There’s nothing quite like the full impact of an orchestra, with multiple and various instruments sounding out together, filling a space with auditory verve and transporting listeners to another level entirely. Imagine living in a time before musical recordings were commonplace, when the only way to experience such a magical transportation was to be in attendance, seated in an auditorium alive with anticipation for the sounds to come. Imagine wanting to absorb every note, each refrain of music, to savor and memorize it for future recollection. People might come from miles around and stand in line for hours to experience such an event, then treasure it forever after.
The magic is still available to our sometimes-adulterated auditory systems through the many live orchestral performances that take place in the Hudson Valley. On Sunday, December 10, the music department at SUNY-New Paltz will present a Winter Concert of the College/Youth Symphony Orchestra, to be held in the Julien J. Studley Theatre on campus at 7 p.m. The concert is billed as “Music Made in America,” featuring selections such as Hoedown by Aaron Copland, The Unanswered Question by Charles Ives and a lively rendition of Morton Gould’s American Salute. Additionally, the orchestra is joined by the college choir for John Corigliano’s Fern Hill, a piece that includes text by Dylan Thomas.
Dr. Carole Cowan, chair of the music department and concertmaster of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, says that the evening’s offerings are “decidedly not holiday-oriented.” Instead, the music department chose to focus on American composers for its end-of-semester recital, which only happens to coincide with the festive season. Cowan indicated that while the concentration has been on 20th-century music, Corigliano – a Pulitzer Prizewinner for the music of The Red Violin – is the only still-living composer on this program, and that his work Fern Hill lends itself particularly well to an arrangement with mixed chorus, including mezzo-soprano and a solo vocal quartet.
The CYS is a combined college and youth symphony with students from 25 schools in the Hudson Valley. Coming out of four different counties – Orange, Dutchess, Sullivan and Ulster – members of the youth orchestra rehearse every Sunday evening throughout the year. Primarily high school students, they each earn a seat in the orchestra by audition. As a violinist from Garden City, Kansas who played in a youth symphony in Wichita, Cowan intimately understands the commitment and dedication required from these young people and their parents. She thoroughly enjoys the job of picking music that will challenge her students and expose them to a broader range than they might otherwise become familiar with.
She says that it’s particularly thrilling to direct a combined 75-piece ensemble because of the huge range in age of the members. It is gratifying for her to provide the opportunity for these young musicians to play side-by-side with accomplished elders, some of whom are professionals in the field. The College/Community Chorale is under the direction of Dr. Edward Lundergan.
Be thrilled and gratified by their grand efforts. Tickets for the CYS Winter Concert are $6 for general admission, $4 for seniors and staff and $3 for students, and are available at the door one half-hour prior to the performance. For further information call SUNY-New Paltz at (845) 257-2121.