Here are a few reviews of my recent lectures and performances, from libraries/historical societies/organizations and reviews from assisted living facilities/nursing homes.
Libraries/Historical Societies/Organizations:
“Alex gave an in-depth presentation to our patrons and they thoroughly enjoyed it. We had so many people register and each one attended. I highly recommend Alex for your history programs, he is knowledgeable and easy to work with.” James Trapasso, Adult Programming & Events Coordinator, Ossining Public Library.
“Alex Prizgintas has given two wonderful local history lectures for the Warner Library and both were very well received and attended. Alex is a brilliant lecturer; he is very informative and engaging. His love and passion for Hudson Valley history shines through his lectures. I highly recommend Alex; if you enjoy history, you will be sure to love his work” Francisco Miranda, Adult Services Librarian for the Warner Library in Tarrytown.
“Alex is such a knowledgeable and interesting speaker. His well-organized multi-media presentation was full of fascinating photographs, articles, interviews, and images. Additionally, he brought an array of bottles curated to the interests of our community. Following the presentation, he answered questions from audience members about artifacts from their personal collections. We look forward to inviting him again to speak on other topics.” Ronnie Coffey, Town of Highlands Historian.
“Alex’s in-depth knowledge of local history, with an incredible focus on railroads and their impact on the growth of Orange County, are second to none! If you enjoy local history, you won’t be disappointed to attend one of his lectures!” Rob Sassi: Orange County Legislator and acting Historian for the town of Crawford.
“Alex’s program was organized, entertaining, and very well received by our membership. He is an extraordinarily accomplished person and we hope that he will consider coming back again for a talk on other aspects of the Antique Bottle History, or on one of the many subjects that he is an expert in.” Wappingers Historical Society, Wappingers Falls, NY
“People are still coming daily to describe how much they enjoyed the program! It was an honor to introduce Alex and so great to work with him as well as all of his help with promoting the lecture—it is truly appreciated!” Rails to the River: The Story of Newburgh’s First Railroad, Newburgh Free Library, Newburgh, NY
“Alex and Viktor Prizgintas’ knowledge and enthusiasm for glass bottles is enough to inspire anyone to get into the hobby. Their program The Art of Antique Glass Bottle Detecting is full of valuable information and interesting history that will help you understand how glass bottles have evolved and make you ponder the important role they have played in our lives.” Shannon Butler, Historian, Poughkeepsie Public Library District, Poughkeepsie, NY
“Thank you for an educational and entertaining evening, the audience was fascinated by the details, your collection, and knowledge.” Nora Gurvich, Executive Director, Warwick Historical Society, Warwick, NY.
“Alex and Viktor Prizgintas are infinitely knowledgeable about the world of antique bottles. Even our group of archaeologists learned quite a bit about what different bottle features and indentations mean, which will help us to not only date bottles, but also to identify manufacturers/manufacturing methods. The talk was fascinating for us, and we would imagine for anyone with an interest in history as well.” Incorporated Orange County Chapter of the New York State Archaeological Association.
“Never had I thought that so much history could be read from these antique bottles, and the variety of techniques that were used to create them throughout centuries. Alex and Viktor Prizgintas were engaging presenters with such easygoing personalities and a great sense of humor. Participants had a chance to show off their own antique bottles and get a greater perspective on where their bottles came from. The Art of Antique Bottle Detecting was an illuminating presentation that will forever come to mind anytime I wander into a thrift shop for sure!” Hasbrouck Heights Public Library, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ.
“The music that Alex selected for his holiday performance was beautiful. Afterwards, many patrons commented on how much they enjoyed listening to him play. It made the day very special.” Monroe Free Library, Monroe, NY.
“Local historian Alex Prizgintas has presented a wide variety of local narratives for MARTA including railroad history, glassmaking, the building of E. H. Harriman’s Arden House, Orange County dairy farming, and the Gomez Mill House. Retired teachers can be a difficult group to engage with, but his anecdotes, primary source documents, research, vast knowledge, and ability to answer questions keep our members coming back for more! His presentations include his own ongoing research and findings and reflect his interest and love for each subject. We can’t wait for his next presentation!” Mid-Hudson Area Retired Teachers Association.
“Alex delivered a highly professional presentation for the Friends of the Goshen Public Library & Historical Society, on the topic of Orange County dairies, which was very well-received by the audience. In addition, his collection of historic milk bottles and their backgrounds was fascinating.” Friends of the Goshen Public Library & Historical Society, Goshen, NY.
“Alex Prizgintas is not only very knowledgeable, he has that rare skill of bringing the audience along and generating lively interest and fun while they are learning. His use of recordings and sound effects within his talk really brings history to life and connects developments in society and technology to his subject. And he brings an entire “portable museum” of artifacts with him! A highly recommended speaker!” Sue Gardner, Deputy Historian, Town of Warwick. NY.
“Alex and Viktor Prizgintas truly knows how to tease the story out of a bottle. The Art of Bottle Detecting helps the viewer to understand markings on bottles and put them into historical context. You will never look at a bottle in the same way again: marks, dips, seams, and colors come alive after this succinct and interesting discussion.” Beacon Historical Society, Beacon, NY.
