A parking lot may not be the first place you’d expect to hear the sounds of a live ensemble, but that’s exactly what the Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra has planned for Bay Ridge this summer.
As part of the neighborhood’s annual Summer Stroll on Third Avenue, the Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra will transform the Citizens Bank parking lot at 9201 Third Ave. into an open-air concert venue on Aug. 7, offering a free evening of orchestral music beneath the summer sky.
The concert begins at 7 p.m. and is presented in partnership with Citizens Bank. Taking place during one of Bay Ridge’s busiest summer events, the performance is designed to bring professional live music into the heart of the community, where thousands of residents gather to shop, dine and explore local commerce.
The performance will feature a 30-piece professional orchestra alongside Broadway and opera vocalist Amelia Milo and clarinetist Yu Ting. The program will feature recognizable favorites, including “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Aaron Copland’s “Hoe Down” from “Rodeo,” George Gershwin’s “They Can’t Take That Away from Me” and “Summertime” and other selections from Broadway.
The 30-piece orchestra will perform a myriad of classical and Broadway songs at the Aug. 7 concert.Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra
Philip Nuzzo, music director and conductor of the Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra, emphasized the need for accessibility in music settings, an idea that closely aligns with their mission.
“Great music doesn’t only belong inside concert halls, it belongs wherever people gather,” he said. “That’s why we’re excited to transform an everyday parking lot into an open-air experience where neighbors can come together, enjo a summer evening and discover the joy of live orchestral music.”
The Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra’s concert is part of Bay Ridge Summer Stroll, a yearly festival where Third Ave. becomes a community hub.Photo by Paul Frangipane
Nuzzo founded the orchestra in 2002 as the borough’s resident professional chamber orchestra presenting a regular subscription season. The parking lot orchestra is a first for this orchestra. The ensemble has put on a variety of shows, including the works of Beethoven, “The Phantom of the Opera,” Spanish influences, Christmas performances and more.
Admission to the Aug. 7 concert is free. The performance will take place in the Citizens Bank parking lot in Bay Ridge beginning at 7 p.m. Organizers encourage attendees to bring lawn chairs and blankets to settle in for an evening filled with free music.
The concert is just one of the many attractions planned for this year’s Summer Stroll series.
The car-free Friday night festival will run from 6 to 10 p.m., with the first stretch between 82nd Street and Marine Avenue on July 24 and Aug. 7, and the second stretch between 68th Street and 82nd Street on July 31 and Aug. 14.