Release Date: September 14, 2001

National Gallery of Art Begins its 60th Concert Season on October 7, 2001
Schedule Includes Two Jazz Concerts and Speacial Appearaces be Alicia de Larrocha and Alessandra Marc

Washington, DC -- Washington's oldest free concert series will begin its 60th annual season at the National Gallery of Art on Sunday, October 7, 2001. The schedule consists of 37 concerts by acclaimed American and international musicians, including jazz greats Billy Taylor and George Shearing, renowned classical pianists Alicia de Larrocha and John Browning, and soprano Alessandra Marc. Performances are scheduled every Sunday through June 30, 2002, except March 31 (Easter Sunday) and May 26 (Memorial Day weekend).

Gallery concerts are free and open to the public on a first-come, first-seated basis. Seating begins promptly at 6:00 p.m. and concerts are performed in the West Garden Court of the West Building at 7:00 p.m. The Sixth Street and Constitution Avenue entrance remains open until 7:00 p.m. and the Garden Café is open until 6:30 p.m. Monthly listings of the concert programs can be obtained by calling (202) 842-6941.

NATIONAL GALLERY ORCHESTRA AND RESIDENT ENSEMBLES
The National Gallery Orchestra, under the direction of music director George Manos, will open the season on October 7 and perform additional concerts in January, April, and June. Three other Gallery resident ensembles will perform: the National Gallery Vocal Arts Ensemble presents a program of American works for vocal quartet on May 19, 2002, in honor of the exhibition An American Vision: Henry Francis du Pont's Winterthur Museum, and the National Gallery Chamber Players Wind Quintet and String Quartet perform on June 23 and 30, respectively.

WORLD-RENOWNED MUSICIANS
World-renowned musicians include pianists James Dick (February 3 with the Debussy String Quartet); James Tocco (30 December); Earl Wild (March 10), who returns 60 years after having played numerous recitals in the Gallery's very first concert season (1942-1943); Alicia de Larrocha (March 24); and John Browning (April 21). Soprano Alessandra Marc will sing a recital of holiday favorites on December 23. Marc took New York's Metropolitan Opera by storm last season with her interpretation of the title role in Puccini's Turandot and has twice thrilled Gallery audiences with her performances (with George Manos and the National Gallery Orchestra) of Richard Strauss' Four Last Songs

JAZZ AND GOSPEL CONCERTS
Famous performers from the world of jazz will be featured on two occasions at the Gallery this season. On October 21, the George Shearing Trio will appear with bassist Neil Swainson in a program honoring the exhibition Henry Moore. Billy Taylor, known and loved by jazz fans throughout the country for his weekly radio program on National Public Radio, will start off the Gallery's American Music Festival with his trio on May 5, 2002, as part of the ongoing celebration of Taylor's 80 birthday. The New England Spiritual Ensemble will appear on February 10, singing Gospel favorites and original music in celebration of Black History Month.

SPECIAL CONCERTS IN HONOR OF EXHIBITIONS
A total of four exhibitions will be highlighted by concerts this season. In addition to the two already mentioned, the exhibition Virtue and Beauty: Leonardo's "Ginevra de' Benci" and Renaissance Portraits of Women will be honored by a performance on October 28 with music of Francesco Landini by the renowned female vocal quartet, Anonymous 4. The exhibition Goya: Images of Women will be highlighted by two concerts featuring women performers and Spanish repertoire: Alicia de Larrocha (24 March), and duo-pianists Helena Martin and José Melitón (April 7).

HOLIDAY CONCERTS
Two traditional holiday concerts are planned. On December 23, soprano Alessandra Marc will sing a recital of her holiday favorites, and on January 6 the National Gallery Orchestra will play its traditional Viennese New Year concert.

General Information

The National Gallery of Art and its Sculpture Garden are at all times free to the public. They are located on the National Mall between 3rd and 9th Streets at Constitution Avenue NW, and are open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Gallery is closed on December 25 and January 1. For information call (202) 737-4215 or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at (202) 842-6176, or visit the Gallery's Web site at www.nga.gov.

Visitors will be asked to present all carried items for inspection upon entering the East and West Buildings. Checkrooms are free of charge and located at each entrance. Luggage and other oversized bags must be presented at the 4th Street entrances to the East or West Building to permit x-ray screening and must be deposited in the checkrooms at those entrances. For the safety of visitors and the works of art, nothing may be carried into the Gallery on a visitor's back. Any bag or other items that cannot be carried reasonably and safely in some other manner must be left in the checkrooms. Items larger than 17 x 26 inches cannot be accepted by the Gallery or its checkrooms.

For additional press information please call or send inquiries to:

Press Office
National Gallery of Art
2000B South Club Drive
Landover, MD 20785
phone: (202) 842-6353 e-mail: pressinfo@nga.gov

Deborah Ziska
Chief of Press and Public Information
(202) 842-6353
ds-ziska@nga.gov

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National Gallery of Art Begins its 60th Concert Season on October 7, 2001 Schedule Includes Two Jazz Concerts and Speacial Appearaces be Alicia de Larrocha and Alessandra Marc

National Gallery of Art Begins its 60th Concert Season on October 7, 2001
Schedule Includes Two Jazz Concerts and Speacial Appearaces be Alicia de Larrocha and Alessandra Marc