The guitar duo Aerial Acoustics has been delighting audiences for over 25 years with their spirited original and cover instrumentals. Described as “electrifyingly acoustic,” Dorothy Wagner and Dennis Smith play complex arrangements of classic tunes, as well as original compositions, infused with elements of rock, jazz, classical and Spanish guitar.

Classically-trained Dorothy earned her Masters at the Yale School of Music and teaches privately in NYC. Self-taught Dennis has been a lead guitarist and session player throughout the NYC area for many years. The two met at a kite festival when Dorothy heard Dennis’ fiery electric playing and shared recordings of her originals. Aerial Acoustics has performed at a variety of venues on the East Coast from the Towne Crier and Turning Point to the U.S. Open and the White House at Christmas. They have produced four albums: Tandem Flight, Myriad, By Request, Christmas on Two Guitars.

Ilya Shneyveys (accordion) and Jake Shulman-Ment (violin) are two of the leading contemporary musicians breathing new life into old-world klezmer, the celebratory music of East European Jews. This lunchtime performance for Hanukkah will be filled with soulful Hasidic spirituals and rollicking dance melodies.

Violinist, Vocalist, and Arranger Chiara Fasi breathes new life into traditional live string performances. She has shared the stage and recorded with notable artists such as Miley Cyrus, Solange, Dua Lipa, Jay-Z, and John Legend, to name a few. As a soloist she has opened for Talib Kweli, Major Hype at Kings Theatre, and was featured performer at the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival. Also a band leader and vocalist, her instrumental group, “Chiara Collective,” has performed at BET Black Girls Rock, Highline Ballroom, Blue Note NYC, and Chelsea Music Hall, among others.  A talented arranger, composer, and producer, Chiara has composed & arranged strings for a number of projects, including the BET Documentary Martin: The Legacy of King, the educational website Flocabulary, the short film Moves We Make, and a recent holiday single for Lionbabe. As an educator she has contributed to the music curriculum with the non-profit organization, Music and the Brain; and previously taught at Long Island University.