Cooperstown Observed by Sam Goodyear

The Hills Are Alive…

Bingo! Yes. You got it. The hills are alive with the sound of music. And how sweet it is.

Before too long, when summer will be upon us, there will be soaring solos, passionate duets, gentle trios, and lofty choruses wafting down Otsego Lake from The Glimmerglass Festival, the eminent opera company celebrating its 50th year. It had its noble beginnings in the Cooperstown High School auditorium and has risen to prominence big time. People come from all over the world to savor its riches. Bravi tutti!

That’s for starters. Into the mix, infusing our lovely hills, we have, for example, the Fenimore Chamber Orchestra, with concerts featuring seasoned professionals as well as budding young musicians. Lucky us!

Are you familiar with the Cooperstown Summer Music Festival? If so, you know its excellence. If not, you have a world of deep pleasure ahead of you.

You are aware of Samye Hermitage, the Tibetan Buddhist center on Glimmerglen Road, yes? In addition to the peace and tranquility to be found there, there are various events for the enrichment of heart and soul, including concerts July 4th and 5th presenting music for Indian flute and sitar. Talk about a musical mix!

On Tuesday evenings throughout the summer, there are concerts at Lakefront Park, musical fare for the whole family. The music is a joy and the scenery is not too shabby.

And let’s not forget the Voices of Cooperstown. Our village abounds in singers of notable distinction. Check it out. And while you’re at it, applaud the performers at the farmers’ market on a Saturday morning and express your appreciation with a friendly contribution to their well-being.

In the meantime, you must surely be hearing the soaring solos, the passionate duets, and the gentle trios, and lofty choruses courtesy of chirping, twittering, cawing, warbling birds among us. How sweet it is, indeed.

Sam Goodyear was born in Cooperstown and, because of his father’s profession in the Foreign Service, grew up all over the world and continued that pattern throughout his adult life until two years ago, when he returned to where he was born. It took him only 80 years to do so.