A Small Village, A Big Sound – Inside the Pleasantville Chamber Music Society

It is often said that music has the power to soothe the soul. If you’ve ever had a bad day, perhaps one of the first things you might do upon arriving home is blast some of your favorite music and dance around to help lighten and brighten your mood. Music can calm us and make us feel happier in an instant. A certain song can bring up nostalgic memories and allow us to remember good times of the past.

According to Psychiatry.org, music can have a number of positive effects on a person’s mental health and well-being. This includes mood regulation, healing trauma, building resilience and fostering social connections and support. The use of music therapy can provide a safe environment for those looking to heal trauma and help decrease anxiety levels. Research has also shown that engaging in music-making activities can provide participants with an emotional release and even create a sense of community.

That sense of community is evident within the Pleasantville Chamber Music Society and its place within Pleasantville. This year, the Society will be celebrating its 50th anniversary season (2026-2027). The Society has been spreading the joy of live music in Pleasantville for half a century. It was founded in 1976 in part by the late Joe Goodman, a music professor at Queens College and Pleasantville resident. The group of music lovers who founded the Society did so because they believed that high-quality music should be available to all and open to the public for free.

The Society has operated on a free admission basis since its founding thanks to donors and contributions. Each season, four concerts are presented at the Pleasantville Presbyterian Church on Bedford Road. Robbin Levy, an amateur cellist in her own right, is the Program Administrator of the Society and books the groups as well as plans out each season. Pleasantville Mayor Peter Scherer is the Society’s President. Speaking with Scherer, one gets the sense of the passion he has for the Society as well as the prospect for an increase in public knowledge and support.

Scherer sees the importance of the Society in helping to bring live classical music performances to those that may not be able to experience it otherwise. “Plenty of people come, that may not be able to go to concerts in NYC,” he says. The Society runs on a small scale with no staff or overhead – just an ask for donations once a year. “It’s all run by a small group of people – a simple organization with simple goals.”

Scherer’s involvement spans 35 years. “I lived on the same street as Goodman, and he convinced me to join. I appreciate music and have come to know the musicians. It’s given me a respect for what great musicians can do. We have an appreciative audience and one who is always interested to hear more about the pieces from the musicians who play them. It has been very rewarding.”

Some of the recent groups performing for the Society include Hui-Mei Lin & Friends, Pleasantville Flute Quartet and Frisson Winds, playing works by Mozart, Debussy, Dvořák and more.

Those interested in learning more can visit the Society’s website (pvillechambermusic.org) – and sign up for their email list. As Scherer says, “It’s a nice story of a non-profit that harkens back to a simpler time. We have a straightforward mission presented in a straightforward way to those who appreciate it.”

The Pleasantville Chamber Music Society (PCMS) and Friends of Music (FOM) in Sleepy Hollow have joined hands to cross-promote one another’s spring concerts, expanding the concert options for their respective memberships. Visit their website to learn more: friendsofmusic.org

Pleasantville Chamber Music Society & Friends of Music Collaborate

Joint Calendar, Spring Concerts

PCMS concerts are performed at the Presbyterian Church, 400 Bedford Road
FOM concerts at the Sleepy Hollow High School