The Daily Bulletin Archive

By Phyllis Camesano

November 23 marks the debut of Buffalo’s first college-community orchestra, the Buffalo State College Philharmonia, an initiative made possible by the vision and participation of the Buffalo State College Music Department.

The idea for a Buffalo State–based community orchestra grew out of the Music Department’s accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), which included the goal of creating a string program with an orchestra. Department chair Bradley Fuster approached Paul Ferington, who has been on the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra conducting staff for 25 years, for his planning input and music direction of the orchestra. Within months the initiative was under way.

“From the start, we envisioned the orchestra as an education ensemble in which experienced players in the community would rehearse and perform with our Buffalo State College students,” said Ferington, who conducted the Niagara Community Orchestra for 12 years. He is now adjunct music professor at Buffalo State and music director of the philharmonia.

“We want our students who are studying to be music teachers and professional musicians to have a first-rate orchestra experience from which to learn and market themselves. At the same time, we want to create engaging, high-level performances for our audiences,” he said.

The 75-member ensemble includes seven Buffalo State faculty and staff members and 33 students, both music and non-music majors. Faculty and staff members are David Abbott, instructional support specialist, Physics (cello); Ellen Barnum, lecturer, Music (bassoon); Brad Fuster, chair and professor, Music (percussion); Meredeth Lavelle, senior staff assistant, Art Conservation (bassoon); Anna Mattix, lecturer, Music (oboe); Sheldon Tetewsky, senior research analyst, Center for Health and Social Research (trumpet); and Paul Zapalowski, lecturer, Music (double bass).

In addition to its educational value, the orchestra has proved to be a great collaboration of campus and community. Experienced but nonprofessional musicians from the region have been drawn to the orchestra as a way to continue to play their instruments. There is a retired nun who comes from Lockport every Monday for rehearsals; graduates of the Juilliard School and the New England Conservatory, who are now living at home in Western New York; a woman whose cello was stolen nine years ago when she was giving birth to triplets (she showed up at the audition with her father’s cello); a high school sophomore from City Honors; and many others who are balancing work and home life with the pursuit of their art and interest.

“Through our NASM accreditation, we are building our music program and our community,” said Fuster. “It is one more reason to study music at Buffalo State and live in Western New York.”

The debut concert features the world premiere of Revels for Orchestra by composer Steve Cohen, as well selections by Brahms, Glazunov, and Strauss II. The free performance will be held from 7:30 to 9:15 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. For more information, call 878-6401 or visit www.buffalostate.edu/music.

Performances for 2010 include an April 13 “Informance,” which features a lecture and concert that chronicles the history of orchestra music, and in the fall, a concert of symphonic marches.