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Tags:art workshops, arts education, Gold Coast Arts, Gold Coast Arts Center, Long Island arts, Long Island arts centers
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Gold Coast Arts Center’s Dance, Theater, Art, Vocal & Robotics Classes Now Being Offered Online

April 17, 2020

Advanced art student Uma Tseyang of Great Neck pondering the pandemic through her artwork. The painting in progress shows an older man in despair not having enough food with “Andy Warhol style” empty cans in the background. (Photo by Gold Coast Arts)

LONG ISLAND, NY —Gold Coast Arts, a multi-arts organization dedicated to promoting the arts through education, exhibition, performance, and outreach, has successfully converted almost all its classes to online access using Zoom, an online chat and videoconferencing service. A list of all arts classes, along with interesting film screenings, virtual art exhibits, and other arts-related programs, can be found at www.goldcoastarts.org.

“Dance, theater, art, vocal, and robotics classes have all been adapted to our new virtual world and are aimed at students of all ages,” explained Ellen Schiff, Director of School for the Arts, Gold Coast Arts. “The arts have always been a great way to express and visualize what is going on, and we’re happy to be able to continue that during these challenging times.”

Teachers from each department have developed new, exciting programs customized for their class. For example, students in the Advanced Art class are working on a relevant project commenting on their feeling about the pandemic. “Students were eager to brainstorm ideas for their finished pieces and present to the class,” Schiff added.

The feedback from the students has been incredible, too, according to Ms. Schiff. “Thank you for hosting the class during this difficult time,” said one student who is taking an Intermediate Art course, “It felt like a wonderful moment of normality.” An Advanced Art Level II student who has the COVID-19 virus explained, “I have a mild case of the virus, but knowing I would be making art pulled me out of bed.”

There is a new exciting offering for students of all levels. Private lessons in dance, acting, chess, voice, guitar, cello, and piano are taught virtually by Gold Coast’s renowned teachers.

Gold Coast Arts students and instructors, many of whom are public school teachers, have adapted easily to online technologies because it is the same as what’s used for their schoolwork during the pandemic. Our dedicated dance division is finding creative ways to continue their classes for example; ballet students train and do their warm-up exercises at home using a chair instead of the traditional barre typically found in the dance studio.

Robotics instructor Kayla Ho developed a virtual program which enables the students to create 3D robots which continues to challenge her students.

For more information about the online arts classes, and other great programming visit www.goldcoastarts.org.

The Gold Coast Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) multi-arts organization dedicated to promoting the arts through education, exhibition, performance, and outreach. For a quarter-century, it has brought the arts to tens of thousands of people throughout the Long Island region. Among the Center’s offerings are its School for the Arts, which holds year-round classes in visual and performing arts for students of all ages and abilities; a free public art gallery; a concert and lecture series; film screenings and discussions; the annual Gold Coast International Film Festival; and initiatives that focus on senior citizens and underserved communities. These initiatives include artist residencies, after-school programs, school assemblies, teacher-training workshops, and parent-child workshops. The Gold Coast Arts Center’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. The Gold Coast Arts Center is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts “Partners in Education” program and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.goldcoastarts.org.

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Tags:Digital travel, Gold Coast Arts Center, Long Island arts, Long Island arts centers, online arts classes, Virtual Travel
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Gold Coast Arts Center, Long Island Hosts Workshop in Solarplate Printmaking

February 20, 2020

Ron Pokrasso, Who is Pulling My Chain, 2019 , “Solar Impressions” exhibit, Gold Coast Arts Center, Long Island.

The Gold Coast Arts Center in Great Neck, Long Island is inviting budding artists to learn the innovative technique of Solarplate printmaking in a workshop being offered Sunday, March 15, 1-3 pm.

For teens and adults who are interested in trying a new art technique, this workshop requires no previous experience.

During this three-hour workshop, participants will learn a variety of ways to create unique plates and prints. The key innovation in the printmaking technique is that nNo harsh chemicals or solvents are involved; all you need is light, water and a bit of imagination.

Participants will transfer images with the Solarplate process using a thin steel plate coated with a UV light sensitive photopolymer.

The Solarplate process is the same technique used in all works in the current exhibition on view, SOLAR IMPRESSIONS.

