From Manhattan to the Moors: NYC Musicians Seek Solace Across the Pond

On a drizzly Wednesday near Lincoln Center, Molly Quinn and Ben Sheen—two names familiar to New York’s classical music circles—were rehearsing for an upcoming performance. But offstage, their lives have quietly taken a transatlantic turn. After years spent chasing the city’s relentless rhythm, the couple has put down roots in Cambridge, England, seeking a gentler pace and a fresh sense of home.

Still, the pull of the countryside persists. This fall, Quinn and Sheen have been exploring the idea of a second home—somewhere far removed from New York’s ceaseless thrum, yet within easy reach of their new British base. Their search has led them to the storied landscapes of the English Peak District, where centuries-old stone cottages tempt with the promise of peace, green hills, and a kind of quiet that’s impossible to find even on the Upper West Side at dawn.

Their story resonates with New Yorkers who, as September’s chill settles in and the city’s election chatter grows louder, find themselves longing for a respite from crowded subways and night-blooming construction noise. “It’s about balance,” Quinn said, sipping coffee at a Midtown café before a late evening rehearsal. “We love New York, but sometimes you need a place where the only thing you hear is the wind.”

While some city dwellers settle for a Hudson Valley weekend rental or a classic Hamptons share, Quinn and Sheen’s search for a countryside escape is decidedly more transatlantic. The Peak District, with its rolling sheep pastures and market towns, offers not just a change of scenery but a different tempo entirely. Yet, as Sheen puts it, “You can take the musician out of New York, but you can’t take New York out of the musician.” Their friends joke that even in the English wilds, they’ll be streaming WQXR and keeping one eye on the latest news from home.

As the city pivots from summer’s heat to autumn’s urgency, Quinn and Sheen’s journey highlights a question many New Yorkers quietly entertain: How far is too far for a true escape—and can you ever really leave New York behind?