SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music Welcomes Audiences for Upcoming Free Performances
The Hosmer Choir will present a joint concert with the Crane Concert Choir at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music on Friday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m., in the Sara M. Snell Music Theater.
SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music will showcase its talented student ensembles and faculty artists in a series of nearly daily live performances throughout the month.
All performances are free, and the public is invited to attend.
The Crane Jazz Band and Crane Giroux Honors Jazz Combo will join forces for a joint performance tonight, Wednesday, April 8, at 7:30 p.m., in the Proscenium Theater, located in the Performing Arts Center. Directed by SeungYoung Hong, the concert will open with the Giroux Honors Jazz Combo presenting a set titled “Sing,” with works by Kenny Garrett, Frank Loesser, Bobby Timmons, Hoagy Carmichael and Harold Arlen. Following an intermission, the Crane Jazz Band will offer their program, “More Blues Perspectives.” Their set will include pieces by Neal Hefti, Bob Mintzer, Miles Davis, John Fedchock, Duke Ellington and Oliver Nelson.
The Crane Percussion Ensemble will present their spring concert tomorrow evening, on Thursday, April 9 at 7:30 p.m., in the Sara M. Snell Music Theater.
On Friday, April 10, the Hosmer Choir and Crane Concert Choir will present a shared performance, titled “Light.” The concert will be offered at 7:30 p.m., also in Snell Theater. The Hosmer Choir will open the performance with “Holding the Light” by B.E. Boykin, “Ave Maris Stella” by Trond Kverno, “Mighty Flame Dharani” by Reed Criddle, and an arrangement of “The Storm is Passing Over.” The Concert Choir performance will kick off with an excerpt from Dr. Carl Sagan’s “Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space,” leading into “Cells Planets” by Erika Lloyd. The choir will present works by Jean-Philippe Rameau, Katerina Gimon and Crane School of Music student Maria Tartaglia, followed by a set of traditional Brazilian folksongs. They will also present a rendition of the Moses Hogan arrangement of “Deep River,” a recitation of the Maya Angelou poem “A Brave and Startling Truth,” and an excerpt from “Considering Matthew Shepard,” by Craig Hella Johnson. Closing out the evening, the combined choirs will join together as the Crane Chorus, to present an arrangement of Richard Smallwood’s gospel work, “Total Praise.”
Assistant Professor of Percussion Dr. Emma Gierszal will present a faculty recital featuring guest artists Sammy DeAngelis and Andrew Bockman, on Monday, April 13 at 7:30 p.m., also in Snell. The trio, 3D Percussion, will present a program of six newly commissioned works, titled “IMPRINTS.” “IMPRINTS” explores the history of percussive styles from conventional pitched material to pieces that use new instruments, theatrical movements and technology.
The Crane Concert Band will take the stage on Wednesday, April 15, in the Helen M. Hosmer Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m., conducted by Jill Nelson Roberts. The Crane Concert Band performance will open with Kevin Day’s “Rocketship!,” “Danceries” by Kenneth Hesketh and “Febris Ver” by Nancy Galbraith. Following a brief intermission, the band will present David Biedenbender’s “Melodious Thunk,” Erika Malpass’ “Out of a Mountain of Despair” and George Gershwin’s “Cuban Overture,” arranged by R. Mark Rogers.
The Crane Symphonic Band will follow with its spring concert on Thursday, April 16, with a concert at 7:30 p.m., also in Hosmer Hall. Directed by Dr. Brian K. Doyle, the band will present Edward Gregson’s “Festivo,” followed by alumnus John O’Reilly’s “Hudson River Suite,” and “Three Dances from ‘Gayaneh,’” featuring selections from a ballet by Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian. Following a pause, the band will return with Clifton Williams’ “Symphonic Dance Suite No. 3, ‘Fiesta’” and Alfred Reed’s “Third Suite, ‘Scenes de Ballet,’” concluding the performance with “Metroplex: Three Postcards from Manhattan” by Robert Sheldon.
Continuing the busy schedule of student performances, The Crane School of Music is also set to offer upcoming concerts by:
- The Eclectic Ensemble, performing Friday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m., in Snell Theater.
- The Crane Latin Ensemble, performing Monday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m., in the Proscenium Theater.
- The Crane Jazz Ensemble, performing Tuesday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m., also in the Proscenium.
- The Crane Wind Ensemble, performing Wednesday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m., in Hosmer Hall.
- The Crane West African Drum and Dance Ensemble, performing on Friday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m., in the Proscenium Theater.
The events are a community benefit of being home to one of the premier schools of music in the nation—and thanks to livestreaming, anyone anywhere can watch and enjoy. For program details and more information on these and other upcoming performances, please visit the Live in Concert webpage.
About The Crane School of Music:
Founded in 1886, SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music has a long legacy of excellence in music education and performance. Life at Crane includes an incredible array of more than 300 recitals, lectures and concerts presented by faculty, students and guests each year. The Crane School of Music is the State University of New York’s only All-Steinway institution and was one of the first Yamaha Institutions of Excellence. For more information, please visit the Crane School of Music webpage.