Jude Amsel, “Temps,” (2018) which incorporates Solarplate, Polaroid transfer and pastel. Gold Coast Arts Gallery, Long Island, Presents Solar Impressions: Contemporary Printmaking © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

This exhibition is a result of nearly a three decade friendship of gallery curator and artist Jude Amsel with artist and master printmaker Dan Welden, who developed the Solarplate etching process in the 1970s. “He altered the art of etching… doing away with acids and solvents while keeping printmakers healthy by respecting the environment,” Amsel said.

The exhibition, Solar Impressions, brings together more than 40 artists, who together show how versatile and adaptable Solarplate is across media and art forms – from photography to drawing to painting. “Each of these artists represent an ongoing exploration of the Solarplate etching process.”

See more about the exhibit and artists: ‘Solar Impressions’ Exhibit at Gold Coast Arts Center Features Innovative ‘Solarplate’ Etching Process, Workshop

Printmaking workshops for adults will be offered at the Gold Coast Arts Center on Sunday, March 15, from 12-3 p.m. No experience necessary. (For information, visit https://goldcoastarts.org/event/solarplate-printmaking-workshop/)

But that’s not all.

Long Island Premier: ‘The Truth’

Gold Coast Arts Cinema Series, which is offered through the Gold Coast Arts Center, is presenting the Long Island premiere of “The Truth” on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, at 7:30 p.m. at the Great Neck Cinemas at the Squire, 115 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck, NY 11021.

In “The Truth,” legends of French cinema Catherine Deneuve and Juliette Binoche play a mother-daughter duo in this charming and wise tale of a family dynamic, which co-stars Ethan Hawke.

The film offers a relatable look at human relationships, featuring performances from its all-star cast. “The Truth,” tells the story of a stormy reunion between script-writer Lumir (Binoche) with her famous mother and actress, Fabienne (Deneuve), against the backdrop of Fabienne’s autobiographic book and her latest role in a Sci-Fi picture as a mother who never grows old.

Directed by masterful filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda, “The Truth” was well received at Venice Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival in 2019. According to Owen Gleiberman of Variety Magazine, “Catherine Deneuve gives a magnificent performance: grand, subtle, lacerating and fearless.”

Tickets for “The Truth” are $15 Adults/ Seniors and $10 for members when purchased in advance. All tickets at the door are $20. Tickets can be ordered online at www.goldcoastarts.org or by phone at 516-829-2570.

8^th Annual Big Break Talent Competition

Also: there are still a few days left to submit to the 8th Annual Your Big Break talent competition, open to musicians ages 15 to 25.The deadline to email one MP3 song, one photo anda short bio to yourbigbreakny@gmail.com or to submit on Reverbnation HERE is Sunday, February 23.

The semi-finals take place Saturday, March 14 and Saturday, April 25th and the Finals take place Saturday, June 6. Artists must perform with a band, solo with acoustic guitar, or sing to backing music track. (https://goldcoastarts.org/your-big-break/)

(See more Open Call for Young Musicians to Enter Gold Coast Art Center’s 8th Annual Your Big Break Talent Contest)

Gold Coast Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) multi-arts organization dedicated to promoting the arts through education, exhibition, performance, and outreach. For a quarter-century, it has brought the arts to tens of thousands of people throughout the Long Island region. Among the Center’s offerings are its School for the Arts, which holds year-round classes in visual and performing arts for students of all ages and abilities; a free public art gallery; a concert and lecture series; film screenings and discussions; the annual Gold Coast International Film Festival; and initiatives that focus on senior citizens and under-served communities. These initiatives include artist residencies, after-school programs, school assemblies, teacher-training workshops, and parent-child workshops. The Gold Coast Arts Center is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts “Partners in Education” program and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

Gold Coast Arts Center, 113 Middle Neck Rd., Great Neck, NY 11021, 516-829-2570, www.goldcoastarts.org.

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Tags:Gold Coast Arts Center, Gold Coast Arts Center printmaking workshop, Gold Coast Arts Cinema Series, Gold Coast Film Festival, Long Island arts, Long Island arts centers, printmaking workshop, Your Big Break talent competition
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Gold Coast Arts Center Presents ‘Warp & Woof: Beyond the Loom’, Opening Sept 15 with Artists Reception

September 12, 2019

Long Island City by Ann Cofta (medium: Fabric with hand quilting and embroidery, 16X16), on view at the “Warp & Woof: Beyond the Loom” exhibit at the Gold Coast Arts Center, Great Neck, Long Island.

