Lions Den House Concerts

In the early 2000 I was living in New York City and life was full of exciting artistic opportunities. One day by some random chance I stumbled upon a coffee shop located in lower Manhattan in the neighborhood of Soho. The coffee shop called "Spark" was owned by a progressive couple from Israel. While sipping on my lavender latte I began chatting with them and soon was immersed in a deep conversation about the origins of the soul. After sometime, while trying to find my way to a bathroom located all the way in the back of the historic brown-brick building I mistakenly opened a door which led to a windowless empty industrial loft. I later found out that the mysterious loft was rented by the couple for events during the day but was mostly empty at night. 

As a result of the long inspirational conversation with the Spark Caffe owners I ended up "sparking" a deal to start a Saturday night Concert Series. They would get late night customers and I would get the space for free to create whatever show I wanted. In no time, I made a dark purple stage curtain with sparkling stars on it and hung it on a long metal wire across the empty space. And from there on every second Saturday of the month, the bare loft was magically transformed into a stage featuring NYC diverse rainbow of talents. Modern classical ensembles led by local composers premiered their new works, jazz groups did experimental "Free Jazz“ nights, dancers moved to improvised music, DJ beats or spoken word, sculptors and animation visual artists waved their art into the white brick while others performed. A lot of what we did was created on the spot and unlike the NYC generations before us we went home "high" not on drugs but on creativity and friendships. 

But the tragic events that unfolded on September 11, 2001 changed the destiny of the Spark Concert Series and that of all of humanity. As a result of the global economic crisis that followed immediately after those days, many of us lost our music or art related jobs and artists of all walks of life, not only in the US but all over the world, began to struggle. 

We all bear witness to what unfolded post 9/11. To add to that, the digitizing and computerizing of modern life has brought performing arts to a state of extinction and the fact is that in the last twenty years and especially in the last three, exacerbated by the Covid-19 Global Pandemic, the situation has become critical.  

We are witnessing the closing of Historic music venues and clubs, bookstores, and concert halls. Elementary schools and higher-education institutions with performing arts programs, orchestras and choirs relaying on funding, both private and government, are continuing to experience devastating cuts.

But I am an optimist and I believe that these dark times shall pass and slowly something new and different will emerge. Something better, more authentic and inclussive. I believe that in these trying moments a new kind of movement can be created which will stem from the power of individual initiatives allowing the preservation and support of those who create and inspire others. A grassroots movement led by individuals with entrepreneurship capacities and abilities. And I do believe that each of us; the parent, the seniour, the small child, the educator, the politician, the audience member, the teenager or the new immigrant, each have a responsibility and a role to play. 

And so armed with the unfading inspiration of my "Spark" days and with a heart full of mixed emotions, some optimistic, some fuelled by disappointments from my experience as a professional musician and educator, I approached my husband and shared with him the idea of opening our home to host the Lion's Den House Concerts. Why the Lion’s Den? Because our home is nested below the magnificent mountain peaks called the Two Lions. 

I feel exceptionally lucky and grateful to have the support of a partner in life who is not only a wonderful human but is also a huge lover of live and recoded music and thus intentionally designed our home to host live music events. He is the hardest working man I have ever met and I am so delighted that we as a family, along with our little son, are able to offer a platform for local talent and open our home for new artistic collaborations. Our tremendous gratitude goes to every artist and every audience member who blesses our home with their presence! Thank You!

Gergana