Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Olga Bloom, Creator Of Bargemusic, Dies At 92
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Nov 25, 2011
Modified Nov 25, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Nov 25, 2011
Modified Nov 25, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Photo via NYDailyPhoto's Flickr
Olga Bloom (Courtesy Bargemusic)
Olga Bloom, the violinst and violist who created Bargemusic, the classical floating concert hall docked at Fulton Ferry Landing in DUMBO, died yesterday in Manhattan. She was 92.
Bloom converted an old coffee barge into the performance space that it is today way back in 1977. "Water exerts a universal pull on humanity,'' she told the Times in 1990, also describing the atmosphere: "We also offer an unmistakably warm social occasion. Our audiences are small—we can hold 140, but I usually try to cut off at 130—so even though they don't know each other, they speak to each other readily during the intermissions. They are sharing values. And they are experiencing a noble performance of great music."
Bloom retired from Bargemusic in 2008, though performances continue there five nights a week. She died at Hearthstone Alzheimer Care, a nursing home in Manhattan, said Bargemusic’s president and director Mark Peskanov.
Tagged
bargemusic
classical music
death
fulton ferry landing
olga bloom
Jamie Feldmar
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
The Knicks are NBA champions. Now they have to start dressing the part.
Before they attempt to fend off LeBron James and the 76ers on Tuesday, the Knicks will have a chance to show off their winning mentality through their tunnel fits.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 19, 2026 at 12:43 p.m. ET
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Arts & Entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .