Thank You, Mr. Ames
A dedication ceremony, fundraiser, and concerts
for our ‘new’ piano—the glorious Russell Ames Steinway.

Two fabulous Concerts
Saturday, November 12th Piano Fundraiser Black-Tie Event
Doors open at 6PM, Concert begins at 7PM
Dedication Ceremony, Canapés, Dessert, Wine (2 free coupons included)
Silent Wine Auction with bottles ranging from $20 to $600
Tickets $100 each

Sunday, November 13th
Regular Concert Only
Doors open at 2:30 and concert begins at 3PM
Tickets $20 each

Both concerts will be held LIVE at the Hand House – By Reservation Only.
Reservations are required and can be made by either by writing to pianobynature@gmail.com, or by calling 518 962 8899. You may leave a message at either and seats will be obtained on a first-come-first-served basis. There will be no walk-up seating available.

Learn more at pianobynature.org.

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In November 2021, Piano by Nature purchased the late Russell Ames’ beloved 7-foot Steinway, forever linking our musical endeavors to a wonderful man who defined the very word “community” through his great artistic gifts and his all-embracing generosity. Our organization is proud to be able to give back to our community through the restoration and continued utilization of this very special instrument, celebrating the legacy of this gem of a musician for generations to come.

Before moving to Westport in 1997, Russell Ames directed more than eighty student and community theatre productions of Gilbert and Sullivan and Broadway musicals, served 32 years as accompanist for the University Glee Club of New York City, accompanied singers at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and various other venues here and abroad. He was Director of Development at Riverdale Country School and Horace Mann School in New York City.

Here in the Adirondacks we were all so fortunate to have someone of Russell’s ability and achievement, and if you were lucky enough to have heard Russell play, you had a good idea of what he was all about. And most-likely, you did hear him play if you attended any Westport musical event in the past 25 years. Russell performed in a great number of concerts, choirs, musicals and musicales, providing community members and generations of school children with the gift of his music—a magical gift that enhanced every endeavor with superb piano playing and his own in-depth and remarkable understanding of the music.
Piano by Nature would like to celebrate Russell’s legacy with a glamorous black-tie event including a dedication ceremony, wine, canapés, dessert, and a silent wine auction. The roster of featured artists represents some of Russell’s nearest and dearest musical friends from the community, particularly his beloved “diva sprite”, Broadway’s own, Alisa Endsley. You’ll hear pianists Rose Chancler and Jennifer Moore; violinist, Marilyn Reynolds; soprano, Amy Nelson; Willsboro Central School pianist Mallory Arnold; violinist Jeris French; saxophonist Hans Himelein, and more. There will be friends from near and far to share anecdotes and memories, as well as video and audio recordings of Russell himself.

On November 12th only, PBN will host a silent wine auction offering a number of very fine bottles of vintage wine to our concert-goers. Piano by Nature has been gifted 20 bottles of incredible wine ranging in value from $20 to $600, with some perfectly aged and hard-to-find red wines among the group. Doors will open at 5:45PM to give everyone some time to view the auction items.

Because this is both a celebration and a fundraiser, tickets for the formal Saturday event are $100 each. Your ticket will include two drink coupons, canapés, dessert, the wine auction, and a very special concert experience. And this support will go a long way to helping us reach our $25,000 piano campaign goal! And for those of you that prefer your ‘comfy shoes’ we are also offering the same concert at 3:00PM on Sunday, resembling the traditional PBN format with a $20 suggested fee for the concert only.

PBN encourages the use of masks and sanitizer and will have both available at each concert. PBN is also committed to serving our dedicated community, and, when possible, we will provide video recordings of the live concerts on our website throughout the season for those of you who choose to enjoy them at home. Thank you again for your generosity and continued support. We’ll see you soon at the Hand House!

This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts. Our concerts are also made possible, in part, by the Essex County Arts Council’s Cultural Assistance Program Grant with funding provided by Essex County. We are so grateful to both for their continued support.

Learn more at pianobynature.org.