Andrew Ousley

Andrew Ousley
Born	1983 (age 41–42) Manhattan, United States
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur and creative professional
Years active	2015-Present
Notable work	The Crypt Sessions The Angel's Share

Andrew Ousley (born 1983) is an entrepreneur and creative professional, best known as the founder and artistic director of classical music and opera concert series The Crypt Sessions.[1][2][3]

Early life and education

Ousley was born in New York City, United States, in 1983. He was introduced to opera by his mother, Mary Ousley, at the age of 16.[4]

Career

In 2015, Ousley founded Unison Media, a public relations and marketing firm. While scouting locations for unconventional performance spaces, Ousley discovered a Crypt Chapel underneath the Church of the Intercession.[5][6][7] By the end of 2015, Ousley launched the initial performances of The Crypt Sessions, a classical music concert series held in the Crypt.[4][2][8]

Ousley has continued to present musical performances at The Church of the Intercession in Manhattan and Green-Wood Cemetery in, with notable invited artists such as The New York Philharmonic, violinist Gil Shaham, opera tenor Lawrence Brownlee, and pianist Conrad Tao.[9][10][11][12]

The Crypt Sessions, an ongoing classical music concert series performed in the crypt of the Church of the Intercession, was launched by Ousley on November 4, 2015, with American composer and pianist Conrad Tao.[13]

In 2018, Ousley launched the Angel's Share, a series of opera and chamber music concerts taking place in the Catacombs of the Green-Wood cemetery.[14] Since 2020, the music concerts have been organized through Ousley's nonprofit company, the Death of Classical.

References

1. Ellin, Abby (2022-10-29). "How a Producer of Concerts in Crypts and Catacombs Spends His Sundays". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
2. Lubow, Arthur; Tullo, Vincent (2018-06-01). "Is Opera Dying? No, But This One Is Staged Among the Dead". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
3. Grady, Constance (2019-07-08). "To bring in new fans, opera companies are leaving the opera house and heading to the catacombs". Vox. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
4. Sachmechi, Natalie. "From Crypts To Catacombs: This Entrepreneur Is Giving Classical Music A Radical Makeover". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
5. Robinson, Jessica (2021-10-14). "Angel's Share: Classical comes to life at Green-Wood Cemetery". Brooklyn Magazine. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
6. King, Darryn. "Live Classical Music Lives Again… In A New York Cemetery". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
7. "Purcell opera performed in cemetery catacombs". AP NEWS. 2019-06-04. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
8. Grella, George (2020-03-03). "ANDREW OUSLEY with George Grella". The Brooklyn Rail. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
9. America, Good Morning. "As New York reopens, a 'Hymn to the City'". Good Morning America. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
10. Lynch, Joe (2021-06-26). "As Concerts Return, Death of Classical Brings Beethoven to Life In a Cemetery After Dark". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
11. "The Crypt Sessions Lawrence Brownlee". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
12. Tommasini, Anthony (2017-04-07). "Review: A Pianist Brings American Rage to a Church Crypt". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
13. Woolfe, Zachary (2020-10-23). "Review: In a Cemetery, Music Lives". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
14. Braiker, Brian (2022-05-16). "Enjoy hot dogs, whiskey and classical music at ... Green-Wood Cemetery?". Brooklyn Magazine. Retrieved 2022-11-04.