LONG ISLAND, NY— The Gold Coast Arts Center is opening its newest art exhibit, “Warp & Woof: Beyond the Loom,” with a reception with the artists on Sunday, September 15, 4-6 p.m. at the Gold Coast Arts Center, 113 Middle Neck Road in Great Neck.

“Warp & Woof: Beyond the Loom” features a highly intuitive look into conventional and less conventional approaches to weaving as a fine art form, not often explored, or displayed in local galleries. Taking its title from the weaving terms ‘warp,’ or the vertical and static component of the weave, and ‘woof’ which is the dynamic and horizontal aspect of the weave, this exhibition looks at both conventional and unconventional approaches to weaving.

“While weaving is traditionally done on a loom, in our latest exhibit, artists have experimented with other materials and methods, often weaving with metal, fabric, and feathers to create beautiful, unique textiles,” explains Jude Amsel, gallery curator. “The artists exhibiting their work will open a window for visitors to gain a view into the conventional and the less conventional approaches to weaving.”

Featured artists include:

Pamela Topham was the top prize winner of the 77th Annual Guild Hall Artist Members Exhibition (2015) as selected by Marla Prather, Curator for the Museum of Modern Art.

Water Music by Pamela Topham (medium: Tapestry of silk and wool, 35X35)

Darlene Charneco has exhibited throughout the U.S. and globally at venues including the Parrish Art Museum, PINTA London, and the Korean International Art Fair. She was featured in ‘Around the Way,’ organized by El Museo del Barrio in NYC and Locate/Navigate, Exercises in Mapping – a citywide exhibition presented by the Urban Culture Project Foundation. Her work is featured in the Princeton Architectural Press book ‘The Map as Art: Contemporary Artists Explore Cartography’ by Katherine Harmon and ‘How Architecture Learned to Speculate’ by Mihall & Serbest through the University of Stuttgart.

Ann Cofta is a visual artist who uses an extended range of media, including drawing, embroidery, beadwork, bookmaking, and printmaking. She has lived abroad in Japan and Venezuela and has traveled extensively throughout the United States. She has taught art in New York City for the past 21 years after receiving a Master’s degree in Art & Art Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Love by Natsuko Hattori (medium: Fabric cotton and rubber, 10X10)

Natsuko Hattori graduated from the University of Tsukuba, Art, and Design, and moved to New York in 2010. Her work has appeared in many exhibits, and received awards, in Japan and NYC.

Zhen Guo is an artist active in the international art world. She has participated in many international exhibitions and has long been committed to the research and exploration of international contemporary women’s art. Sotheby’s and other international auction companies have repeatedly promoted her work. In recent years, she has organized and participated in the “Existence” International Women’s Art Exhibition in Changsha, China, the “Please Touch: Body Boundaries” exhibition at the Mana Museum of Contemporary Art in the United States; and South Korea’s Jeonbuk Museum of Art “Asian Women Artists Exhibition.” Zhen Guo has had solo shows at several galleries in and around New York City. She often does academic lectures at universities here and abroad.

The exhibit will run until October 27, 2019. All of the displayed work at “Warp & Woof: Beyond the Loom” runs through October 27, 2019; all the exhibited work is available for sale.

Attendance at the reception and the exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Gold Coast Arts Center at 516-829-2570 or visit www.goldcoastarts.org.

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Tags:Ann Cofta, art exhibits, artists reception, Darlene Charneco, Gold Coast Arts Center, Long Island arts, Long Island arts centers, museums and exhibits, Natsuko Hattori, Pamela Topham, Zhen Guo
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Young Musicians Invited to Apply for 7th Annual “Your Big Break” Talent Competition at Gold Coast Arts Center, Long Island

December 21, 2018

All Types of Kinds was the 2018 winner of the “Your Big Break” Talent Competition at the gold Coast Arts Center, Long Island © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Long Island, NY (December, 2018) – Applications are now being taken for the 7^th Annual “Your Big Break” (YBB) Talent Competition, organized by the Gold Coast Arts Center, Love Revolution Org., and the Rick Eberle Agency. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, January 6, 2019.

There is an OPEN CALL for submissions for musicians ages 15 to 25 living on Long Island and in all five boroughs, who do not currently have a recording or publishing contract to submit for the showcase events; interested artists must perform with a band or solo with an acoustic guitar or sing to a backing music track. Though artists are judged in areas from stage presence to overall musicianship, YBB is largely a singing competition. There is NO FEE to enter.

