CONCERTS

78TH SEASON OF

national gallery of art | november 3, 2019

Upcoming Events of the SeventyEighth Season of The William Nelson 

Cromwell and F. Lammot Belin Concerts

Unless otherwise noted, concerts 

are held in the West Building, West 

Garden Court.

Gewandhaus Woodwind Quintet

With the Musik Tanztheater Kids from 

the German International School, 

Washington, DC

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the 

fall of the Berlin Wall, and the finale to 

the year of German-American friendship, 

“Wunderbar Together.” Presented in 

collaboration with the Embassy of the 

Federal Republic of Germany.

November 10, 3:30

Winners from Washington Performing

Arts 48th Annual Joseph and Goldie

Feder Memorial String Competition

This competition is a staple program of 

Washington Performing Arts and provides 

opportunities to budding musicians.

November 16, 3:00

Curtis on Tour

Curtis Winds and Strings

Featuring the music of Beethoven and 

Penderecki, with Curtis alumni Benjamin 

Schmid, one of today’s most versatile 

violinists, and Gabriel Kovach, principal 

horn of the Phoenix Symphony.

November 17, 3:30

General Information

Admission to the National Gallery of Art 

and all of its programs is free of charge, 

except as noted.

The use of cameras or recording 

equipment during the performance 

is not allowed.

Please be sure that all portable electronic 

devices are turned off.

—

Concerts are made possible in part 

through the generosity of donors to the 

National Gallery of Art through The Circle. 

Reserved seating is available in recognition 

of their support. Please contact the 

development office at (202) 842-6450 or 

circle@nga.gov for more information.

—

The department of music produced 

these program notes. Copyright © 2019 

Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art, 

Washington

cover Roy Lichtenstein, A Cherokee 

Brave (detail), 1952, National Gallery 

of Art, Washington, Gift of Roy and 

Dorothy Lichtenstein © Estate of Roy 

Lichtenstein, 1996.56.16

NGA.GOV/MUSIC
PROGRAM

Jenny Scheinman, violin

Carmen Staaf, piano

Tony Scherr, bass

Allison Miller, drums

Parlour Game

November 3, 2019 | 3:30

West Building, West Garden Court

The program will be announced from the stage.

THE MUSICIANS

Jenny Scheinman and Allison Miller’s Parlour Game celebrates the popular roots of 

jazz. It honors the groove, the conversation, the game, and the women that made jazz 

a form of social music. It features four musicians who have been at the forefront of 

American music for nearly twenty years and have been bending genres, creating new 

ways of playing, and generally “mixing it up.” Now they get to groove.

Parlour Game was born on tour, when Carmen Staaf and Tony Scherr were 

subbing for the piano and bass players in Miller’s Boom Tic Boom. There was an 

immediate chemistry. “Even the edgiest material swung,” says Miller, “and we realized 

that we had found something really special. It felt so good!”

Scheinman and Miller met in Brooklyn in the early 2000s. Scheinman had come 

from a rural background and was immersed in New York City’s downtown music 

scene. Miller had come from Washington, DC’s swing scene and had a steady gig 

with Dr. Lonnie Smith. Scheinman and Miller’s insatiable curiosity and general gregariousness brought them into a variety of different genres. Scheinman formed a lifelong 

connection with Bill Frisell. She wrote and released nine albums that featured some 

of the most innovative jazz musicians of our time, including Jason Moran, Brian Blade, 

Ron Miles, and Nels Cline. She also dove headfirst into the roots world, touring with a 

number of iconic American artists such as Lucinda Williams, Rodney Crowell, Robbie 

Fulks, and Bruce Cockburn. Miller jumped on the Toshi Reagon bandwagon and joined 

Natalie Merchant’s band. She also taught at the New School and worked with Anat 

Cohen, Renee Rosnes, Brandi Carlile, and Ani Difranco. She became the special guest 

drummer on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Staaf and Scherr also are versed in numerous American genres and share a deep 

respect for roots music. Staaf has worked closely with Herbie Hancock and Wayne 

Shorter, and Scherr has played extensively with Bill Frisell, Sex Mob, and Maria Schneider. 

Scherr once described Staaf as “totally unpredictable, and totally reliable.” Seated quietly 

at her piano, Staaf opens up a magnificent world of harmony, while Scherr follows from 

below, grounding her most outrageous revelations.

“I have often played music that is in some way a reaction to jazz,” says Scheinman. 

“In this group, I just want to play a great melody, feel the groove, and let the audience 

in. So much can happen at a show when everyone is in it together.”