- Andrew Kohji-Taylor, violin
1999-00
- Tamburitzans
- Russian Ballet Theatre
- Duke Ellington Tribute
- Dance Through Time
- New York Theatre Ballet
1998-99
- Viva Brazil Dance Company
- Ballet Stars of Moscow
- Liang Chai, violin
- Preservation Hall Jazz Band
- Peter Orth, piano
- Katona Twins, guitars
- American Repertory Ballet
1997-98
- St. Petersburg Ballet
- Dichterliebe
- Tziganka
- Ain’t Misbehavin’
- Jose Greco II
- Laurel Trio
- Pacifica Quartet
1996-97
- Taylor 2
- Russian Ballet Fireworks
- William Wolfram, piano
- Celebration of Dance
- Massenkoff Russian Folk Festival
- Jupiter Symphony / Stanley Drucker, clarinet
- Winner of 1996 Concert Artist Guild Competition
1995-96
- Jon Klibonoff
- Tamburitzans
- St. Petersburg Ballet
- West Village String Quartet
- Philadanco
- 1995 Concert Artist Guild Winner
- Jupiter Symphony / Ruth
- Laredo, piano
- William Kangeiser, classical guitar
1994-95
- Bachmann-Klibonoff-Fridman Trio
- Ayako Yoshida, violin
- Miami String Quartet
- Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers
- Soloists from Opera Northeast
- First Prize Winner of the 1994 Concert Artists’ Guild New York Competition
- Bross Townsend, jazz pianist
- The Bross Townsend Trio
- The Bross Townsend Quintet
1993-94
- Aman Folk Ensemble
- Jeffrey Siegel, Keyboard Conversation
- Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
- Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble
- La Traviata
1992-93
- Ballet Chicago
- Tamburitzans
- Maya Angelou
- Austrailian Chamber Orchestra
- Die Fledermaus
1991-92
- Kiss Me Kate
- Tokyo Symphony / Reiko Watanabe, violin soloist
- Mazowsze
- This Joint is Jumpin’
- Israel Chamber
- Orchestra/ Shlomo Mintz, Conductor & soloist
1990-91
- Thomas Lorango, pianist
- Czech Philharmonic
- North Carolina
- Dance Theatre
- Hanover Band
- Pirin
- Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble
- Jose
- Greco Spanish Dance
- Tokyo Festival Ballet, Gen Horiuchi
- South Pacific
- Jupiter Symphony
1989-90
- H.M.S. Pinafore
- English Concert
- Madama Butterfly
- Tamburitzans
- Hungarian State Folk Ensemble
- National Theatre of the Deaf
- Harlem Spiritual Ensemble
- Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra with John O’Conor, piano soloist
- Ballet of Los Angeles
- Christopher O’Riley, pianist
- Kismet
1988-89
- Slovak State Folk Ensemble
- New Jersey Ballet Company
- Berlin Symphony
- Pirates of Penzance
- Mazowsze
- Harlem Blues & Jazz Band
- Budapest Symphony Orchestra
- Vladimir Feltsman
- Carousel
1987-88
- The Tamburitzans
- Washington Ballet
- Tosca
- Oslo Philharmonic
- Boys Choir of Harlem
- Murray Perahia, pianist
- Ballet of the Royal Finnish Opera
- Bucket Dance Theatre
- Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra
- Jerusalem Symphony
- Showboat
1986-87
- Helsinki Philharmonic
- L.I. Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra
- Christopher Parkening, classical guitar
- Klezmer Conservatory Band
- Handel’s Messiah
- Ballet De France
- Hungarian State Folk Ensemble
- Sweet Saturday Night
- Chicago City Ballet
- Salzburg Musici Chamber Orchestra
- Nigel Kennedy, violinist
- Richard Goode, pianist
- Lar Lubovitch Dance Company
- Fiddler on the Roof
- Oklahoma!