To be considered, email to gnacbigbreak@gmail.com: one MP3 song, one photo, a short bio. Or enter online at Reverbnation, https://bit.ly/2G8quOb.

Judges are major players in the music industry, with past years having included ReverbNation.com’s Lou Plaia, All Music Inc.’s Guy Brogna, songwriter Tara Eberle Drouin, producer David Caggiano, producer Richy Petrello, and label executives Stephen Marcuccio, Jerry Lembo, Linda Ingrisano, and Mark Ambrosino. 2019 judges are soon TBA.

Finalists will be assigned mentors who will work to help them hone their craft before performing at the finals. 2019 mentors are still TBD – while this past year’s have included American Idol’s Robbie Rosen, Dream Recording Studio’s Jason Melker, Sojourn Record’s Mark Ambrosino, producer/songwriter and former VP of A&R at Atlantic Records Jimmy Bralower, singer/songwriter John Hampson of Nine Days, singer/songwriter Ryan Star, and songwriter/producer Donnie Klang of MTV’s “Making the Band”, songwriter/producer Ido Zmishlany, and others.

Prizes Include:

The chance to open for national acts at Revolution Bar & Music Hall in Amityville, New York (Tom Angenbroich, Loaded Concerts)

Recording Time at The Loft Sound Studio (Donnie Klang, Matthew LaPorte, The Loft)

PR and social media campaign including management, booking, and label services consultation with the Rick Eberle Agency (Host)

Musical equipment from All Music Inc (Guy Brogna, Judge) and ZOOM North America (Stephen Marcuccio, Judge)

Feature on ReverbNation.com (Lou Plaia, Judge)

Feature article in Good Times Magazine (Rich Branciforte, Judge)

Each evening is capped with a special headlining performance. Past artists who have performed in the headline slots have included: Buddhist Priest, Iridesense, John Hampson of Nine Days, The Brady Brothers, and Sir Cadian Rhythm – all of whom are local musicians who have had major success in the industry, with hopes to further inspire the next generation of New York stars presented each year.

The 2018 YBB champions, All Types of Kinds, play a wide variety of music ranging from rock to pop, folk, punk, funk, hip-hop, blues and country – even sometimes all at once. The members come from diverse backgrounds that make for an amalgamation of musical textures and vibes. Their EP, “Love Songs (Or Songs For Your Ex)” debuted earlier this year, and they are currently performing dates all over the country.

Past winners Paris Ray, Youth Be Told, Katie Zimmer, Annika and Matt Grabowski and finalists SEE and Zofolk have gone on to work with major producers, managers, and agents.

The semi-finalists are selected from some 1,000 submissions.

The Gold Coast Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting the arts through education, exhibition, performance, and outreach. Located on the North Shore of Long Island, it has brought the arts to tens of thousands of people throughout the region for over 20 years. Among the Center’s offerings are its School for the Arts, which holds year-round classes in visual and performing arts for students of all ages and abilities; a free public art gallery; a concert and lecture series; film screenings and discussions; the annual Gold Coast International Film Festival; and initiatives that focus on senior citizens and underserved communities. These initiatives include artist residencies, after-school programs, school assemblies, teacher-training workshops, and parent-child workshops. The Gold Coast Arts Center is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Partners in Education program, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. More information can be found at www.goldcoastarts.org.

For information on upcoming classes/exhibits/activities at the Gold Coast Arts Center, visit www.GoldCoastArts.org or call 516-829-2570.

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Tags:#GoldCoastArts, arts centers, Gold Coast Arts Center, Long Island arts, talent competition, Your Big Break talent competition
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Film & TV Legend Robert Wagner is Honoree at Gold Coast Arts Center/Film Festival Gala, Oct. 24

October 8, 2018

Actor Robert Wagner will be honored with the Burton Moss Hollywood Golden Era Award at the Gold Coast Arts Center’s Gala, October 24. The Gala kicks off the Gold Coast International Film Festival (photo by Greg Gorman)

LONG ISLAND, NY – A star-studded evening featuring an intimate conversation with iconic film and television star Robert Wagner to benefit the Gold Coast Arts Center and its Gold Coast International Film Festival, will take place on Wednesday, October 24, 2018 from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the Gold Coast Arts Center, 113 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck, NY 11021.

