From folk and pop to jazz and experimental funk (with tap dancing!), six women-led musical acts made up of current or recently graduated New York City college students helped kick off summer in Riverside Park on Tuesday, May 19.
Almost 600 people turned out for Make Some Noise, a free Riverside Park concert cosponsored by Barnard and Summer on the Hudson, the city parks department's outdoor arts and culture festival. The performances capped off a year of events celebrating Barnard's 125th anniversary.
Selected through a citywide audition process, the lineup celebrated the power of women in New York City’s vibrant music scene and offered just a sampling of the exciting talent emerging from New York’s acclaimed educational institutions.
“As Barnard winds down its 125th-anniversary year, we wanted to find a way to both celebrate with the community and city we love and to honor our proud history of educating extraordinary young women. Riverside Park is a spectacular setting and we couldn’t imagine a better way to kick off the summer than with music for and by the women of our city,” said Joanne Kwong, vice president for communications and cochair of Barnard College’s 125th Anniversary Committee.
The performers were:
Saman (Barnard College ’15), a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter
Liberty Zoo (Columbia University ’17), an eclectic funk-pop band blending looped vocals, synthesizers, guitar riffs, clever raps, and a touch of tap
Sarah Dooley (Barnard College ’11), an indie-pop artist who “combines sweetness and irony with some irreverent lyrics,” as noted by NPR
Luz Pinos (New School ’15), an Ecuadorian singer and composer mixing South American traditional rhythms with an improvisational personal style
Adi Meyerson Group (New School ’14), a jazz ensemble focused on the stylings of its namesake bassist
