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| Showtime at the Piano Room in NYC |
It looks like 2014 will be a wonderful busy year.
Even if we are still dealing with a very stormy and extremely cold winter, I had the chance to warm up my audience with a few special Concerts. And they made my dream coming true by being there with me to show me their love and warm up my heart!! There is no storm who can stop us!!!
On January 29th, I did my first Concert of the year at the Piano Room of Etcetera Etcetera in NYC, in the heart of Broadway. It was a very special night. Among the dear friends that came to support me and celebrate also my birthday, I had also some important people attending the show.
The night was emceed, as always in a very excellent way, by my dear friend, or as I call him "my brother from another mother", Jim Masters, National PBS host.
His charm and warm personality always welcomes the audience making them already feel home.
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| With Mark Cataldo and Jim Masters after the Concert |
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| With Jim Masters and Denise Richardson |
In my audience I also had my dear friends, Ed and Judy Schloeman founder of Operation Warriors Wellness, a division of the David Lynch Foundation. With them I'm about to embark a series of Concerts to promote the benefit of Transcendental Meditation for the well-being of first responders and veterans, but also abused women and children. An incredible project I'm so honored to be involved with. SAVE THE DATE : May 1st at the Lorenzo's Cabaret in Staten Island we will hold the first event. Incredible honorees and speakers that night!! Soon I will share with you all about it and I hope you will be all there to support this incredible cause.
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| With Judy and Ed Schloeman |
After the Concert as always I enjoyed taking pictures and meet and greet everybody. I so love that part of my work. Thanks to my music I'm so lucky to have met so many incredible people who are now also dear friends and incredible supporters. I got to open some presents as well: beautiful flowers and a gift card from Jim, a wonderful perfume from my dear friend Claudia, some nice cards and a sparkling pen from Rita. And after all of this with a wonderful group of dear friends, we went down to the restaurant Etcetera Etcetera to celebrate my birthday and the one of my dear friend Mike Ferrante, who took a lot of the beautiful pictures you see on the BLOG.
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| With dear friends celebrating my birthday after the Concert |
It was a magical night to remember. So cold outside but so warm and beautiful inside. Big thanks also to my dear friend Daniele Kucera, owner of this incredible place. If you are in NYC stop for lunch or dinner at Etcetera Etcetera....you will love his place!!
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| Singing at "Open Your Heart" Fundraiser for the Children's Home of Poughkeepsie, NY |
Established in 1847, the Children's Home provides a range of services and programs giving hope and healing to abused and neglected children in the Hudson River Region. The Home is dedicated to providing a safe and nurturing environment that improves lives and empowers at-risk children and families in the Hudson Valley and surrounding communities.
I was welcomed by the almost 200 guests that came to support the event. I had such a great time singing for such a warm and loving audience. Love was really all over the room. And I was so touched really by the incredible work they are doing. I have to thank from the bottom of my heart Erin Cafarelli and the whole staff for having me be part of this wonderful event. The Children's Home of Poughkeepsie is really a place for healing and hope!! What a great night!
Then, with a goody bag filled with delicious treats thanks to my dear friend Erik Moraibito, my connection to Poughkeepsie, we left filled with memories towards the hotel in Mahwah, NJ for a short night of rest.
Wake up call : 8PM ready to go to Suffern, NY at the beautiful hystorical Lafayette Theatre for the third Annual Valentine's Concert organized by celebrity chef and great friend Marcello Russodivito.
Sound check was already at 10:30AM! First Concert at 2:30PM and second at 6:30PM. Yes, two concerts in one afternoon!
Outside was very cold and the storm was ready to hit, but inside with the wonderful guys of my band, we were having some great fun! We had added some cool new songs, including Amore L'Amore, a song I wrote a few years ago in Europe. I was so excited to perform it in the USA for the first time. And I had for sell for the first time in the USA also my new CD "My Lullaby" !!
Both Concerts went great. Somehow the cold outside had made the audience inside even more warm and welcoming than ever. The 900 seat LaFayette Theatre was a happy place filled with a wonderful audience!
The first Concert, entitled "The Love Returns" had the whole audience in standing ovation at the end of it...what a view!!
The MC of the night, my dear friend and beautiful presenter of the TV show "Brindiamo", Ornella Fado came of stage with promoter Marcello Russodivito to bring me flowers. The audience asked for an encore and it was so wonderful to sing a song for all of them and to have Ornella and Marcello with me on stage!!!
The second show was also wonderful and so special. The audience was warmed up by Claudio a very nice singer from Riccia in Italy and a performance by a young soprano from Suffern, NY on stage that night for the first time!! So sweet!! The first part of the second Concert titled "Passione" was done by three incredible classical singers: mezzo Soprano Jennifer Roderer, Soprano Elisabeth Dreisig and Marie Dreisig Kalsmore, Elisabeth's beautiful and talented daughter both coming all the way from Danmark!! They were accompanied on piano by Alan E. Kanopka. It was such a privilege to share the stage with a group of such a talented and wonderful people. It was blast!!! I closed the Concert rocking the stage with my guys to yet another incredible enthusiastic audience!! It had started to storm again, as anticipated, so the Theatre was not completely sold out.....the audience was so incredible that they sounded like they were thousands and not only 400!!! Standing ovations, applause and meet and greet at the CD table once again...what a day!!!
