Leonard Lehrman will perform for two musical anniversaries this upcoming August. On August 3, he will perform at Court Street Music in Valley Stream and on August 20, he will perform at the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library.
Lehrman is an accomplished American musician and composer who has composed over 200 works to date. The upcoming concerts will be his 705th and 706th concert performances with his wife, Helene Williams.
He has been a Long Island resident since 1954 and, in addition to his work as a composer, he has worked as a reference librarian in the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Public Library for decades. He has performed at various local libraries in Nassau County, which are free and open to the public.
On August 3, Court Street Music will celebrate its 25 year anniversary with a free invitational concert from 3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Lehrman and his wife, Helene Williams, founded the music school and are its current directors.
“We founded Court Street Music when we moved [to Valley Stream] on August 3, 1999,” Lehrman said. “So we decided that August 3 would be the day we celebrated 25 years here. It’s not a formal concert, but it is an anniversary celebration, and we are inviting the community.”
The concert will feature both Lehrman and Williams. Other performers include Perri Sussman (mezzo-soprano), Caryn Hartglass (soprano), Thomas Smith (baritenor), Bennett Pologe (baritone), violinist Daniel Hyman and pianist Joseph Martin.
The concert will feature works of accomplished Long Island composers Joel Mandelbaum and Paul Moravec, both of whom will be present at the event.
Lehrman will perform his own compositions, including two arias from his 1976 opera, Sima. The opera has been performed internationally and is will have its New York City premiere at the Theater for the New City in November 2025.
“It was my first full-length opera,” said Lehrman. “It is based on a Russian short story.”
The original story, originally written by Russian writer David Aizman, is titledThe Krasovitzky Couple.
“It’s about an orphan,” Lehrman explained. “Sima is the poster child for all children devastated by war.”
The celebration will have food for attendees to enjoy.
The concert is free, but invitations are required. To RSVP for yourself and others, please call 516-825-2939 or email LJLehrmanDMA@gmail.com.
On August 20 at 7:00 p.m., Lehrman will perform at the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library The event is free and open to the public.
He will be joined by Helene Williams, Perri Sussman, Caryn Hartglass, Alyssa Mener and Nancy Zucker. Cantor Charles Osborne will be a guest tenor, and guest dancers Beth Jucovy and Dance Visions NY will perform as well.
Dance Visions NY is a professional dance company in Great Neck, and dancers Louisa Armstrong-Harrison, Tyler Brunson, Abby Dias, Anne Parichon and Susan Steinman will participate.
The dancers will perform during “Zelophehad’s Daughters” from Sisters, which is an song cycle based on biblical women.
“People don’t know this story,” said Lehrman. “But it’s a very important story. In fact, it is the first instance of a successful struggle for women’s rights in history.”
The story follows the daughters of Zelophehad as they attempt to claim their family’s land for themselves.
The performance will feature Lehrman’s compositions and will honor his 75th birthday.
For more information on the performances, please email LJLehrmanDMA@gmail.com or visit the www.hwpl.org. For anyone interested in learning more about Lehrman’s work, his autobiography, Continuator, is set to be published this August as well.
