For former Great Neck resident Alyssa Greengrass, creating the Nassau Chamber Music Society, a nonprofit concert series on Long Island, was her way of bringing a higher level of music back to the community that launched her musical career.
“I’ve always been really drawn to chamber music and I felt so strongly about wanting to bring a higher level of music to Long Island,” Greengrass said. “This is where I grew up and where my career was nurtured.”
Greengrass, who grew up on Grace Ave. in Thomaston, began playing the flute in elementary school, though it did not come easy to her.
“All I wanted to do was be a flute player,” said Greengrass, 24. “But I could not make a note and everyone else was ahead of me.”
She said she was taken to what is now the Gold Coast Performing Arts Center, and later to the Great Neck Music Conservatory for lessons to improve her ability.
Once she reached Great Neck South Middle School, and later Great Neck South High School, Greengrass said, her music teachers helped drive her passion to continue playing music.
“Alan Schwartz from the middle school and Michael Schwartz at the high school helped and inspired me to continue to fall in love with music,” she said.
On top of her private and school lessons, Greengrass was enrolled as a pre-college student at the Manhattan School of Music on Saturdays while she was in high school.
She said the combination of her teachers’ support and Saturday school pushed her forward to work towards a career in music.
“Making a life of music is very wonderful and fulfilling, but very difficult,” Greengrass said. “It needs a lot of support and encouragement. I was lucky to grow up in a place that did just that. And that’s why I wanted to bring things back to the community.”
After receiving her Bachelor’s degree in music from Rutgers University, and then her master’s in music from the Manhattan School of Music, Greengrass said , she decided to live in Manhattan and continue pursuing her music career.
She has performed as part of an orchestra, a chamber, and as a solo performer at venues such as Carnegie Hall and Symphony Space in New York City.
On top of her personal music endeavors, Greengrass founded the Nassau Chamber Music Society after planning its creation during her last year of graduate school in 2014.
The Nassau Chamber Music Society officially became a nonprofit organization this summer.
“I wanted to create my own opportunities and showcase some of the best young, upcoming talent,” she said.
Greengrass said she handpicks performers she has met through her school and performance career who she thinks enjoy what they do and enjoy interacting with audiences.
“I always make sure I’m working with artists who are warm and friendly and love what they do,” she said. “After concerts there is a meet and greet or a hangout so the audience and the musicians can get to know each other.”
Greengrass said she is planning to put on four concerts during the music society’s first “season.”
They had their concert on Sept. 19 at Lloyd Harbor, just outside of Cold Spring Harbor.
Greengrass said the event was successful for the chamber’s first event, but is looking for improvements at future concerts.
The next concert is on Nov. 1 at Temple Beth-El of Great Neck at 5 Old Mill Road.
Funding for the concerts came from an initial donation made by herself at the society’s inception as well as from personal donations and ticket sales, Greengrass said, but she is talking with corporate sponsors for future funding.
Tickets for the concerts are $20 for general admission and $10 for students, relatively cheap compared to the usual cost to see chamber music performances, Greengrass said.
“I always believed that classical music was one of those things that was out of reach,” she said. “Not just intellectually, but also because it is very expensive to see a concert.”
Greengrass said audiences at the music society’s concerts will see the type of intimate genre that chamber music is and why it is so special.
“Chamber music is something that is a really special genre of music,” she said. “Playing with an orchestra is great. Playing alone is great. But playing chamber music in small groups, there is something really special about that music making. Audiences can connect with it.”
People can visit nassauchambermusic.com for more information on the Nassau Chamber Music Society or to buy tickets for the upcoming November concert.
