July Events Set For David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center

July will sizzle and the David Rubenstein Atrium chills out with a celebration of American music ranging from Broadway and pop, to jazz and soul, and some cheers for the red, white and blue with top military brass-the 40-member strong 42nd Infantry Division Band. The schedule starts with a special July 2 Meet the Artist Saturdays concert of Broadway and pop music featuring an elaborately-decorated piano that is part of Sing for Hope's "Pop-Up Piano" Project, bringing pianos to the public in locations across New York City. The American-music celebration continues with Target Free Thursdays concerts on July 7, 21 and 28. Target Free Thursdays also includes a special HD film screening of the Russian opera The Enchanted Wanderer performed by the acclaimed Mariinsky (Kirov) Opera (July 14), to complement this months visit by the Mariinsky Ballet to the Lincoln Center Festival.

Target Free Thursdays takes place year-round, every Thursday night at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center. Meet the Artist Saturdays is an outgrowth of Lincoln Center's long-running Meet the Artists School Series and takes place on the first Saturday of each month at 11 a.m. last approximately 60 minutes and include opportunities for questions and answers; most involve audience participation. The free series gives young audiences and their families the opportunity to experience the arts firsthand with world-class performers.

ADMISSION IS FREE. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. The David Rubenstein Atrium is located on Manhattan's Upper Westside at Broadway between 62nd and 63rd Streets. The ‘wichcraft cafe, serving food and drinks, is open. For more information, visit www.LincolnCenter.org/Atrium.

Saturday, July 2 at 11:30 a.m.
Meet the Artist Saturdays
SING FOR HOPE: "POP-UP PIANO" CONCERT
Featuring Tituss Burgess
with American Idol contestant Zak Resnick
The final Borough Concert presented by Sing for Hope during its "Pop-Up Piano" project will take place as part of Lincoln Center's "Meet the Artist Saturdays" series. The concert, featuring the baby grand piano decorated by New York artist Scott Taylor that is on-site for the public to play through July 2, will showcase the extraordinary vocal talent of Tituss Burgess, whose Broadway credits include Jersey Boys, The Little Mermaid and the role of Nicely-Nicely Johnson in the 2009 revival of Guys and Dolls. Also performing Broadway and pop tunes are other musical theater composers, lyricists, and singer/actors, joined by American idol contestant Zak Resnick. An inclusive and educational event, this concert will feature audience participation and reach out to all ages from 2 to 82. For more information about Sing for Hope and the "Pop-Up Piano" project visit: www.singforhope.org. To learn more about artist Scott Taylor visit: www.scotttaylorart.com/

Thursday, July 7 at 8:30 p.m.
Target Free Thursdays
JONATHAN BATISTE, piano
At the young age of 24, jazz pianist Jonathan Batiste has ignited New York's music scene. Batiste comes from a celebrated New Orleans music family and has been performing from a very young age. He has collaborated with artists such as Prince, Jimmy Buffet and Wynton Marsalis, has performed in more than 40 countries, and released two of his own CD's. He began studying drums at age eight, before switching to piano, and is a graduate of The Juilliard School. A "Movado Future Legend" award recipient, Batiste is also the youngest musician to be made a "Steinway Performing Artist". Featured performing in the HBO series "Treme," he is a music curator at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, and has conducted clinics and master classes worldwide. He'll perform a program of New Orleans jazz and more. For more information about the artist visit: www.jonathanbatiste.com

Thursday, July 14 at 8:30 p.m.
Target Free Thursdays
THE MARIINSKY (KIROV) OPERA'S
THE ENCHANTED WANDERER
HD film screening
The acclaimed Mariinsky (Kirov) Ballet appears at Lincoln Center (The Metropolitan Opera House) this July as part of Lincoln Center Festival. However, it's equally-renowned opera company-soloists, chorus and orchestra, led by Maestro Valery Gergiev-will be showcased at the Atrium with a special HD screening of composer Rodion Shchedrin's powerful, tragic opera The Enchanted Wanderer as part of Target^TM Free Thursdays. The plot is taken from the novella of the same name by Nikolai Leskov about a man who falls in love with a beautiful gypsy, only to discover that the prince who employs him also loves her. The work was originally dedicated to Lorin Maazel, who conducted its premiere in a staged, concert version, here at Lincoln Center with the New York Philharmonic in 2002. A recording of the opera on the Mariinsky label was nominated for a 2010 Grammy.
Lincoln Center Festival 2011 is sponsored by American Express.

