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The CPA firm of Gray & Gray and Associates, with offices in Canton, Potsdam, Massena and Spring Hill, FL, donated a $3,500 Konica Minolta c364e printer/copier/scanner/fax machine to the Orchestra last year.

ONNY Executive Director Kathy Del Guidice says, “It will save literally thousands of dollars in printing and copying costs. I am so grateful to John and Angela for this generous contribution.” 

John J. Gray, Jr., managing partner of Gray & Gray and Associates, ONNY board member and Finance Committee chair, says:  “Our firm has always been committed to supporting the arts in Northern New York.  This was a unique opportunity for us to assist ONNY where there was a real need. It allowed us to help a valued arts organization with a benefit that would have a positive impact over several years. It was our pleasure to do so.”   John Gray Jr. & Angela Gray, Partners

(Pictured: John J. Gray, Jr. and his business partner, daughter Angela Gray)

In 2015, the late Michael C. Miller, Watertown, gathered together a group of interested individuals from Watertown to ensure that ONNY concerts would become a part of the fabric of life in that region. Today, Mike’s dream is a reality. 

Last season, 1,600 people purchased tickets to four ONNY concerts in Watertown. Literally thousands of people enjoyed ONNY’s summer pops concert and fireworks at the free Concert in the Park held around July 4th.  The event is sponsored by the City of Watertown and the Watertown Noon Rotary Club.

The twelve-member Watertown Advisory Committee (WAC) meets quarterly.  These dedicated volunteers:

• Serve as ambassadors for The Orchestra of Northern New York
• Open doors and build bridges with community groups, businesses and foundations in the area
• Help solicit sponsorships, program advertising, donations and grants to defray the cost of the annual five-concert Watertown series
• Provide valuable feedback to the ONNY board and management on everything from programming and operations to marketing and outreach activities.

John Goloski, WAC chair, is a voting member of ONNY’s Board of Directors. Membership is open to anyone in the greater Watertown region who is interested in assisting ONNY in a host of ways. Committee members provide refreshments and even dinner on occasion for musicians before concerts and during intermissions. They also serve as ushers, sell CDs, distribute posters, respond to management’s requests for feedback, and share social media posts.

In 2020, the group is examining their role and relationship with the ONNY Board. They are developing an operations manual for the Committee Chair’s office to minimize the learning curve for future WAC leaders. 

Persons interested in WAC’s mission are asked to contact Goloski at johngoloski@ircsd.org or 315-592-8740.

(Photo: Members of the Watertown Advisory Committee display ONNY reusable tote bags at their last quarterly meeting. They are, left to right, front row:  Emily Sprague, Watertown, retired English teacher from Watertown City Schools; Agnes McCarthy, Philadelphia, director/co-founder of Trillium Music Center and an ONNY violinst; Shannon Zaykoski, Adams, music teacher in the South Jefferson Central School District and an ONNY hornist; Wink Beadel, Wellesley Island, retired Communications Associate at Clayton’s Antique Boat Museum; and Aileen Anderson, Watertown, Grants Management Specialist for the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Back row:  Richard Lake, Watertown, retired Vice President of Harleysville Insurance Co.; Anita Prather Harvell, Watertown, IT Specialist for Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation on Fort Drum; Clement Wong, Watertown, Financial Officer of the United Way of NNY; Lia Call, Theresa, 7th and 8th grade orchestra teacher at Indian River Middle School and ONNY violist; John Goloski, Theresa, Watertown Advisory Committee chair, 7th and 8th grade band teacher at Indian River Middle School; and John Wrape, Watertown, retired Assistant Superintendent for Instruction in the Watertown City School District. Missing: T. Urling “Tom” Walker, Watertown, retired businessman and former Mayor of the City of Watertown.)

Dear Friends,

As I begin a two-year term as President of the ONNY Board of Directors, I wish to thank our sponsors, donors, advertisers, audience members, musicians, volunteers and staff for their past support. As we navigate a world-wide pandemic, the ONNY Board is committed, first and foremost, to protecting the health and safety of our musicians and audience members, then determining how best to proceed with live music-making onstage.

Our Music Director Kenneth Andrews, Executive Director Kathy Del Guidice, and Personnel Manager Jill Rubio are working diligently, researching the latest recommendations from the CDC and best practices from the League of American Orchestras and other professionals in the field. Although ONNY cannot present live concerts at this time, we will fulfill ONNY’s mission of “enriching the quality of life in Northern New York” and inspiring “the enjoyment and appreciation of music” in new and creative ways. Online programs are being developed that we expect to launch in late summer/early fall. These offerings will include interviews with our musicians, solo or chamber performances by ONNY musicians, play-along musical improvisation activities, and more. 

I would like to sincerely thank Tim Savage for his excellent leadership as President of ONNY’s Board of Directors for the last nine years. His knowledge, passion and calm demeanor have been one of the secrets of the Orchestra's success. I am grateful that he will remain on the Board this year to help ensure a smooth transition. The other 2020-2021 ONNY officers are: Vice President Vicki Day (Hermon), Treasurer Mary Jane Watson (South Colton), and Secretary Adrienne Hartman (Potsdam).

ONNY board members are dedicated and engaged volunteers. I am excited and humbled to work with this amazing team as we explore new ways to bring orchestral music to North Country communities and lead our dedicated volunteers and talented musicians to a “new normal.” These are challenging times, but I believe the Orchestra will endure - with your support. Please give generously when we undertake our annual appeal in the coming months.

Sincerely,

Kimberly Busch
ONNY Board President

Photo Credit: Justin Sorensen, Watertown Daily Times (ONNY Pops Concert)

Rebecca Weissman joined ONNY’s board last April. Her willingness to manage social media, including Facebook and Instagram, was welcome news. She quickly demonstrated her expertise in the field of marketing, which has had a huge impact on audience engagement. 

ONNY’s monthly Facebook reach - the number of people who had content from or about a page reach their screen - has grown 459% with her efforts, from 1,033 viewers to 5,782. Women followers of the orchestra outnumber men 2:1.  People, ages 25-44, account for 54% of Facebook followers while those ages 45-65 total 22%.

Instagram engages audiences primarily through photo content, engaging members of the ONNY family with community organizations through tagging, recognizing donors and sponsors, connecting with peer and other organizations through “liking” and reposting. 

These followers represent a younger demographic with 69% between the ages of 18-34. Again, women are twice as likely to be engaged by this social media platform as men are. Growth in Instagram enthusiasts grew 181%.

ONNY is grateful to Ms. Weissman for her ongoing work to engage and grow its audiences.  If you have not already done so, please look for us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Join our growing group of social media supporters.

The Orchestra also wishes to publicly acknowledge and thank volunteer Kevin Angstadt, who has served as ONNY’s website consultant since 2013. He does it all – handling site design, maintenance, and content updates.  Kevin is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Michigan.  He received a Bachelor's degree from St. Lawrence University and a Master's degree from the University of Virginia.  He eagerly awaits a move back to the North Country.

Follow ONNY on:

Facebook: The Orchestra of Northern New York
Twitter: @OrchNorthernNY
Instagram: @OrchNorthernNY