Joining Wagner at the gala will be a number of his closest Hollywood pals. Among the stars expected to attend are Jill St. John, Joel Grey, Larry King, Richard Thomas, Edwina Sandys, Mrs. Anthony (Katherine) Quinn, Tippi Hedren, Greg Mullavey, Angie Dickinson, Diane Baker, Constance Towers Gavin, and others.

The evening will begin with cocktails, food, music, and a silent auction. The festivities will move into the theatre where guests will enjoy “A Conversation with Robert Wagner” moderated by renowned film historian, author, and professor Foster Hirsch and attended by Wagner’s friends. The evening will conclude with a dessert reception.

In addition to hearing a firsthand account of his life and career by the handsome and debonair actor who is one of the most popular and successful stars in the entertainment industry, guests will feast on an array of outstanding food in a glamorous atmosphere. Gala tickets cost $250 and numerous sponsorships for the gala are still available. For more information, or to purchase a ticket, call 516-829-2570.

The occasion will be used to bestow the second annual Burton Moss Hollywood Golden Era Award upon Wagner in recognition of his long, illustrious career in film and television that began in 1950 with his film debut in The Happy Years starring Dean Stockwell and Darryl Hickman. Among Wagner’s numerous film credits includes With a Song in My Heart, Broken Lance with the legendary Spencer Tracy, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, The Pink Panther, The Curse of the Pink Panther, Midway, The Towering Inferno, Banning, Harper, Prince Valiant, The True Story of Jesse James, and All the Fine Young Cannibals. He re-created his role of Number Two, the villainous henchman to Dr. Evil, the archenemy of Mike Myers’ title character in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.

On television, Wagner has starred in three long-running hit series, It Takes a Thief with Fred Astaire; Switch with Eddie Albert and Sharon Gless and Hart to Hart with Stefanie Powers. He also starred in the top-rated miniseries Windmills of the Gods based on Sidney Sheldon’s best-selling novel; with Joanne Woodward in A Kiss Before Dying; and with Elizabeth Taylor in There Must Be a Pony. He also appeared in the memorable Seinfeld episode, “The Yada, Yada, Yada,” as Dr. Abbot.

Named for the man who has represented some of Hollywood’s finest stars, the Burton Moss Hollywood Golden Era Award pays tribute to film legends who may not have been honored appropriately during their lifetimes, and whose legacy is in danger of becoming forgotten by newer generations of filmgoers. The award itself an original work of art was created by renowned sculptor Edwina Sandys, who is a granddaughter of Sir Winston Churchill. The first award was presented posthumously to Rita Hayworth and accepted by her daughter, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, at the presentation made at a private reception held at the New York City home of Ms. Sandys in October 2017.

Moss, who is also expected to attend the gala, has amassed an impressive client roster that has included such iconic stars and personalities as Bette Davis, Sidney Poitier, Robert Vaughn, Tom Cruise, Mia Farrow, Juliet Mills, Hugh O’Brian, Cliff Robertson, Tippi Hedren, William Shatner, Dyan Cannon, Carroll O’ Connor, Martin Landau, Sally Kellerman, Dina Merrill, Connie Stevens, Tom Bosley, Barbara Eden, Larry Hagman, Dorothy McGuire, Charles Bickford, Victor Jory, Sally Kellerman, Carrie Snodgress, Larry King, Elizabeth Montgomery, Constance Towers, Ruth Roman, Cyd Charisse, June Allyson, Jack Valenti, and Hollywood’s “Love Goddess,” Rita Hayworth.

Proceeds from the benefit will help support the Arts Center’s many outreach projects, including Making Memories, a program that serves those with Alzheimer’s and memory impairment; as well as ArtReach, a program that brings Arts Center faculty and programs to schoolchildren to enrich their curriculum with arts education in the areas of ceramics, painting, music, dance and chess.

Since 2011, the Gold Coast International Film Festival has brought the latest Hollywood hits and Indie favorites to standing-room-only audiences throughout the fabled Gold Coast of Long Island and beyond. Add A-list celebrities and unforgettable events to the mix, and it’s easy to see why the Gold Coast International Film Festival has become the “go to” festival for film buffs and the public; (it is also the last major film festival on the East Coast before Awards season). The Gold Coast International Film Festival is produced by the not-for-profit Gold Coast Arts Center.

More information can be found at www.goldcoastfilmfestival.org.

