Michael Lasser, Cindy Miller and Alan Jones to Celebrate Lyrics of Sheldon Harnick at NY Society Library

A concert celebrating the lyrics of Sheldon Harnick, with narration by Michael Lasser and performances by Cindy Miller and Alan Jones, is slated for Sunday, May 15, 2016 at 3 PM at The New York Society Library, 53 East 79th Street (just east of Madison Avenue; 6 train to 77th Street).

The event is open to the public - $20 with advance registration, $25 at the door. Registration information here.

Sheldon Harnick's words brought to life such beloved musicals as Fiddler on the Roof, She Loves Me (both back on Broadway this spring), and Fiorello. His collaborations with Jerry Bock, Michael Legrand, and Joe Raposo, among others, defined classic musical theater. Mr. Harnick joins us as a special guest for a celebration of his songs hosted by Michael Lasser with performances by Cindy Miller (vocals) and Alan Jones (piano).

Michael Lasser is the author of America's Songs: The Stories Behind the Songs of Broadway, Hollywood, and Tin Pan Alley (with Philip Furia) and America's Songs II: Songs from the 1890s to the Post-War Years. His expertise on the American Songbook informs his nationally syndicated public radio program, Fascinatin' Rhythm, winner of a 1994 Peabody Award. He has presented sold-out Library events on Richard Rodgers, Irving Berlin, and others.

Cindy Miller received her Master's degree from the Eastman School of Music and is widely known as an exceptional eclectic performer. In the field of jazz, she has performed or recorded with flutist Hubert Laws, guitarist Gene Bertoncini, Chuck Mangione, world famous vibraphonist Peter Appleyard, pianist Ted Rosenthal, and bassist Jay Leonhart, alongside numerous appearances with the Gap Mangione Big Band and other ensembles. Recordings include Love You Madly, a collection of jazz standards, and I've Got The Music In Me, which highlights her versatility as a presenter of music and comedy at its best.

Singer, pianist, songwriter, and educator Alan Jones is best known as a cabaret performer whose style has been compared to Billy Eckstine. Holding a Master's from the Eastman School of Music, he received the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra's award for Choral Conductor of the Year and has appeared with that orchestra as well as with the Brockport Symphony and at the Royal York in Toronto.

The New York Society Library was founded in 1754 and is the city's oldest library. In the eighteenth century, an organization labeled "Society" meant that it was open to all-available to everyone throughout society. The Library today is open to all for reading, reference, and selected events, with circulation and other services by subscription. The beautiful landmarked building dates from 1917 and includes reading rooms, spaces for study, stacks, and the Assunta, Ignazio, Ada and Romano Peluso Exhibition Gallery. The Library has approximately 300,000 volumes and hosts a variety of special events, reading groups, and workshops, as well as the New York City Book Awards.