BEN VERDERY & FRIENDS: SOME TOWNS AND CITIES Comes to The 92nd Street Y

The 92nd Street Y, New York presents Ben Verdery & Friends: Some Towns and Cities, a very auspicious Art of the Guitar event, featuring guitarist, composer, and longtime series artistic director Ben Verdery in his NYC farewell concert, a culmination of his 40-year professorship at Yale School of Music and a showcase of his globally renowned virtuosity. Taking place on Wednesday, May 14th at 7:30pm at Kaufmann Concert Hall, this concert highlights Verdery's creative collaborations with special guests including guitarist and his former student, JIJI, flutist Rie Schmidt, saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, beatboxer Mark Martin, guitarist William Coulter and violinist Edwin Huizinga of Fire & Grace, and the Yale School of Music Guitar Ensemble + Alumni.

The program features an evening of music composed by Verdery as part of his longtime project, Some Towns and Cities, and a celebration of his extraordinary contributions to the classical guitar realm.

92NY's Art of the Guitar is now in its 27th year, with Verdery serving as artistic director for 13 seasons, beginning in 2007. As curator of the series, he championed young artists, expanded the guitar repertoire with new commissions, presented premieres by masters including Egberto Gismonti, Sérgio Assad, Tan Dun, and others, ran Guitar Marathons, hosted a series of Guitar Talks, and more.

Classical music at 92NY receives major support from Marshall Weinberg.              

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 7:30pm
The 92nd Street Y, New York
Kaufmann Concert Hall
1395 Lexington Avenue (bet. 91st & 92nd St.)
New York, NY 10128
Tickets: $25-$68
https://www.92ny.org/event/ben-verdery-and-friends

Ben Verdery & Friends: Some Towns and Cities
All works are composed by Benjamin Verdery unless specified otherwise

Capitola CA (1990)
Solo Classical Guitar, Benjamin Verdery

Keanae HI (1990)
Steel String Guitar, Benjamin Verdery

Chicago IL (1990)
Solo Classical Guitar, Benjamin Verdery

Dennis MA (1989)
Flute, Rie Schmidt | Classical Guitar, Benjamin Verdery

Seattle WA (1989)
Flute, Rie Schmidt | Classical Guitar, Benjamin Verdery

Winston Salem NC (2021) NYC Premiere
Prelude World Premiere
Fugue NYC Premiere
Classical Guitars, JIJI and Benjamin Verdery 

New York, NY (1990, arranged for Saxophone and Guitar in 2025)
World Premiere of arrangement
Soprano and Alto Saxophone, Wayne Escoffery | Amplified Classical Guitar with Effects, Benjamin Verdery

Milwaukee WI (1981, arranged for Violin, Classical and Steel string guitar in 2025)
World Premiere of Arrangement
Violin, Edwin Huizinga & Steel String Guitar, William Coulter of Fire & Grace | Classical Guitar, Benjamin Verdery

Intermission

From Aristotle (2015) Co-written with Mark Martin

1. The Poet Being an Imitator

2. A Noun

3. A Verb

4. The Wineless Cup

Mixed vocals, Mark Martin | Amplified Classical Guitar, Benjamin Verdery

Tread Lightly, For You Tread on My Dreams (2008)
Solo baritone classical guitar, Benjamin Verdery

Scenes From Ellis Island (1992)
Yale School of Music Guitar Ensemble + Alumni, Benjamin Verdery, Edwin Huizinga & William Coulter of Fire & Grace, Wayne Escoffery, Rie Schmidt, JIJI, Mark Martin. John Olson Visual Images