The Gold Coast Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting the arts through education, exhibition, performance, and outreach. Located on the North Shore of Long Island, it has brought the arts to tens of thousands of people throughout the region for over 20 years. Among the Center’s offerings are its School for the Arts, which holds year-round classes in visual and performing arts for students of all ages and abilities; a free public art gallery; a concert and lecture series; film screenings and discussions; the annual Gold Coast International Film Festival; and initiatives that focus on senior citizens and underserved communities. These initiatives include artist residencies, after-school programs, school assemblies, teacher-training workshops, and parent-child workshops. The Gold Coast Arts Center is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Partners in Education program, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. More information can be found at www.goldcoastarts.org.

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Tags:film festivals, Gold Coast Arts Center, Gold Coast Arts Center Gala, Gold Coast International Film Festival, Long Island arts, Long Island events, Robert Wagner, Robert Wagner honored
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Lambert, Manfredi Advance in Gold Coast Arts Center’s ‘Your Big Break’ Talent Competition

February 12, 2017

gcac-yrbigbreak1_021117_055e2-c-karen-rubin-julia-lambert

By Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com

Singer-songwriters Julia Lambert, Jaclyn Manfredi and the band Barely Know Her were winners of Knockout Round of the Gold Coast Arts Center’s 5^th annual Your Big Break talent competition. Lambert and Manfredi, who won the judges’ tally, and Barely Know Her who won the audience vote, will go on to the finals on Saturday April 1.

The next round will take place on Saturday, March 11 at the Gold Coast Arts Center, 113 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck, Long Island.

gcac-yrbigbreak1_021117_151e2c-karen-rubin-jacqueline-manfredi

Jaclyn Manfredi, 17, brings a sultry style reflecting jazz, blues and R&B influences, and has performed at the Apollo Theater. She was a finalist at the 2016 Your Big Break. Julia Lambert who used to perform with the band Nexus, is now solo and performed an original song, “Closer.”

gcac-yrbigbreak1_021117_186e2c-karen-rubin-barely-know-her

Barely Knew Her is a five-piece band from the South Shore with a solid horn section and an amazing drummer.

The other performers included Kayla Muro, a 17-year old who describes her music as “Alt Pop”; Sabrina Ali, 22, who has performed at the Bitter End and was a contestant at 16 years old on American Idol and The Voice (her grandfather was a Bollywood legend and her mother is an actress); Sydney Perruzza who did a cover of Lady Gaga’s “Speechless,” E.J. Carey who is a powerhouse who packs punch; Samantha Daniels, who has been performing since she was 16; Alex Mendes, who brings her classical training in opera and musical theater to a rich and impassioned performance that evoked in my mind Tina Turner.

gcac-yrbigbreak1_021117_082e2-c-karen-rubin-ej-carey

The “Big Break” is not just a clever title. The young performers are competing for prizes that could well launch their career.

Winners are up for prizes including the chance to open for national acts at major venues like The Paramount, recording time at DCITY Studios and Online TV streaming opportunities, a feature on Reverbnation.com, musical equipment from All Music Inc. and ZOOM North America, a PR and social media campaign including management, booking and label services consultation with Rick Eberle Agency.

gcac-yrbigbreak1_021117_144e2c-karen-rubin-alex-mendes

Mentors assigned to the finalists also work to help them hone their craft before performing at the finals. 2017 mentors are still to be announced but last year’s included singer/songwriter Ryan Star, John Hampson of Nine Days, and songwriter/producer Ido Zmishlany.

gcac-yrbigbreak1_021117_029e2c-karen-rubin-sabrina-ali

Judges are major players in the music industry including: ReverbNation.com’s Lou Plaia, All Music Inc.’s Guy Brogna, Songwriter Tara Eberle Drouin and Label Executives Stephen Marcuccio, Jerry Lembo, Linda Ingrisano, Mark Ambrosino.

gcac-yrbigbreak1_021117_258e2c-karen-rubin-katie-lennon

Headline duo of Katie & Lennon were both contestants in earlier editions of Your Big Break Talent Competition. Lennon still performs with his band, Youth Be Told, and Katie Zimmer performing on her own © 2017 Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

The evening was capped with a headlining performance by Lennon & Katie, a duo formed from past finalists, Lennon from the band Youth Be Told and Katie Zimmer who is now the lead singer in Youth Be Told.

