March 2, 2016
ACMP Worldwide Play-In Weekend Launches at Rizzoli Bookstore
NoMad is lucky to be home to both wonderful arts organizations and presentation spaces that make our neighborhood a gem for arts lovers. A great example of NoMad’s creative assets will be on display this weekend at Rizzoli Bookstore, which is hosting the kickoff event for the Associated Chamber Music Players’ (ACMP) Worldwide Play-In Weekend.
From noon to 4 p.m. this Sunday, March 6, the Rizzoli Salon (1133 Broadway at 26th Street in NoMad) will feature four different chamber music ensembles rotating each hour. The event is free to the public and would be a relaxing way to spend a Sunday afternoon after brunch nearby.
Rizzoli Bookstore is a New York landmark, but perhaps less well-known is the ACMP, which has called 1133 Broadway home for over twenty years! ACMP is a nonprofit organization that provides opportunities for people of all ages and skill levels to play chamber music for personal pleasure.
The group was originally founded in 1947 as the brainchild of businessman Leonard Strauss, who grew weary of playing music alone. He started the organization to find chamber music enthusiasts to play with, and now, the group boasts members from more than 57 countries. ACMP also manages a foundation that administers grant money — over three million dollars in total since 1994 — to promote the playing of chamber music.
The Worldwide Play-In started out as an grassroots idea among ACMP members. In the 1960s, amateur chamber musicians gathered to play Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, and the small events slowly grew over the years. Now the Worldwide Play-In includes a range of gatherings from a simple duo in a member’s home to concerts with up to 100 players.
In 2013, ACMP organized the Play-In as a coordinated, global event. There were 50 Play-Ins in 2013 and that number exploded to over 100 in 2015, taking place all over the world. Today, members celebrate the original Play-In tradition by coming in to read music and play together on the spot, sometimes making lasting friendships and lifetime musical partnerships.
Come to the Worldwide Play-In this Sunday in Rizzoli’s beautiful Salon. Join in the fun! For more information visit the ACMP website or the Worldwide Play-In Facebook page.
Rizzoli Salon
1133 Broadway (at 26th Street)
Sunday, March 6, Noon –4 p.m.
Admission: Free