SAKURA SWEETHEARTS Celebrates Love Through the Seasons at International House

Residents of International House in upper Manhattan treasure its intimate neighboring Sakura Park, with its cherry trees, meandering paths and gazebo making it one of the most romantic spots in the neighborhood. Small wonder that over the decades such young residents as Paul and Daisy Soros met and fell in love while living at International House (I-House). Now Sakura Park is the inspiration for "Sakura Sweethearts," a celebration of love through the seasons of the year as well as the emotional cycle of the I-House Resident experience. With music, poems and stories of actual Sakura sweethearts, it will be performed by residents of International House for one night only on Thursday, April 20 at 7:30 PM as part of its new music performance series, Music at I-House: Then and Now.

Tickets are $30.00 in advance, $35.00 at the door (and $125.00 for VIP tickets) and are available by contacting https://www.eventbrite.com/e/music-at-i-house-then-and-now-tickets-30057176825?aff=erelexpmlt.

International House, the Riverside Drive residential community founded by the Rockefeller and Dodge families in1924, is dedicated to preparing the next generation of globally-minded leaders. International House is located at 500 Riverside Drive in Manhattan. Proceeds from all performances support International House leadership programs and financial aid for deserving residents.

The Resident Producer for "Sakura Sweethearts" is South African pianist Braam van Eeden, a post graduate student in Music Composition at the New School. He will also accompany some vocalists and himself. The program will include Puccini's O Mio Babbino Caro, sung by another South African, Lebo Mahlare, a professionally trained vocalist who is a Master's student in Urban Systems Engineering and Management at NYU. Keeping with the South African connection, pianist Nina Phillips (I-House Alumna '16) returns to perform Chopin's Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52.

Also on the program will be performances by genuine Sakura sweethearts Michele Herman and Jonathan Kuhn (both I-House Alumni '85). In March 2015 Michele and Jonathan celebrated the 25th anniversary of their wedding, which took place at I-House. Since then, they have performed together at New York's famed cabaret Don't Tell Mama.

Andrew Yang a current Resident, will also be performing two works: Brahms' 7 Fantasien, Op. 116 and the country hit "Whisky and You," by Chris Stapleton.

Over four distinctly curated events, Music at I-House: Then and Now, which launched on Tuesday, January 24 with A Celebration of the Words and Music of Leonard Cohen (Class of '57), celebrates the words and music of some the House's most famous former residents through exciting interpretations by a highly talented roster of current residents from around the world who proudly share the experience and honor of learning through living at the legendary Riverside Drive institution. Resident performers include graduate students from Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, and Mannes School of Music, as well as highly talented part-time musicians studying engineering, economics, law, education, and other areas at Columbia, NYU and other area institutions. This exclusive series continues in the strong tradition of cross-cultural collaboration at I-House, an important piece of the resident experience since the first class of residents entered in 1924. This series compliments other longstanding and acclaimed resident performance series including the All Nations Festival and Sunday Suppers.

International House or I-House is a non-profit programmatic and residential center dedicated to fostering the next generation of global leaders. Each year, I-House serves as home to nearly 700 carefully selected graduate students and young professionals from 100 countries, representing more than 70 leading universities, businesses, and cultural, non-profit, and government institutions. We provide unrivaled opportunities for residents to learn and thrive through daily interaction in a culturally, politically, and economically diverse community and through programs designed to encourage diversity of thought and experience. I-House is the destination of choice for the best and the brightest of the millennial generation who seek the skills necessary to navigate and lead the conversations that will shape our world. Learn more at www.ihouse-nyc.org.