After the Concert of course we ended with an incredible delicious dinner and many "CIN CIN" and "Brindiamo" of celebrations at Marcello's Restaurant. There are a lot of people that I need to thank: Marcello Russodivito is for sure at the top of the list. He and his beautiful wife Carolyn Russodivito are such a gift that music has brought into my life. I'm so grateful to God everyday and forever for them!!!
There I was, ending such a wonderful day with some dear friends, talented colleagues and my musicians on a big table with great food and drinks!!! I was so happy!!!
As you can immagine Monday I was exhausted. It had been an incredible busy weekend.....but no need to tell you that I will cherish in my heart forever such an incredible weekend!! And I cannot wait to start all over again this coming Saturday when with my guys we will be on the road again to bring love and melt some snow in Williamsport, PA!!!
Stay tuned for next week BLOG!!!
And if you cannot make it to one of my Concerts, you can buy a copy of my new CD My Lullaby on my website starting today!!
http://www.giadavalenti.com/store.htm
Then, with a goody bag filled with delicious treats thanks to my dear friend Erik Moraibito, my connection to Poughkeepsie, we left filled with memories towards the hotel in Mahwah, NJ for a short night of rest.
Wake up call : 8PM ready to go to Suffern, NY at the beautiful hystorical Lafayette Theatre for the third Annual Valentine's Concert organized by celebrity chef and great friend Marcello Russodivito.
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| The beautiful stage of Lafayette Theatre |
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| The stage waiting for me |
Sound check was already at 10:30AM! First Concert at 2:30PM and second at 6:30PM. Yes, two concerts in one afternoon!
Outside was very cold and the storm was ready to hit, but inside with the wonderful guys of my band, we were having some great fun! We had added some cool new songs, including Amore L'Amore, a song I wrote a few years ago in Europe. I was so excited to perform it in the USA for the first time. And I had for sell for the first time in the USA also my new CD "My Lullaby" !!
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| Showtime at the Lafayette Theatre |
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| Light My Fire with Adam Stoler on guitar |
Both Concerts went great. Somehow the cold outside had made the audience inside even more warm and welcoming than ever. The 900 seat LaFayette Theatre was a happy place filled with a wonderful audience!
The first Concert, entitled "The Love Returns" had the whole audience in standing ovation at the end of it...what a view!!
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| Serenading Ornella Fado and Marcello Russodivito |
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| Jennifer Roderer, Marie Dreisig Kalsmore and Elisabeth Dreisig |
The second show was also wonderful and so special. The audience was warmed up by Claudio a very nice singer from Riccia in Italy and a performance by a young soprano from Suffern, NY on stage that night for the first time!! So sweet!! The first part of the second Concert titled "Passione" was done by three incredible classical singers: mezzo Soprano Jennifer Roderer, Soprano Elisabeth Dreisig and Marie Dreisig Kalsmore, Elisabeth's beautiful and talented daughter both coming all the way from Danmark!! They were accompanied on piano by Alan E. Kanopka. It was such a privilege to share the stage with a group of such a talented and wonderful people. It was blast!!! I closed the Concert rocking the stage with my guys to yet another incredible enthusiastic audience!! It had started to storm again, as anticipated, so the Theatre was not completely sold out.....the audience was so incredible that they sounded like they were thousands and not only 400!!! Standing ovations, applause and meet and greet at the CD table once again...what a day!!!
After the Concert of course we ended with an incredible delicious dinner and many "CIN CIN" and "Brindiamo" of celebrations at Marcello's Restaurant. There are a lot of people that I need to thank: Marcello Russodivito is for sure at the top of the list. He and his beautiful wife Carolyn Russodivito are such a gift that music has brought into my life. I'm so grateful to God everyday and forever for them!!!
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| A "Cin Cin" to a wonderful day at Marcello's Restaurant after the two Concerts!! |
As you can immagine Monday I was exhausted. It had been an incredible busy weekend.....but no need to tell you that I will cherish in my heart forever such an incredible weekend!! And I cannot wait to start all over again this coming Saturday when with my guys we will be on the road again to bring love and melt some snow in Williamsport, PA!!!
Stay tuned for next week BLOG!!!
And if you cannot make it to one of my Concerts, you can buy a copy of my new CD My Lullaby on my website starting today!!
http://www.giadavalenti.com/store.htm
Thank you to Pierre Baz and Mike Ferrante for the beautiful pictures of this BLOG and for being such incredible friends and supporters!!
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| With Pierre Baz( thank you Kelly Ann for the picture) |
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| With Mike Ferrante( thank you Claudia for the picture) |
Love and baci,
Giada
