"This is a congregation for whom music is very important," said OSA pastor Barrie Lawless, noting that thirty percent of the congregation has studied music through high school, with many still working as professional musicians in New York. "The addition of the organ is something we hope is enjoyed not just by the church, but by the whole community."

            Pre-concert discussion with organ builder Sebastian Glück at 2:30 PM

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Caffeinated Virtuosity – February 10 at 3 p.m.
Due to the public's strong desire for 18^th century masterpieces performed on period instruments, MOSA welcomes back early music specialist Bacchanalia Baroque. Veterans of Midtown Concerts, Boston Early Music Festival, and Christ Chapel Concerts at Riverside Church, the group presents a combination of instrumental and vocal works from the Baroque, including two sinful Coffee Cantatas – J.S. Bach's ode to 18th century coffee addiction and French version of the same idea by Nicolas Bernier – plus selections from Johann Mattheson's Der Brauchbare Virtuoso .

Bacchanalia Baroque's flutist Laura Thompson reflected on the theme of control in the group's program: " Bach took a break from sacred writing to celebrate modern life, and gave up trying to control his daughter's new vice, the drinking of coffee. Then there is Johann Mattheson, one of Handel's best friends, who was also an opera impresario and a music theorist. He patterned his music after the rhetorical models of ancient Greece, in an effort to persuade his audience of his arguments, and even control their moods."

            Pre-concert discussion with Bacchanalia Baroque at 2:30 p.m.

Solid Foundations – March 9 at 3 p.m.
Inspired by Dutch composer Louis Andriessen's post-minimalist masterpiece Hout for saxophone, guitar, piano and percussion, Flexible Music is a dynamic ensemble with an instrumentation that blurs the line between jazz, rock and classical music. In his blog NightAfterNight, Steve Smith wrote, "Each player was estimable in his or her own right; together, they provided a broad canvas upon which tonight's composers could unfurl their imaginations." Since their formation in 2003, the group has commissioned most of its unique repertoire – and this concert samples the results, including works by Northern Manhattan composers Andrew Waggoner and John Link.

Dan Lippel, guitarist for Flexible Music, added, "Our quartet seeks vibrant music from composers across the contemporary stylistic spectrum, from rock-influenced, downtown composers to meticulous modernists. The process of commissioning and premiering works is at the core of Flexible Music's commitment to curating a dynamic and current concert experience."

            Pre-concert discussion with Flexible Music at 2:30 p.m.

Full Menu, Always Open – April 20 at 3 p.m.
Open End epitomizes a progressive musical 'cart du jour' by presenting a mix of contemporary works, 20th-century classics, and free improvisations in solo to a piano quintet configurations. For the Sunday Series finale, the ensemble's Washington Heights-based piano trio serves up four programmed "specials" - Elliot Carter's Cello Sonata, Andrew Waggoner's Tales of Home, the premiere performance of Anna Weesner's Piano Trio, and Ravel's Duo for violin and 'cello - along with improvisational side orders.

"By improvising, we feel like we are reclaiming the birthright of all musicians and returning it to the field of classical music after many years of neglect," said violinist Andrew Waggoner. "We have no plan when we start a piece. Once we're on stage we just go for it. Although there's an element of danger, of wildness, of ecstasy even, when all is said and done it's an experience of setting boundaries together, in the moment, and then collectively finding a coherent shape."

            Pre-concert discussion with Open End at 2:30 p.m.

Saxophone Summit
Two concerts of compositions for the saxophone as soloist and ensemble partner.

New York State of Mind – March 8 at 7:00 p.m. 
Part one of MOSA's two-concert festival presents a solo recital by saxophone virtuoso Noah Getz and pianist Laurence Gingold. The works on the program, which Getz recently recorded for a soon to be released album, are primarily written by composers with ties to the New York metro area, including Washington Heights' resident Aaron Jay Kernis. Getz will also premier a new work by his American University colleague Fernando Benadon.

"The saxophone is in a perfect position to interpret the diverse musical influences of contemporary music," said Getz. "The tonal and technical flexibility of this instrument allow a wide range of emotion and a broad musical palette for the composer.  Working in conjunction with composers and performers to realize a new vision for contemporary music is one of the most gratifying aspects of playing music for me."