Lydia Kontos

Adapting to address the needs of a greater community of artists, The Next Festival of Emerging Artists 2020 is a four-week series of workshops, mini-courses, and collaborative projects taking place online June 9 - July 2, with most of the festival events, featuring over 20 guest artists and speakers, accessible online and open to the public.

 Faced with the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, The Next Festival of Emerging Artists, the unique contemporary music festival founded in 2013 by composer, conductor, and bassist Peter Askim, acted quickly to address the needs of musicians by forming a new component: Next Fest Connects. 

Kaufman Music Center's 2019 Gala will honor Kaufman Board President Cathy White O'Rourke, a distinguished business leader, classically trained pianist, and devoted advocate for music education. Kaufman Music Center is also proud to honor The Morris and Alma Schapiro Fund, a generous champion of education and the performing arts.

Professional Hornist and Former Assistant Dean of Mannes School of Music Succeeding Lydia Kontos, Who Led One of City's Most Acclaimed Cultural and Educational Organizations for Four Decades

Opera Star Ailyn Perez, Flute legends Lady Jeanne Galway & Sir James Galway, Lydia Kontos and more at Kaufman Music Center's 2018 Gala.

Kaufman Music Center presents A Musical Evening with Alessio Bax and Lucille Chung, with all proceeds benefiting student scholarships at Special Music School, a groundbreaking public school for musically gifted children offering musical training, during the regular school day.

Put on your dancing shoes and fire up your best Latin American flare on Saturday night, March 10, because that is when Kaufman Music Center's Merkin Concert Hall is doing the Tango - and it is doing it in a way that would receive perfect 10s from 'Dancing with the Stars' judges Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tognoli.

In January of 1979, Lydia Kontos, then a public relations consultant with a background in concert management, joined the staff of The Hebrew Arts School for Music and Dance as a member of the administrative team of the brand-new concert hall at the Abraham Goodman House.

On Tuesday, May 24, philanthropists, artists, musicians and others gathered together at the Edison Ballroom in Times Square to celebrate music, theatre and dance, and recognize community members who have made exceptional contributions to the world of music education at the 2016 Kaufman Music Center (KMC) Gala.

Last night, Sundance Institute and Kaufman Music Center hosted an anniversary concert reading of Carol Burnett's HOLLYWOOD ARMS at the Merkin Concert Hall in New York. BroadwayWorld has photos from the event below!

Kaufman Music Center's Ecstatic Music Festival (EMF) returns for a fifth season of one-night-only performances bringing together artists from across the sonic spectrum. This winter, nearly 100 composers and performers will premiere collaborative works that give audiences an unparalleled opportunity to experience music that is fresh, unexpected and utterly unique.

Kaufman Music Center's Ecstatic Music Festival (EMF) returns for a fifth season of one-night-only performances bringing together artists from across the sonic spectrum. This winter, nearly 100 composers and performers will premiere collaborative works that give audiences an unparalleled opportunity to experience music that is fresh, unexpected and utterly unique.

The 2010 Kaufman Center Honors took place on Tuesday, May 25 at event space 583 Park Avenue. Distinguished honorees for this year's gala were media pioneer and President & CEO of Playlist.com, John Sykes, and Vice President of Kaufman Center's Board of Trustees, Rosalind Devon.