College’s Noontime Concert Series Returns

February 9, 2026

Cultural Affairs Program presents five free performances spanning multiple genres

Hudson Valley Community College’s popular noontime concert series is back for the spring semester with five unique performances presented by the college’s Cultural Affairs Program. All concerts are free and open to the public and no reservations or tickets are required to attend.

This semester’s lineup spans a variety of genres and influences, from Celtic Americana-infused pop to solo harp guitar and improvisational classical works. Kathleen Parks kicks off the concert series Feb. 12, and the series concludes May 7 with Cold Chocolate.

"A woman playing a violin in profile, her long hair flowing behind her as she leans back mid‑performance.
Kathleen Parks

Kathleen Parks
Noon – Thursday, Feb. 12
Bulmer Telecommunications Center (BTC) Auditorium

Parks’ deep grounding in Celtic and American roots music blends with her love for pop songwriting, funk rhythms, soulful vocals and groove-based improvisation, making every performance unexpected yet familiar: a musical journey from beginning to end.

A founding member of both Twisted Pine and the duo Kat & Brad, Parks appeared as a soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 2017.

Two women in black attire, one seated with hands folded and the other standing holding a flute.
Atmospirit Duo

Atmospirit Duo
Noon – Thursday, March 12
Maureen Stapleton Theatre

Characterized by a layering of modal texturing on the piano with floating interwoven melodies on the flute, flutist Melanie Chirignan and pianist Melanie Hardage have been collaborating since 2023 as an improvisational duo.

They first began experimenting with using classical pieces of music as a basis for improvisation and quickly realized the potential for exploring other ways of thinking about music that might seem counter to the western art music tradition.

A harpist and guitarist seated back-to-back on a red sofa, with a large harp positioned beside them.
Tangled Strings

Tangled Strings
Noon – Thursday, April 16
BTC Auditorium

Guitarist Django Klumpp and harpist Sunshine Quan have been weaving beautiful sonic tapestries since 2022, when they were both students at the prestigious Eastman School of Music. Together, the unique duo strives to highlight lesser-known composers and works of music.

A person playing an acoustic guitar against a warm, textured brick wall.
Kinloch Nelson

Kinloch Nelson
Noon – Thursday, April 23
BTC Auditorium

A solo fingerstyle guitar player, Nelson performs a synthesis of folk, jazz, classical, rock, American popular music and original compositions. His programs range from J.S. Bach to John B. Sebastian and include references to Miles Davis, Franz Schubert, John Fahey, Leo Kottke, The Ventures, The “folk scare,” Flatt and Scruggs and the occasional TV theme. Nelson has been performing for more than five decades and has shared the stage with musicians such as Tom Paxton, Amos Garrett and Buddy Guy.

Two people standing back-to-back, one looking upward and laughing, with hanging string lights in the background.
Cold Chocolate

Cold Chocolate
Noon – Thursday, May 7
BTC Auditorium

Cold Chocolate is a genre-bending Americana band that fuses folk, funk and bluegrass to create a unique sound all their own. Led by Ethan Robbins (vocals, guitar, mandolin) and Ariel Bernstein (vocals, percussion, banjo), the band has released five full-length albums, including its most recent, “Not Gonna Stop.”

For additional information on Hudson Valley’s Cultural Affairs programming, visit www.hvcc.edu/culture or contact Cultural Affairs Coordinator Tom Torrisi at t.torrisi@hvcc.edu or (518) 629-7170.

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