Artist/Violinist and City Downtown Business Improvement District Hold Art Exhibition & Sale to Benefit an Orchestra

Artist and Violinist David Tobey and the City of New Rochelle NY Downtown Business Imporovement District have joined together to create an exhibition and sale of Tobey's work to support the Westchester Philharmonic orchestra. A full 50% of all proceeds from the sale of any art will go directly to the Westchester Philharmonic. The show will open at a reception & party at BID Gallery 542, located in New Rochelle at 542 Main Street from 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, November 12th. Over 50 of Tobey's paintings, prints and welded steel sculptures, many featuring musical subjects, will be on display at the gallery through November 22nd. There will be live music and refreshments at the free reception, which is open to the public.

New Rochelle, NY (PRWEB) October 16, 2009 -- New Rochelle painter, sculptor and musician David Tobey, a long time violinist member of the Westchester Philharmonic, has joined with New Rochelle's Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) to raise funds for the orchestra with an exhibition & sale of his art, that opens with a reception on Thursday, November 12th from 5 to 9 p.m. at "BID Gallery 542", 542 Main Street in New Rochelle's new downtown art district.

A full 50% of the proceeds from all sales for the run of the exhibition through November 22nd will go directly to the support of the Westchester Philharmonic. There is no admission charge, the public is cordially invited, and there will be complimentary refreshments and live music at the opening. Additionally, anyone who purchases art on November 12th will receive a 10% discount off all prices as listed.

David, the son of the late well-known painter and illustrator Alton S. Tobey (1914-2005), has hosted benefit exhibitions of his work for a number of years, and has worked with other artists in the past to support not-for-profit Westchester organizations. Just this past May, his efforts resulted in more than $25,000 in benefit art auction proceeds to the Westchester Philharmonic at their annual Spring Gala. Other of his shows both here in Westchester and at galleries in New York City have also raised considerable funds for other organizations, including the American Cancer Society and the National Scholastic Chess Foundation.

The Westchester Philharmonic orchestra, which is led by world-renowned Artistic Director Itzhak Perlman, is the only fully-professional symphony orchestra devoted to serving the people of Westchester County. Founded in 1983 by Paul Lustig Dunkel, who was recently named Music Director Emeritus, the Philharmonic fulfills its mission in the concert hall, in the community, and in the classroom. The Philharmonic performs a main stage Concert Series at the Performing Arts Center Purchase College and partners with local agencies to present free and low-cost concerts for all County residents. Its award-winning education program serves over 2,000 elementary school students.

The orchestra is comprised of the finest musicians from the greater New York area and has worked with the world's finest soloists, including Midori, Joshua Bell, and the late Isaac Stern. With a focus on presenting the best music of the past and present, the orchestra places particular emphasis on providing young musicians with an opportunity to perform with, or compose for, a professional symphony orchestra early in their careers. The Philharmonic has become a home for living American composers and has proudly commissioned many orchestral works such as Melinda Wagner's Concerto for Flute, Strings and Percussion, which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize.

The orchestra is dedicated to inviting and attracting people of diverse backgrounds to its concerts and continues to explore new partnerships with local schools, libraries, and community centers, so that all in the community have the opportunity to experience the joy of a live, classical music concert.

The New Rochelle Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) is a non-profit association of over 800 business and property owners whose prime goal is economic development, new business and new investment. Recently, the New Rochelle BID announced a new development initiative, the "BID Downtown Artist Spaces Program" that is bringing together property owners with long term vacant upper floor space and artists and arts businesses seeking to lease affordable studios. The program is not only helping to promote the arts but is increasing the diversity of activity and therefore attracting more people downtown.

Ivar Hyden, Chairman of the New Rochelle Municipal Arts Commission and owner of Backstreet Gallery states: "I was delighted that the Downtown BID asked me to be the director and curator of the new BID Gallery 542. It provides an opportunity to show how important the arts are to New Rochelle's economic development and to feature the work of emerging artists from our community."

The New Rochelle Downtown BID has also been active in the promoting downtown with its popular Summer Music on the Green, Outdoor Movies and BID Family Saturdays. The BID's goals are to promote economic development, beautify public spaces, create enhanced technology services, pursue the historic restoration of building facades, and support the attraction of new and the retention of existing businesses in Downtown New Rochelle. In its eight year history, the BID's efforts have resulted in $80 million of new, private, taxpaying downtown development.

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