News

POTSDAM - Some of the most beautiful and poignant music from the pen of Johann Sebastian Bach will be performed when the Orchestra of Northern New York, the North Country's only year-round professional symphony orchestra, presents its winter Baroque concert on January 27 and 28.

Performances will be 7:30 p.m., Saturday, January 27 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Watertown, and 3:00 p.m., Sunday, January 28 at St. Mary's Church in Potsdam.

The program opens with the exhilarating Sinfonia from one of Bach's masterpieces, Cantata 42. It continues with two legendary Brandenburg concerti - Concerto No. 3 and Concerto No. 4, and concludes with the sublime grandeur of his Orchestral Suite No. 1.

Featured soloists include Maestro Kenneth Andrews will join ONNY's principal flutist Jill Rubio, and Concertmaster John Lindsey on violin for the Brandenburg Concert No. 4. Andrews, who founded the Orchestra 30 years ago, teaches flute at the Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam. Jill Rubio, a member of the Crane woodwind faculty and adjunct flute teacher at Crane, teaches band at Potsdam Central School.  John Lindsey is also a founding member of ONNY, and retired Crane Professor Emeritus.

Tickets are available online at www.onny.org, by calling 315-267-2277, or at the door.

The Orchestra is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization. It is funded, in part,  by the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency, with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.  (required statement of credit)

Please remember your local professional orchestra during this gift-giving season.  If you wish to make a year-end donation, return this form with check or credit card information to: ONNY, PO Box 488, Potsdam, NY 13676.

Click here to learn more about supporting ONNY.

This annual report is Intended to keep ONNY stakeholders informed of the Orchestra's state of affairs as it marks its 30th season of making LIVE music in the North Country.  The report is available here.

Dear Patrons,

Welcome to the Orchestra of Northern New York’s 2017-2018 season, celebrating 30 years of artistry and passion through performances of LIVE orchestral music. As we have done for three decades, we offer a wide array of brilliant orchestral masterpieces from our classics to our pops series.

Come hear why this Orchestra is heralded as “one of the Sweetest Sounds in New York” by the I Love NY campaign. We know you will enjoy these great programs performed by world-class soloists and inspired professional musicians from Northern New York and beyond.

I look forward to seeing you at our concerts. Thank you for your continued support over these many years, which has enabled us to reach this milestone.

Kenneth Andrews, Music Director 

Photo credit: Justin Sorensen

POTSDAM - Thanks to the generous donations of many friends of the Orchestra of Northern New York, a garage sale too large to fit in a garage will be held at the Pine Street Arena during the Potsdam Summer Festival, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Saturday, July 15.

The biggest fundraiser for the orchestra each year, the junque sale this year includes gently-used items such as jewelry, candles, books, toys, small household appliances, dishes, glassware, mugs, cooking utensils, a teapot collection, and lots of knick-knacks. Also for sale are gardening supplies and lawn chairs, fans, office supplies, and Christmas items.

There are several antiques, too, such as steamer trunks, tools, baskets, and a cow horn cutter. No kitchen sink, but windows will be for sale.

Other items include sporting equipment such as tennis rackets, golf clubs, a bicycle, baseball bats, and camping gear. Among the furniture items are tables, chairs, a high chair and a bed frame.

To donate items for the sale, call 315-265-6384 to arrange for drop-off before July 12.

The Orchestra of Northern New York is the only professional, year-round symphony orchestra in the North Country, celebrating its 30th season beginning this October.

POTSDAM - The public is invited to bring a vet to the Orchestra of Northern New York's summer pops concert to be recognized by the audience for their service and sacrifice to our country.  Each year, the Orchestra asks those in attendance who are veterans or active duty military personnel to stand and receive the thanks of those in attendance.

This year, the 62-piece Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Kenneth Andrews, will host two performances of American Pops and Summer Jazz at 8 pm, Monday, July 3 in Watertown's Thompson Park and 7 pm, Tuesday, July 4 in SUNY Potsdam’s Hosmer Hall.

The program opens with O' Canada and the Star Spangled Banner, followed by the Armed Forces Salute and American Patrol as the Orchestra's salute to military personnel.

A medley of Duke Ellington music precedes Deep Fascinating Things that features the music of Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin and George Gershwin.