“Alex Prizgintas’s history presentations are all you could ask for! He tells great history stories, engagingly presented, with excellent images. I highly recommend that you attend one when you can.” Bill Merchant, Deputy Director for Collections, Historian & Curator, Delaware & Hudson Canal Historical Society, High Falls, NY.
“Recently, Alex Prizgintas presented his program Orange County Dairies and Their Milk Bottles here at the Greenwood Lake Public Library. Alex was very informative and had our attention the whole time. The accompanying slide show was great and gave us a look at the milky beginnings of both Orange County and New York City. Alex also brought along a part of his extensive collection of milk bottles which made this presentation more intimate as they were from local dairies around Greenwood Lake. Overall, this was an educational and entertaining evening.” Greenwood Lake Public Library, Greenwood Lake, NY.
“We were so happy to have Alex speak at the Mamakating Historical Society. He was so knowledgeable about the history of the Ellenville Glass Works in addition to being well-prepared and well-known. Attendees are most receptive to him and enjoy his lectures.” Mamakating Historical Society, Summitville, NY.
“Alex Prizgintas offered a terrific concert at the Newburgh Free Library. In addition to being an extremely talented performer, Alex also was very engaging and held the attention of a large outdoor crowd. Our audience included families with young children, teens, and seniors all of whom thoroughly enjoyed the performance and ambiance, and many of whom passed along their compliments afterward. We would book Alex again without hesitation!”Newburgh Free Library, Newburgh, NY.
“Alex’s presentation on Orange County Dairies and their Milk Bottles was very informative and thoroughly researched. He has a great passion for history and his enthusiasm for the subject shows through in his lecture. With so much rich history in Orange County, New York, it is great to learn about one important aspect of our county’s agriculture industry in its glory days. It is such a shame that it has become a dying industry.” Port Jervis Free Library, Port Jervis, NY.
“Alex is one of the most talented, professional musicians I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Whether it is an intimate cocktail hour or a full evening’s performance, Alex never fails to leave his audience wide-eyed and amazed.“ Rushmore Estate, Highland Mills, NY.
“We were so fortunate to have Alex as our entertainment, he was magnificent.” Tuxedo Art and Music, Tuxedo, NY.
“Alex provided a wonderful performance, everyone has been raving about it!” Albert Wisner Public Library, Warwick, NY.
Assisted Living Facilities/Nursing Homes:
“Alex’s performance was outstanding for our family social event at our community, his song choice was enjoyable for both residents and family members. As an activity director I’m always looking for new entertainment, and something different for our residents. Alex will definitely be invited back to play for our memory care neighborhood and future family events. 10/10 would recommend.” Sunrise of Franklin Lakes, Franklin Lakes, NJ.
“WOW! My residents were mesmerized and surprised by how amazing your performance was. We all really enjoyed it! The narration along with the music was intriguing, and made us want to hear more!” Eliot at Erie Station, Middletown, NY
“Alex was very professional, arriving early to set up and came prepared to entertain. His skill on the cello is undeniable, playing one genre of music into another with considerable ease. He also gave the residents information regarding his musical background. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed Alex’s performance. We hope to have him return to our facility on a regular basis.” Atria New City, New City, NY.
“Alex’s performance for the Sisters was informative and engaging. I heard so many great things about it from the Sisters afterward. We really appreciated all the time, organization, and education he put into it not to mention the musicianship! ” Dominican Convent of Sparkill, Sparkill, NY
“Alex’s “From Bach to Rock” concert was world class, highly professional, illuminating and, often, astonishing. Our residents appreciated his virtuoso skill and creativity, the brilliant curation and interwoven narrative about each piece, and, our very talented performer. All in all, Alex took us on a very special journey, masterfully entertaining, educating, and touching our heart strings. We look forward to more performances and future programs with him.” Allendale Rehab & Healthcare Center, Allendale, NJ.
“Alex’s talent is amazing. My residents loved his music, it was a very relaxing way to end the evening.” Reflections Department, Brandywine Living at Mahwah, Mahwah, NJ.
“Alex is a very talented musician, we really enjoyed having him here!” CareOne at Ridgewood Avenue, Paramus, NJ.
“Thank you for Alex’s amazing performance, all of my residents enjoyed it. One of my residents told me that she teared up due to how good he is.” Esplanade at Palisades, Palisades, NY.
“We had Alex as a guest at our Independent Living facility, he was nothing short of spectacular! What a special gift he has. Our residents could not stop talking about his performance. We cannot wait to have him back as our guest entertainer!” The Manor at Woodside, Poughkeepsie, NY.
“It was wonderful to have Alex come in and perform for our assisted living residents. They really enjoyed it, and were so impressed with how talented he was.” Pine Valley Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing, Spring Valley, NY.
“Alex’s performance was outstanding! Our residents, along with staff, couldn’t stop talking about how wonderful it was and how amazingly talented he is.” Promenade at Blue Hill, Pearl River, NY.
“It was a pleasure to have Alex perform. Everyone loved the music and several people remarked how impressed they were with his musical talent.”Promenade at Middletown, Middletown, NY.
Hello. I'm Alex. 