The more than a century old Gothic style church with the bright red front door doesn't look like a major music venue.
But that's exactly what Grace Episcopal church at the corner of Mamaroneck Avenue and Main Street in downtown White Plains has become.
"The mission is really to keep affordable, very quality culture in the downtown White Plains area," said director Timothy Lewis."We have everything, from members of the New York Philharmonic, we have people from the Metropolitan Opera come up and play for us, and very talented jazz musicians who live here in town who play as well. It has the best accoustics in Westchester County" Lewis said.
World renowned flutist and composer Pamela Sklar has played in Downtown Music at Grace jazz and classical programs for four years. The Westchester resident has recorded and played with legendary musicians such as Luciano Pavarotti, Tony Bennett and Dave Brubeck. Even though she travels the world playing with big names at grand venues, Sklar says she enjoys returningto the relatively small intimate setting of Grace Church.
"I love it. It's a beautiful space," she said. "I love the fact that it's community-based and that the style of music is so varied, everything from jazz to classical to holiday music.
Sklar returns to Downtown Music at Grace again on Dec. 22.
The White Plains Patch, Michelle Brown
Bolling Story
Pour Pamela Sklar "La Reine" Musicalement Flutistiquement Jazzistiquement et Amicalement
Flutist Pamela Sklar composed the closing piece "Wood". She said, "It has to do with the properties of sound and feeling of wood and the way it breathes. One of my favorite instruments includes the cello and the open sound of the strings. You can hear the quality of the sound because of the resonance of the wood."
The more than a century old Gothic style church with the bright red front door doesn't look like a major music venue.