Your Big Break is hosted by the Gold Coast Arts Center’s Acoustic Café and Love Revolution Org.

The contestants for Your Big Break were selected out of 1000 submissions in response to an open call for musicians age 15 to 25 who do not currently have a recording or publishing contract. The artists have to perform with a band or solo with an acoustic guitar or sing to a backing music track. There is no fee to submit.

gcac-yrbigbreak1_021117_102e2-c-karen-rubin-judges

The Arts Center is transformed into the Gold Coast Acoustic Cafe once a month, a music venue that showcases local up-and-coming talent as well as established music acts. With its black box theater performance space and a lounge in the art gallery, the Gold Coast Acoustic Cafe is one of the few small music venues around which makes for a special and intimate atmosphere for artists and audience alike, especially during Your Big Break. Other past artists who have performed in the headline slots have included: Iridesense, John Hampson of Nine Days, The Brady Brothers, and Sir Cadian Rhythm – all of whom are local musicians who have had major success in the industry, with hopes to further inspire the next generation of New York stars presented each year.

The next round takes place Saturday March 11 at the Gold Coast Arts Center. On deck to perform are Alex Norwood, Julia Hayden, Monique Thompson, Tessa field, Paris Ray, Taylor Hogan, Lydia Von Hof and Pocketphuzz. The headliner is Lem Payne Jr.

gcac-yrbigbreak1_021117_286e2c-karen-rubin

Doors open at 7:30pm for general seating and the first act will perform starting at 8:00pm each night. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for adults. Snacks are available for purchase.

Gold Coast Arts Center, 113 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck NY. Call 516-829-2570 or go to www.goldcoastarts.org.

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Tags:arts and entertainment, Gold Coast Arts Center, Long Island arts, Long Island music, Long Island talent competition, talent competition, Your Big Break talent competition
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Gold Coast Arts Center, Great Neck, Long Island, Exhibition Explores ‘Interiors’; Opening Reception Sept. 18

September 5, 2016

Painting by Laini Nemett, one of the featured artists in the exhibit, “Interiors,” at the Gold Coast Arts Center, Great Neck, Long Island, Sept. 18-Nov. 20.

Great Neck, Long Island, NY — “Interiors,” an art exhibition of painting, sculpture and photography by artists Laini Nemett, Orestes Gonzalez, and Maxi Cohen opens at the Gold Coast Arts Center on September 18, with a reception from 4-7 pm, and runs through November 20.

Interiors is an exhibition that explores the artist’s relationship with familiar places and how they connect to interior landscapes of personal history, memory and association. The painter Laini Nemett comments that she wants the composite imagery to conjure memory but also to emulate an experience of place. Orestes Gonzalez’s photographs of interior spaces captures moments of loneliness, happiness and a time of innocence. Photographer/videographer, Maxi Cohen captures moments in the ladies room, “as a space of sanctuary and solitude”. As the exhibit’s title suggests, their work serves as portals to interior spaces that are in plain sight, not to be missed.

Laini Nemett studied at The Hoffberger School of Painting at the Maryland Institute College of Art and has participated in solo and group exhibitions all over the world-including New York, Italy, China, Africa, and Spain. She has an intriguing technique of constructing three-dimensional models which she then depicts in large-scale two-dimensional paintings. She has won multiple awards, including the Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant as well as a Fulbright Grant. She currently teaches at Union College in Schenectady, NY.

Orestes Gonzalez

Orestes Gonzalez has been taking photographs for over 25 years. His photography style is not a literal representation, but rather symbolic in spirit. “To convey a feeling of loneliness, innocence, happiness or history is what moves me to take pictures” Gonzalez stated of his work. His portfolio includes landscapes, interior design, architecture and portraits.

Maxi Cohen

Maxi Cohen is an award-winning artist and filmmaker based in New York City. Her films, photographs and multimedia installations have been exhibited internationally and are in the permanent collections of numerous museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Whitney Museum for American Art in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, and the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Cohen’s television work includes short films produced for Saturday Night Live, the Comedy Channel, MTV Networks, PBS, Children’s Television Workshop, and Fox Broadcasting. She has independently produced and directed shorts and feature-length documentaries, fiction and animation that have been broadcast on network, cable, public and foreign television.

The Gold Coast Arts Center is located at 113 Middle Neck Road (entrance from the Maple Avenue parking lot), 516-829-2570, goldcoastarts.org.

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