Each year at The State University of New York at Fredonia, three of our ensembles have the opportunity to tour the region in a rotation that allows broad exposure for our groups. The Chamber Choir, the Woodwind Quintet, and the Chamber Orchestra toured in the Spring of 2013, and they covered much of New York and also part of Pennsylvania.
The Fredonia Wind Quintet teamed up with a student woodwind quintet on a tour to the New York City area. Calling themselves The Fredonia Winds, they put together a program of largely contemporary works, including Ligeti, Nielsen and Berio, and did performances and workshops at seven different schools in the city and on Long Island. The Chamber Choir performed and worked with the students at Olean High School and also at Norwin and North Hills High Schools near Pittsburgh. While there, they took in a performance at the Pittsburgh Opera and visited the Warhol Museum. The Chamber Orchestra went to Buffalo, Rochester, Albany and the Hudson Valley area, doing performances and interactions with students at 11 different schools over a very busy three days.
The purposes of touring are to attract and recruit students, to expand the reputation of the music programs, and to give our students an enriching experience. The faculty believes that the best touring is designed to do all three.
Plans are underway for next year's tours, which are to include select members of the choruses, student chamber groups, and the Wind Ensemble. If you would like to inquire about the opportunity to have one of our ensembles visit your school, please contact Jennifer Darrell-Sterbak at sterbajd@fredonia.edu.