Upbeat on the Roof (Skidmore College) 2025 Series Opens with Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra on Thursday

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (July 9, 2025) — The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College announces the first concert of the 2025 Upbeat on the Roof concert series with Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra on Thursday, July 10, at 6 pm.

Formed October 1980 in Amsterdam, New York, this 12-piece orchestra is led by Bronx-native Alex Torres. Known for an original blend of Afro-Caribbean rhythms such as Salsa, Merengue, Cha-cha, Bomba, Plena, and Latin Jazz, Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra bring the sounds of the Caribbean to the Capital Region. The Orchestra has received numerous awards, including the New England Cultural Arts Preservation Award, the New York State Music Achievement Award, the Schenectady League of Arts Award, the Governor’s Excellence in Arts Award, the NAACP Albany Chapter Award, and three NY Capital District Original Music Awards. The group is also registered with the Arts-in-Education program of New York State, bringing the orchestra into New York schools. The group’s music has been used in numerous commercials, TV shows, and films, including “Ugly Betty,” “Blacklist,” and “Shameless,” among others.

This summer, the Upbeat series will be celebrating the Tang’s 25^th anniversary with a slate of all-returning acts. Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra performed Upbeat on the Roof in 2015, 2017, and 2023.

Before each concert, Tang Museum educators will offer Crafts on the Grass: art-making kits for kids starting at 5:30 pm. A different kit with a craft project will be available each week. All projects are suitable for children ages 5 and up, with adult supervision. Materials will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Upbeat concert series began in summer 2001 on the roof deck of the Tang building. The series became so popular, however, that the concerts came off the roof and onto the lawn. The Upbeat on the Roof name remains. Visitors are invited to bring blankets, camping chairs, food, and drink to picnic on the lawn; plenty of parking is available in the lot adjacent to the museum.

The Tang galleries will be open before and after the concerts. In the case of inclement weather, the art-making activities and concerts will be held inside the museum.

Admission is free. The Tang is on the campus of Skidmore College. The main entrance is at 815 N. Broadway in Saratoga Springs. For more information, please call the Visitors Services Desk at 518-580-8080 or visit https://tang.skidmore.edu/visit.

Upbeat on the Roof Upcoming Concerts

• July 17: Joan Kelsey
• July 24: The Heavenly Echoes Gospel Band
• July 31: The Pine Hills Band
• August 7: Annie and the Hedonists
• August 14: Girl Blue
• August 21: Hot Club of Saratoga

About Skidmore College

Founded in 1903, Skidmore College is a highly selective, private liberal arts college of about 2,700 students located in the dynamic town of Saratoga Springs, New York. Consistently ranked as a top liberal arts college by U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review, Forbes, and more, Skidmore has also been recognized for its innovation, value, and sustainability efforts. Skidmore fosters academic and personal excellence — all driven by a belief that Creative Thought Matters. Its comprehensive array of opportunities encompasses more than 40 bachelor’s degree programs, including popular offerings in business, psychology, and the creative and performing arts; competitive NCAA Division III athletics; world-class facilities; and hands-on civic engagement and career development resources.

About the Tang Teaching Museum

The Tang Teaching Museum at Skidmore College is a pioneer of interdisciplinary exploration and learning. A cultural anchor of New York’s Capital Region, the Tang’s approach has become a model for college and university art museums across the country—with exhibition programs that bring together visual and performing arts with interdisciplinary ideas from history, economics, biology, dance, and physics, to name just a few. The Tang has one of the most rigorous faculty-engagement initiatives in the nation, and a robust publication and touring exhibition program that extends the museum’s reach far beyond its walls. The Tang Teaching Museum’s award-winning building, designed by architect Antoine Predock, serves as a visual metaphor for the convergence of art and ideas. The Museum is open to the public Tuesday–Sunday, noon–5 pm, with extended hours until 9 pm Thursday. https://tang.skidmore.edu