Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School will stage an unusually stacked benefit concert this winter, bringing together a group of internationally known musicians who also happen to be neighbors. Winter Light Up the Night, presented in partnership with Basilica Hudson, takes place Saturday, February 28 at 7:30pm (doors at 7pm) at Basilica Hudson and features performances by Aaron Dessner of The National and friends, Melissa Auf der Maur (Hole, The Smashing Pumpkins), Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes, and Joachim Cooder, with additional artists to be announced.
While the lineup reads like a festival bill, the concert is rooted firmly in place. Dessner, Auf der Maur, and Robinson all live locally, and the evening is designed as a benefit for Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School, which serves students from pre-K through grade 12 on its 900-acre biodynamic farm campus in Columbia County. Supporting performances will include Hawthorne Valley High School students and music faculty, placing professional musicians and young artists on the same stage.
For Dessner, the event reflects a broader commitment to the institution and its mission. “Hawthorne Valley inspires me as a sustainable model for how we can build a better world by leaning into supporting each other, investing in our children and taking care of and restoring the land upon which we live,” he said in a statement. Auf der Maur echoed that sense of local connection, calling Hawthorne Valley “a grounding and dynamic anchor” in her life upstate.
The concert is part of Hawthorne Valley’s annual winter fundraiser and will include more than music. In addition to live performances, the evening features a silent auction, live auction, premium raffle baskets, refreshments, and a range of sponsorship and VIP options. Tickets are 21+ and range from $100 general admission to higher-tier VIP seating and table packages, including options that include a pre-concert meet-and-greet with artists. Tickets and sponsorship information are available at School.hawthornevalley.org/winter-gala.
Winter Light Up the Night takes place Saturday, February 28, at Basilica Hudson, 110 South Front Street, Hudson. Doors open at 7pm; show begins at 7:30pm.
