Pay-What-You-Can

This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it what I can.

George Bernard Shaw

Fatherhood, circa 2001, the same year NCMF was founded.
Eliana was two years old. This was shot by my own father in
my parents’ garden in New York City.

‍I’ve wanted to do this for a long time.

I remember being a young father and waking up in the middle of the night with what I called “The Furies,” worrying about how to pay the mortgage. My wife and I were working our tuchases off with concerts, gigs, teaching, writing music, running stuff, yet the bills kept piling up. How can NCMF expect to expand our audiences when a young couple with children have to shell out $300 for tickets and a babysitter? No wonder classical music is perceived as elitist. For this reason, I’m delighted that the last concert this year, the grand finale on Sunday, August 13^th, is pay-what-you-can. Pay 1$ or $100 at the door - it is all good.

On the final concert this summer, soprano Elaine Daiber will be singing
Jon Deak's "The Jury" based on a poem by
Rhina P. Espaillat along with the soprano part in
Schoenberg's String Quartet No. 2

Also new this year is students come for free to the Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday concerts (just show a valid student ID). Imagine the pews of St. Paul’s packed with students, couples in their 30s just starting out, retirees on a fixed income, or folks who were curious but unsure about the financial investment. Come to two concerts, three, four! Music only gets better with multiple viewings. Bring a friend who normally isn’t up for live music and let them see five musicians playing their hearts out. Come hear Rhina reading her work; watch soprano Elaine stalking the string players on stage; listen to Pulitzer-nominated composer/mountaineer Jon Deak discuss how he wrote the world premiere.

Perhaps we lose a little revenue, but more people coming to more events - isn’t that exactly what we want, isn’t that why we are here? More art, more music.

David Yang, Artistic Director

Free events this summer

Wednesday, August 2
Storytelling, puppetry, & Music with Theater in the Open and NCMF
11:00 at TitO at Maudslay State Park
4:00 at Salisbury Library

Sunday, August 6
4:00 Panel Discussion & Works in Progress at Jabberwocky (Newburyport)

Monday, August 7
10:00 Open Rehearsal at Jabberwocky (Newburyport)

Tuesday, August 8
10:00 Open Rehearsal at Chococoa (Newburyport)
7:00 Family concert at Newburyport Public Library

Wednesday, August 9
10:00 Open Rehearsal at the Church of the Nativity (Merrimac)

Friday, August 11
10:00 Open Rehearsal with the Composer-in-Residence
at the Newburyport Art Association

Sunday, August 13
Pay-what-you-can
3:15 Pre-concert lecture with Composer-in-Residence Jon Deak (Newburyport)
4:00 Final concert at St. Paul’s (Newburyport)