Thursday, July 21 at 8:30 p.m.
Target Free Thursdays
VANEESE THOMAS
A TRIBUTE TO WOMEN OF SOUL
Born in Memphis, TN, the daughter of legendary Stax Records singer Rufus Thomas, sister of soul sensation Carla Thomas, Vaneese Thomas has built a stellar musical career of her own with her distinctive brand of sultry vocals, tasteful arrangements and great song repertory. Her virtuoso vocal stylings can be heard on hundreds of recordings. She has worded with producer Phil Ramone and collaborated with artists as wide ranging as Sting, Celine Dion, Michael Jackson and Luciano Pavarotti. She is an accomplished performer, producer and songwriter and combines her knowledge of the birth of soul music with her background in R&B, gospel, blues and jazz to present a multimedia show that honors several extraordinary artists and women of soul, including Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Etta James and their pioneering musical careers. For more information about the artist visit:www.vaneesethomas.com/

Thursday, July 28 at 8:30 p.m.
Target Free Thursdays
THE 42ND INFANTRY DIVISION BAND
The 42nd Infantry Division Band is the musical ambassador for the 42nd Infantry (Rainbow) Division, New York Army National Guard with its headquarters in Troy, NY. Division soldiers have responded to local needs during emergencies with more state active duty missions in the 1990s and the current decade than ever before in Rainbow Division history, including the World Trade Center bombing in 2001, and members of the division have deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. The 42nd Infantry Division Band consists of 40 talented musicians from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Connecticut. Band Members are called upon as Army National Guardsmen to provide entertainment for civic and military ceremonies, parades, and concerts and perform a variety of music including classical, concert, marches, pop and jazz. The 42nd Infantry Division Band has a long proud history from its creation during World War II to the present, providing music to troops and civic events.

The David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, the new community, visitors and ticketing facility, is home to an array of programs, services and amenities designed for area residents, out-of-towners and visitors to Lincoln Center. This new public space is named in honor of the philanthropist, financier and Vice Chairman of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, in recognition of his $10 million gift to the Bravo Campaign. Serving as a gateway to Lincoln Center and the entire Upper West Side community, the Atrium offers-for the first time in Lincoln Center history-day-of discount tickets to available performances across the campus in addition to access to full-price tickets via onsite kiosks and telephone services. Along with free performances, including Target Free Thursdays every Thursday night of the year, and Meet the Artist Saturdays-free, family-friendly participatory programs at 11 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month-other attractions and amenities in the Atrium include: a ‘wichcraft café, a departure point for expanded Lincoln Center tours, a staffed Information Desk, free Wi-Fi, and restrooms. For more information visit:
LincolnCenter.org/Atrium

Launched in November 2009, Target Free Thursdays offers free public performances by a wide-range of artists every Thursday night throughout the year at the new David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, a vibrant new public facility on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is partnering with Target to sponsor the series. Curated by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc., Target Free Thursdays performances feature national and International Artists as well as local artists. The series also features artists from Lincoln Center's resident organizations including The Juilliard School, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Film Society of Lincoln Center and The Chamber Music Society, among others, along with artists curated by community-based partners. The series presents a diverse cross-section of musical genres, including pop, Latin, rock, soul, country, jazz, world, classical and new music, as well as spoken word, multi-media and dance performances.

About Target
Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) serves guests at 1,744 stores in 49 states nationwide and at Target.com. Target is committed to providing a fun and convenient shopping experience with access to unique and highly differentiated products at affordable prices. Since 1946, the corporation has given 5 percent of its income through community grants and programs like Take Charge of Education. Today, that giving equals more than $3 million a week.

About Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center is the world's leading performing arts complex, representing the highest standards of excellence in opera, symphonic and chamber music, theater, dance, film, and arts education. Its 12 resident organizations-The Chamber Music Society, The Film Society of Lincoln Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Juilliard School, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc., Lincoln Center Theater, The Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet, New York City Opera, New York Philharmonic, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, and School of American Ballet-welcome 5 million visitors each year. After five decades of artistic excellence and service to its community, the nation and the world, Lincoln Center is nearing completion on a major transformation initiative to fully modernize its concert halls and public spaces, renew its 16-acre campus, and reinforce its vitality for decades to come. For more information, visit: LincolnCenter.org

Meet the Artist is a presentation of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. (LCPA), which serves three primary roles: presenter of superb artistic programming, national leader in arts and education, and manager of the Lincoln Center campus. As a presenter of more than 400 events annually, LCPA's programs include American Songbook, Great Performers, Lincoln Center Festival, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Midsummer Night Swing, the Mostly Mozart Festival, White Light Festival, Tully Scope Festival, and Live From Lincoln Center. In addition, LCPA is leading a series of major capital projects on behalf of the resident organizations across the campus.

Lincoln Center is committed to providing and improving accessibility for people with disabilities. For information, call the Department of Programs and Services for People with Disabilities at (212) 875-5375.