Clarion Concerts

Newell Jenkins and Jack Hurley established the Clarion Music Society in New York City in 1957. Jenkins, who specialized in music of the Baroque period, studied extensively in Europe, and there unearthed the music of Giovanni Battista Sammartini, a sixteenth century composer who taught Gluck but whose work had been largely forgotten. Jenkins discovered that Sammartini was an important composer who laid a foundation for the later styles of Mozart and Haydn. Through research on Sammartini, Vivaldi and other composers, Jenkins introduced their work to music lovers in the United States. And under Jenkins’s direction, Clarion became known worldwide for early music concerts played on both modern and period instruments. And for nearly forty years Jenkins programmed the Leaf Peeper Concerts in Columbia County, adding the concerts plus performances by the Roeliff-Jansen Concert Choir to his busy schedule of concertizing, recording, and research in Europe and beyond. He died in Columbia County at eighty-one in 1996.

In June of that year, Clarion Concerts of Columbia County, Inc., became independent of the New York City organization and Sanford Allen was appointed Music Director. Mr. Allen, who was formerly a violinist with the New York Philharmonic performed as soloist with many orchestras nationwide, including the New York Philharmonic, the Detroit and Baltimore symphonies. And he gave recitals and participated in chamber music concerts in many parts of the world. Under his direction, the Leaf Peeper Concerts Series continued Newell Jenkins’s commitment to music of the Baroque era, but also expanded the repertoire with music of the 19th and 20th centuries. And under his leadership Clarion began commissioning new works, presenting a new piece by a noteworthy contemporary composer every year.

Newell Jenkins and Jack Hurley established the Clarion Music Society in New York City in 1957. Jenkins, who specialized in music of the Baroque period, studied extensively in Europe and there unearthed the music of Giovanni Battista Sammartini, ultimately introducing his work and that of many other composers of the Baroque era to music lovers in the United States. Under Jenkins’ direction, Clarion became known worldwide for early music concerts played on both modern and period instruments. For nearly forty years Jenkins programmed the Leaf Peeper Concerts series in Columbia County. Upon Mr. Jenkins' death in 1996, Clarion Concerts of Columbia County, Inc., became independent of the New York City organization and New York Philharmonic violinist Sanford Allen was appointed music director. Mr. Allen expanded Clarion's range of repertoire to music of the 19th and 20th centuries, and under his leadership Clarion started to commission new works. Upon his retirement in 2014, acclaimed American flutist/broadcaster/author/poet Eugenia Zukerman was appointed third artistic director of the series. The final concert of the 2014 season was entitled “Celebrating Sanford Allen,” and was a tribute to Mr. Allen’s outstanding contributions to classical music in Columbia County as both leading performer and music director of Clarion Concerts. Under Ms. Zukerman's leadership and that of Clarion's board president Dave Hall, Clarion continued to commission new works, present exciting new artists, expand the breadth of styles and periods of music presented, and established music education programs in schools in the city of Hudson NY.In 2019 Clarion Concerts expanded by including the concerts and programs of Classics on Hudson (also under the direction of Eugenia Zukerman), which brought concerts and educational programs to the Hudson Valley for 5 years. Clarion Concerts has since celebrated the consolidation of the Leaf Peeper Series and Classics on Hudson under the Clarion banner. Upon the retirement of both Eugenia Zukerman and Dave Hall, Clarion is excited to welcome a new leadership team: Board co-presidents DeWayne Powell and Peter Duda, and new artistic director Melissa White.

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