Amy Lam joined The 92nd Street Y, New York in November, 2021 as Vice President of Tisch Music, coming to us following more than two decades as Artistic Director of the renowned Celebrity Series of Boston. 92NY just announced the first concert season under Amy’s helm – a season so distinctive and exciting, it prompted Crain’s New York Business to name her one of their “5 New Yorkers to Know” in last week’s issue. We sat down with her to talk about the new season.
The 92nd Street Y has a deep and rich concert tradition. You just announced the first concert season under your leadership. Please tell us a bit about your vision for it.
In creating the season, it was important to me to present the full breadth of 92NY’s music programming. It’s a range that has always been there – this is the institution that, through the years, presented legendary events with the Budapest String Quartet, and Andrés Segovia, and John Coltrane, and Stephen Sondheim, and so many more. I wanted to present an entire, fully integrated season in a panoramic way – something we’ve never done before. In doing so, I felt we’d be able to demonstrate the full range of what makes 92NY distinct as a performing arts space, and underscore our position as New York’s global center for culture.
When you look at the full season, you’ll find plenty of core repertoire, building on our strong tradition of classical music programming, but also newly commissioned works, and dynamic interdisciplinary productions, all presented in ways that, I believe, help advance the art form. Tisch Music has an important role to play in our musical ecosystem. Music is a continuum that is continually evolving in our society and our culture. We want to be sure that what we present on our stage is relevant to the world we are living in.
The new concert season is the most diverse in 92NY’s history. What was most important to you in building it?
92NY was founded by German Jewish immigrants as a place to convene. Multiculturalism is part of our DNA. Everything we do is motivated by a mission to champion a diverse range of voices and offer a platform to those lacking one. As curators, what we program and put on our stages should be a reflection of our society and its values. I want our programming to reflect our community – to reflect NYC. This is what we mean when we talk about wanting to be a center for connection – to have that relevancy.
The season’s nearly 40 events include performances by some of classical music’s greatest luminaries performing masterworks, the debuts of exciting young artists, world premieres and new commissions, interdisciplinary works, jazz concerts from some of the genre’s most defining artists, and new Lyrics & Lyricists productions from fresh perspectives – truly something for every music enthusiast. What are some of the events you are most excited about?
All of them! We’re opening the season with one of the premier classical artists in the world – violinist Joshua Bell joins us with acclaimed soprano Larisa Martinez, bringing a beautiful program titled “Voice and the Violin” (Thu, Oct 20). Accompanied by pianist Peter Dugan, they’ll perform arias and duets, plus a fabulous arrangement of selections from West Side Story – a very NYC opening for a very NYC season!
I’m greatly excited to be presenting mezzo-soprano J’nai Bridges, who will be performing in early December with the Catalyst Quartet in a program including a new commission by award-winning composer Jimmy López. Bridges is a new superstar in the opera world but also an independent thinker. Her advocacy during the pandemic – the way she was super vocal about the lack of diversity in our industry and demonstrated that in the most eloquent way – it made me really take notice of her. And the platform of a song recital is, I think, the best vehicle to really appreciate an artist for who they are. Through the selection of works, you come away with what makes an artist a great one, but also an appreciation of the human aspect and the values they stand for. Bridges has dazzled audiences at the Met, but this will be her first mainstage recital in NYC!
Another artist I can’t wait to hear on our stage is the brilliant jazz violinist Regina Carter. She’s bringing a very interesting program centered on the displacement of African American communities in the 1950’s in cities across America – including NYC – in the name of urban renewal. It’s a program that really speaks to that element of connection. Through music and literary works of the era, she addresses what was lost in our cities, but also celebrates the rich cultures that flourished from the ashes. It’s a concept so many of us can relate to, and it’s the kind of work that is so important to me to present.
And in a completely different direction, I’m terrifically excited about the first show in our new Lyrics & Lyricists series this November (yes! we’re presenting these shows throughout our season next year!), featuring one of Broadway’s most beloved stars, Jessica Vosk, in a celebration of the music of the Laurel Canyon songwriters of the 1960’s and 70’s. The show continues L&L’s rich tradition of shining a spotlight on lyricists – in this case, Joni Mitchell, David Crosby, and other writers who created the West Coast pop sound that defined an era. Having a contemporary artist like Vosk interpret these songs uses music as a lens to illuminate social and historical context, which is really part of what Lyrics & Lyricists has always done. So, yes, California Dreamin’ is something else I really can’t wait to see come to life on our stage!
There are so many exceptional events this season, and hearing them in the perfect acoustics of Kaufmann Concert Hall (and several in our newly renovated Buttenwieser Hall) – one of the acclaimed halls in the world for live music – gives audiences the richest concert-going experiences in NYC.
What would you most like to express about the season to New York City’s music lovers, and to others all over the world who will be able to experience many of these concerts via livestream?
Tisch Music at 92NY is a premier cultural destination – the place where New Yorkers go, and where people all over the world tune in, when they want to hear great music of any kind.
I also want to encourage New Yorkers and our global livestream audience to explore – to renew their curiosity and recapture the excitement of discovery in this post-pandemic world. Come to these concerts! Be surprised! Be enlightened! Be enchanted! All you need to bring is an open mind.
Lastly, after many years in Boston, what are you loving most about life in New York City?
Ha! I live right in the neighborhood, and I love its vibrancy, and all that is right here, from being able to do my morning run at Carl Schurz Park to grabbing an after-dinner dessert at the decadent Café Sabarsky to the shopping! There’s a Target, Whole Foods and Sephora all within a five-block radius of my apartment – I’ve got bargains, fresh seafood, skin care, and the world’s most exciting concerts right at my doorstep! Who needs anything more?!
Explore the full Tisch Music 2022/23 Season here.