Harp & Flute at the Mansion with Frances Duffy and Marcia Gates offers the cozy setting of the Morrison Hall mansion and elegant chamber music played by two superb musicians, both principals of their respective instruments in the Hudson Valley Philharmonic (HVP).

At Morrison Hall, chamber music is a ‘natural’ in the beautiful mansion venue with its site-specifically designed Tiffany window, a William Dodge mural on canvas ceiling painting, and artisan carved and molded interior.

This performance at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 7 has been fine-tuned specifically for the mansion setting. Selections by Bach, Bernstein, Debussy, Mozart, and Tournier, comprise the duo program, plus solo compositions will feature harp in one and flute in the other.

Frances Duffy is Principal Harpist of the Wheeling and Allentown Symphony Orchestras and the HVP and also serves as second harp for the American Ballet Theatre orchestra at Lincoln Center. She has performed with the New York Philharmonic, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Baltimore, New Jersey, Albany, and Hartford Symphonies. She is an active free-lancer in the NY Metropolitan area, having served as harpist for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, and playing Broadway shows such as My Fair Lady, Mel Brooks’ The Producers, Beauty and the Beast, and The Fantasticks. Currently, she is harpist for the Broadway production of Wicked-the untold true story of the Witches of Oz. As a soloist Duffy has performed concertos with the HVP, Wheeling Symphony, Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra, the Pennsylvania Sinfonia, the Altoona Symphony, the Lyric Orchestra and was the first-ever harp soloist with the River City Brass Band. Career highlights include appearances and solo recitals at Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, and at Trinity Church in downtown Manhattan. Duffy received BFA and MM degrees in music performance from Carnegie Mellon University and an MM in orchestral performance from the Manhattan School of Music. She received her DMA at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.

Marcia Gates has been Principal Flutist with the HVP since 1986. An active chamber musician and performer in the Hudson Valley, she has appeared frequently as soloist with the HVP and with the Music in the Mountains Festival Orchestra throughout its existence from 1982 to 1998. Gates is also a longtime member of the Pone Ensemble for New Music, having been appointed by Gundaris Pone in the early years of the ensemble. She has performed with the Hudson Valley BachFest since 2000, its inaugural year. A highlight of her career was being selected by the renowned flutist Julius Baker as a soloist and first prize winner in his master classes. Gates studied music at the Eastman School of Music Preparatory Department and at Ithaca College. She is recorded on the Soundspells and Parnassus record labels. She has recorded a CD of music for flute and harp entitled Angel’s Serenade.

Admission: $15 adults; $10 senior citizens, faculty, staff, alumni; free for all students. Tickets are available at the door and also online at www.sunyorange.edu/arts_comm/ticketing.shtml with a $ 2.50 service charge per ticket. Doors and box office open at 2:20 p.m.

Morrison Hall Mansion is the centerpiece of the Middletown campus of Orange County Community College [SUNY Orange] located at 115 South Street. Free parking is available in nearby college parking lots. Questions may be directed to: 845-341-4891 or email cultural@sunyorange.edu.