The Garage At Chatham: A Summer Salon Series In An Intimate Setting

When I first heard about The Garage at Chatham (GAC) concert series — music performed in some guy’s garage in his back yard — I immediately thought of that old “we've got a barn/let’s put on a show” scenario. But once I walked up the driveway to the elegantly outfitted garage and heard The GAC Quartet perform, I knew I had it all wrong. That “guy” is Jon Morell, an opera singer with an international career who, with his wife Adrienne, a former opera singer, and conductor Thomas Bo, has created a summer salon series with a lineup that rivals that of any performing arts center, with the stellar musicians, dancers, artists and actors you’d pay a lot to see (although the events are always free).

“A summer arts series in the tradition of the 19th century salon” is GAC’s tagline, and three years in, the intimate, informal gathering on Saturday evenings embodies the kind of experience that keeps us living in or visiting the region.

“We love this area,” Morrell says. “It means a lot to us and we’ve always been involved in the community.” Adrienne, in fact, has served as a trustee of the Village Board in Chatham. “We wanted to give a gift back to the village.”

Thomas Bo, music and artistic director, introduces The GAC Quartet.

Seventeen years ago, the Morrells moved to Columbia County with their two children. They needed to find more suitable educational facilities for their son who had autism than they could find in New York City. It turned out that the schooling and environment in Chatham were great for him, and the rest of the family thrived, too.

Here’s the part of the story where the by-now proverbial “pandemic silver lining” comes in. COVID came knocking, and the Morrells cleaned out their double garage. One of them must have hummed a few bars, because they discovered its “acoustical possibilities.” The couple and Bo produced a classical concert in the summer of 2020 as a thank you to the village during those challenging times. It was such a success, they created The Garage at Chatham and lined up their first full summer season in 2021.

From four concerts that first year, they flourished to offer 14 events last year, an eclectic lineup that included string quartet concerts, a sculpture show, a James Joyce “Bloomsday” celebration, vocal and jazz concerts, and a double-bill dance concert, featuring choreography by Hudson-based choreographers Jonah Bokaer and Elena Mosley with Operation Unite.

Each year, the series features an artist and a composer in residence. Last Saturday’s concert featured the recently formed GAC Quartet — four young musicians who sounded like they’d been playing together for years — performing a work by composer in residence Brian Shank. Miranda Cuckson, this year's artist in residence (who was just reviewed in the New York Times) will perform this weekend. Other events will include Great Sculptors at The GAC, curated by artist George Spencer (the series has exhibited more than 30 artists over the last three years, outside on the lawn), classical violin with Flamenco guitarist and dancer; and jazz vocals, among others.

Audience members socialize at The Garage at Chatham.

All performances begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday and usually don’t go past 7:30 — plenty of time left in the evening for dinner or a movie. The acoustics indeed are fine in the garage. Its walls are lined with string instruments; a rug on the floor carves out a field for the musicians’ space, and the folding chairs are thoughtfully enhanced with seat cushions. Many of the audience members prefer to sit just outside the garage. As courtesy to the community (and to the Morrells’ neighbors, who share the driveway) the concerts are never amplified. Occasionally a train rumbles and honks by, but that’s all part of the country charm.

“The village is very much behind us, and has offered us the use of other locations,” Morrell says. As GAC grows, it will no doubt outgrow the garage setting for certain events. They’ve been approached by several theater companies to collaborate on productions and have even been asked to bring their concerts to other communities.

While Morell has by and large underwritten the expenses of the series, the organization is in the process of receiving its 501(c)3 status, which will allow it to fund raise. “We do what’s practical and in our budget,” Morrell says. The concerts are free but donations are, of course, accepted. “Even if we collaborate with other companies that might have to make money, we want to keep admission as close to free as possible,” he says.

Now in its third full season, The Garage at Chatham series has grown organically and the interest it has generated — by the community, individual artists and other arts organizations — presupposes that the ambitious plans Morrell et al have in mind for the series will, in fact, happen.

“We’ll be here as long as you want,” Morrell told the audience last week.