The second half of the program begins with A Salute to the Big Bands, followed by Sincerely Sinatra! - a world premiere arrangement by noted jazz trombonist and arranger Bret Zvacek. He is Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies at the Crane School of Music as well as a clinician and performing artist for the Yamaha Corporation of America. He is also a charter member of ONNY.

The program concludes with the 1812 Overture and The Stars and Stripes Forever.

The July 3rd performance in Watertown's Thompson Park is free. Festivities begin at 5 pm with the Double Barrel Blues Band, continue at 7:30 pm with welcome speeches and at 8 pm with the ONNY concert.  Fireworks immediately follow the concert.

Tickets for the July 4th Potsdam performance are $22 adults, $18 senior citizens and military, free for children (6-17) and $5 for college students with I.D. The program begins at 7 pm so it will end in time to enjoy fireworks offered in the region. Coupons for $5 off each ticket can be found in local and regional newspapers this week.

The Orchestra of Northern New York, celebrating its 29th year, is the North Country’s only professional year-round symphony orchestra. It is funded, in part, by the Northern New York Community Foundation and the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the NYS Legislature.

For tickets or more information, call 315-267-2277 or visit www.onny.org.

POTSDAM - Some of Mozart's most beautiful arias will be sung by Jonathan Stinson, baritone, and Samantha Stinson, soprano, when the Orchestra of Northern New York performs its spring concert.

Mostly Mozart will be presented for two performances only: 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 22 at Hosmer Hall, SUNY Potsdam and 3:00 p.m., Sunday, April 23 at First Presbyterian Church, Watertown.

The program opens with Rossini's Overture to "La Scala di Seta" ("The Silken Ladder"), followed by the Stinsons singing arias and a duet from Act I of Mozart's opera, Don Giovannia, K. 527. Another of Mozart's famous pieces, Eine Kleine Nacht Musik (A Little Night Music), K.525 will end the first half of the program. Following a brief intermission, ONNY will perform Mozart Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K.550 

Samantha Stinson is heralded as a soprano with a "rounded, commanding top" (Chicago Broadway World). Recent operatic engagements include Mabel in Pirates of Penzance, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Yum-Yum in The Mikado, Musetta in La bohème, Mme. Goldentrill in The Impresario, and Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro. Equally comfortable on the musical theatre stage, she has appeared as Franca in The Light in the Piazza and Lily in The Secret Garden. Dr. Stinson's concert solo work includes Handel’s Messiah, Mozart's Requiem, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Bach's Weinachts Oratorium, and Beethoven’s “Choral Fantasie” and Symphony No. 9. She was most recently seen on Potsdam’s CPS series as Cinderella’s Mother in Into the Woods and Miss Andrew in Mary Poppins.

Dr. Stinson holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music, a Master of Music degree from the Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Voice Performance from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. She has previously taught on the faculties of Northern Kentucky University and the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, and is currently an Adjunct Professor of Voice at St. Lawrencee University and a voice instructor at Crane Youth Music Camp.

Jonathan Stinson, baritone, has appeared with opera companies throughout the country, including Cincinnati Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Kentucky Opera, Opera Omaha, Opera Memphis, Dayton Opera, Cleveland Opera, Central City Opera, Ohio Light Opera, and Opera New Jersey. Recent favorite roles include both Marcello and Schaunard in La bohème, Conte Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, Sid in Albert Herring, Joseph de Rocher in Dead Man Walking, and the title roles of Gianni Schicchi, Eugene Onegin, and Don Giovanni. Recent solo work has included the Requiems of Faure, Mozart, and Duruflé, the complete Bach Weinachts Oratorium, and Berlioz’s L'enfance du Christ. This April, he will sing the baritone solos in Ernest Bloch’s Avodath Hakodesh at Missouri State University.

Dr. Stinson holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin Conservatory, a Master of Music degree from Indiana University, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Voice Performance from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. He has previously taught on the faculties of Northern Kentucky University, Xavier University, College of Mount Saint Joseph, and Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Voice at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam and a voice instructor at Crane Youth Music camp.

Tickets are $22 adults, $18 seniors/military, and $5 for students, ages 6-17, and college students with I.D. For tickets, contact the CPS box office at 315-267-2277, visit onny.org, or purchase them at the door.

ONNY is supported, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency, with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the NYS Legislature, and the Northern New York Community Foundation.