1985-86
- Heather Watts & Adam Luders with Joffrey II Ballet
- L’Elisir D’Amore
- Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Horacio Guitierrez, pianist
- National Folk Ballet of Yugoslavia
- Boys Choir of Harlem
- Washington Ballet
- Nadja Salerno-Sonenberg, violinist
- Once Upon a Time
- Jean Pierre Rampal, flutist
- Andras Schiff, pianist
- Dresden Chamber Orchestra
- The Mikado
1984-85
- Arms and the Man
- Metropolitan Opera Ballet
- Stockholm Philharmonic
- Joffrey II Ballet Company with Patricia McBride & Sean Lavery
- Klezmorim
- A Christmas Carol
- Clive Thompson Dance Company
- Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia
- Royal Ballet of Flanders
- Peter Serkin, pianist
- Ars Musica
- Treger-Watts Duo
- John Weaver
- La Traviata
- Trial by Jury
1983-84
- Kibbutz Dance Company
- New World Ballet of Caracas
- Julie Harris / The Belle of Amherst
- Cecile Licad, pianist
- Shlomo Mintz, violinist
- Dennis Wayne’s Dancers
- Misalliance
- Preservation Hall Jazz Band
- La Boheme
- Laussanne Symphony Orchestra
- Jerry’s Girls
- The Barber of Seville
- Richard Stoltzman, clarinetist
- Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra
- Kathleen Battle, soprano
- The Dining Room
- Vladimir Ashkenazy, pianist
- Fledermaus
1982-83
- Panayis Lyras, pianist
- Metropolitan Opera Ballet with Patricia McBride, Helgi Tomasson & Adam Luders
- Zagreb Ballet
- Pinchas Zukerman, violinist
- Prague Chamber Orchestra
- James Galway, flutist & New Irish Chamber Orchestra
- Syracuse Stage in Ira Levin’s Deathtrap
- Eastern Opera Theatre in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte
- Manhattan Savoyards in Lehar’s The Merry Widow
1981-82
- Joffrey II Ballet Co., with Helgi Tomasson & Yoko Ichino
- Shura Cherkassky, pianist
- American Ballet Theatre Repertory Co.
- Lucia di Lammermoor
- Ballet Fantasio of Romania
- Vladimir Ashkenazy, Itzhak Perlman and Lynn Harrell Trio
- Winner of Van Cliburn Competition
- H.M.S. Pinafore
1980-81
- Rigoletto
- Garrick Ohlsson, pianist
- May O’Donnell Dance Company
- Ballet Hispanico, with Heather Watts & Adam Luders of N.Y.C. Ballet
- Orpheus Chamber Ensemble, guest solo pianist Richard Goode
- Itzhak Perlman, violinist
- Emanuel Ax & Friends (Yo Yo Ma, Young- Uck Kim, & Ida Kavafian)
- The Gondoliers
1979-80
- La Traviata
- Philharmonia Virtuosi
- Andre Watts, PIanist and Charles Treger, Violinist
- Naughty Marietta
- Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble
- Peter Serkin, Pianist
- Candida
1978-79
- Patricia McBride, Jean-Pierre Bonne-fous & Company from N.Y.C. Ballet
- Frank Patterson, Tenor
- La Boheme
- Brandenburg Ensemble
- Buffalo Philharmonic
- L.I. Symphony, Guest Solo Clarinetist, Stanley Drucker
- William Bolcom and Joan Morris
- Pirates of Penzance
1977-78
- Eleanor D’Antuono & Ted Kivitt with the Eglevsky Ballet
- Shirley Berrett, Soprano
- Marriage of Figaro
- Eugene Fodor, Violinist
- Winner of Van Cilburn Competition–Steven De Groote
- The Mikado
- Guarneri String Quartet with the L.I. Symphony
- Byron Janis, Pianist & the L.I. Symphony
1976-77
- Lazar Berman, Pianist
- Way of the World
- El Capitan
- Jose Limon Dance Company
- Patience
- Madame Butterfly
- Patricia McBride, Jean-Pierre Bonne-fous and Company
- Lynn Harrell, Cellist with L.I. Symphony
1975-76
- Violette Verdy / Helgi Tomasson & Co.
- Alicia De Larrocha, pianist
- Martha Graham Dance Company
- Harvard Glee Club
- Barber of Seville
- Itzhak Perlman and the L.I. Symphony
1974-75
- School for Wives
- Helgi Tomasson / Kay Mazzo & Company
- Gary Graffman & Huntington Symphony
- American Ballet TheatreII
- Andre Watts
1973-74
- Tartuffe
- Pirates of Penzance
- Joffrey II Ballet
- Rudolf Serkin
1972-73
- As You Like It
- Melissa Hayden / Jacques D’Amboise
- Dance Theatre of Harlem
- H.M.S. Pinafore
1971-72
- Edward Villella Dance Company
- The Miser
- The Mikado
1970-71
- Arms and the Man
- Frank Glazer, Pianist
- Oedipus Rex
1969-70
- Candida
- Trumpets & Drums
- MacBeth
- Lady’s not for Burning