A new music hall in the Bronx will have its Grand Opening celebration this weekend showcasing music, art, theater, dance and the legacy of the Bronx.
The new venue, located in Melrose and called the Bronx Musical Hall, is 14,000 square feet and is the first independent music venue to open in the borough in over 50 years. The hall is located within a mixed-use housing development spearheaded by the nonprofit Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation (WHEDco). The building, which includes affordable apartments, is known as Bronx Commons and is located at 438 East 163rd St.
Davon Russell, President of WHEDco, described how the music venue plays a key role in the nonprofit’s vision for the community.
“This state-of-the-art venue is the centerpiece of WHEDco’s Bronx Commons development, embodying our belief that access to the arts is an essential element of thriving, vibrant communities,” said Russell. “We take immense pride in expanding cultural offerings in the Bronx, and we are deeply grateful to all of our supporters whose contributions have made this vision a reality.”
The venue will double as a cultural center, becoming the permanent home of the Bronx Heritage Music Center, a community organization celebrating the musical legacy of the Bronx and offering performances, screenings and educational art programs. Elena Martínez, Co-Artistic Director of the BMHC recognized the potential impact of the new music hall on the mission of the BHMC.
“Our new home at the Bronx Music Hall provides us with the long-anticipated opportunity to expand our artistic vision and engage larger audiences as we showcase the Bronx’s diverse cultural and musical legacy, in partnership with the borough’s incredible artistic community,” Martínez said. “This day has been eagerly awaited by our community members, audiences, and artists alike.”
The Bronx Music Hall includes a 250-seat theater, dance studio, recording space and editing studio, an exhibition hall, outdoor amphitheaters and more. Programming will include live performances, art exhibits, dance and theater classes, film screenings and other events. The venue is expected to serve an estimated 20,000 visitors a year.
The celebration kicks off on Oct. 18 with a panel, moderated by Nancy Biberman, WHEDco’s Founder & President Emerita. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony and reception before performances from Bronx hip-hop legends Grandmaster Caz and MC Sha-Rock, Bronx DJ collective Uptown Vinyl Supreme and the Afro-Haitian roots music band Kongo get started at 8 p.m.
On Saturday, visitors can view the photo exhibit, “The Place to Be: A Decade at the BMHC,” at 6 p.m. before listening to the sounds of the Caribbean with multi-Grammy nominated Bobby Sanabria and his Multiverse Big Band starting at 8 p.m.
Then, on Sunday events start at 2 p.m. with Open House New York, followed by Yawuza Alhassan & the Wuza Wuza Ensemble and Grupo Maburuaña for “African Diaspora in the Bronx” at 3 p.m.
For information on classes, events and tickets to performances, visit the Bronx Music Hall website.
Link to story: https://www.bxtimes.com/bronx-music-hall-grand-opening/