Twelve outstanding vocal students from SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music will take the stage as paid professionals for the first time when the newly formed Chamber Choir of Northern New York makes its debut in Finding Home, a free concert presented by the Orchestra of Northern New York.
The concert will take place Thursday, September 10, at 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Potsdam. Admission is free, with donations appreciated.
Under the direction of Dr. Nils Klykken, Associate Professor of Choral Music and Choral Area Coordinator at the Crane School of Music, the new ensemble will explore the many ways people understand and experience home — as a place, a memory, a journey, a community, and ultimately, as something we carry within ourselves.
“Finding Home” considers what it means to return after being away, to find belonging while on a journey, to create a welcoming space for others, and to discover a sense of home within ourselves. The program also explores deeper questions of identity, belonging, longing, and community.
Audiences will hear a wide-ranging collection of choral music spanning centuries and musical traditions, from German Romantic music and Black spirituals to folk-inspired works, contemporary compositions, and music from science fiction opera.
The program opens with “Meet Me Here” from Considering Matthew Shepard by Craig Hella Johnson, followed by “Panda Chant I” from The Games: a science fiction opera by Meredith Monk. Other selections include “Home” by James Sizemore and “Abendlied” by Josef Rheinberger.
The ensemble will also perform “I Flow…I Am,” a spiritual commentary on the courage required to remain present through darkness, pain, and uncertainty. Traditional Black spirituals “Deep River” and “We Shall Walk through the Valley” continue the program’s exploration of faith, perseverance, and hope.
The concert concludes with two works centered explicitly on the idea of returning home: Dvořák’s “Goin’ Home” and “The Road Home” from Southern Harmony by Stephen Paulus, followed by “Homeward Bound” by Marta Keen, with additional music by Gustav Holst.
The inaugural Chamber Choir of Northern New York features Ian Bailey, Emily Buliung, Kenzie Caccamo, Manny Coleman, Julie DeLaurentis, Rebecca Gatto, Caden Gibbens, Gabriela Jimenez, Jack Kalteux, Julian Lamar, Rebeckah Lucia, and Ben Randles.
Dr. Klykken holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Michigan and a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from the Eastman School of Music. His conducting and creative work focuses on evolving choral practices for the 21st century, including the relationship between historical performance practices and contemporary improvisation.
The Orchestra of Northern New York (ONNY) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing exceptional orchestral and musical experiences to audiences throughout the North Country. ONNY receives funding in part from the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.