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The James and Katherine Andrews 2017 Young Artist Instrumental Competition was held recently in SUNY Potsdam's Hosmer Hall. Pictured from left to right are: Kenneth Andrews, Music Director/Conductor of the Orchestra of Northern New York; John Lindsey, ONNY concertmaster and competition judge; Nicholas Cantello (French Horn), Syracuse, second place winner; Silas Smith (harp), Malone, third place winner; Hannah Sohn (cello), Colonie, first place winner; Eugenia Tsarov and John Ellis, competition judges. The competition requires students to play from memory a piece selected from an approved repertoire. Ms. Sohn will perform with the Orchestra at its upcoming concert, The Planets, at 7:30 pm, Saturday, March 18 and 3:00 pm, Sunday, March 19. For tickets or more information, visit www.onny.org or call 315-267-3251.

POTSDAM - Students from nine area public schools will have their artwork on display in SUNY Potsdam's Snell Theater lobby for the Orchestra of Northern New York's concert, The Planets - Our World and Beyond!  Concerts are 7:30 pm, Saturday, March 18 and 3:00 pm, Sunday, March 19th.

The art show includes student works that have a celestial or planetary theme. It is being coordinated by Jason Hubbard, art teacher at Norwood-Norfolk Central School, and sponsored by the ONNY Volunteer Guild.

During intermission of the Sunday performance, milk and cookies will be served in the Crane Commons, courtesy of PACES, for all children in attendance.

The ONNY concert features Gustav Holst's The Planets, and includes a multi-media presentation that will be projected onto a large screen above the orchestra. Visual artist Adrian Wyard of Seattle will coordinate the computer software that features NASA photography, original animations, and imagery from telescopes, orbiting spacecraft and rovers on the planets' surfaces, all in sync with the conductor's direction of the work.

Tickets are $22 for adults, $18 seniors and military personnel, and $5 students, ages 6-17, and college students with I.D. For tickets, call 315-267-2277, visit www.onny.org, or purchase them at the door.

POTSDAM - The Orchestra of Northern New York will combine music, science and original animation at its next concert when it performs Gustav Holst's The Planets to the accompaniment of visuals featuring NASA photography and images from roving spacecraft.

Concerts are 7:30 pm, Saturday, March 18 and 3:00 pm, Sunday, March 19 in SUNY Potsdam's Snell Theater. A pre-concert lecture will take place 45 minutes before each concert begins with music director Kenneth Andrews and Adrian Wyard, the Seattle-based visual artist, who created "The Planets Live," the visual accompaniment to Holst's The Planets.

The multi-media presentation features original animations and NASA images that are cued live to follow the conductor. The visuals faithfully reflect the spirit of each movement as they evolve bar by bar, making them true accompaniments. This approach allows the imagery to add a new dimension to the experience while Holst's music retains center stage.

Wyard is a former designer and program manager at Microsoft. He has over 20 years experience working in digital media, including computer graphics, photography, and videography as well as software design. He also has a Master's degree in the history of science from Oxford University, and has long appreciated classical music and been an enthusiastic supporter of space exploration.

While many of the visuals are original animations, everything shown has some basis in fact and has as its source data from telescopes, orbiting spacecraft, or rovers on the planets' surfaces. Source images, video and computer modeling are courtesy of NASA, JPL-Caltech, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Goddard Space Flight Center, The Space Telescope Science Institute, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Malin Space Science Systems, and The Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona, among others.

The concert opens with Strauss' Also Sprach Zaathustra, Op. 30 which was used as the introduction to 2001: A Space Odyssey followed by John Williams' The Imperial March from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

Also featured on the first half of the program will be cellist Hannah Sohn, 15, the winner of the 2017 Young Artist Instrumentalist Competition sponsored by ONNY and held in January. From Clifton Park, NY, she will perform Saint-Saens' Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 33 from memory.

The second half of the program highlights The Planets: Mars, the Bringer of War; Venus, the Bringer of Peace; Mercury, the Winged Messenger; Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity; Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age; Uranus, the Magician; and Neptune, the Mystic.

Tickets for the concert are $22 adults, $18 seniors and military personnel, $5 for students, ages 6-17, and college students with I.D.

For tickets or more information, call 315-267-2277 or visit www.onny.org.