News from the Noteworthy from Catskill Symphony Orchestra
Acclaimed Artists To Perform at Foothills
As the Catskill Symphony Orchestra prepares to launch its 72nd season on Saturday, September 20 at Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center in Oneonta, we are reminded of a truly original cultural treasure that calls our region home. CSO’s season opener, “Iconic Legends,” brings together two remarkable international artists whose presence here demonstrates the orchestra’s unique ability to attract world-class talent to our shared Catskill and Leatherstocking regions.
First among our noteworthy guests is pianist Philip Edward Fisher, a virtuoso whose credentials read like a classical music dream. A graduate of both the Royal Academy of Music and The Juilliard School, Fisher has graced stages from Alice Tully Hall in New York to the Wigmore Hall in London, and from the Royal Festival Hall to Symphony Hall in Birmingham. “New York Lifestyles Magazine” describes him as “one of the world’s most accomplished classical pianists,” and his performances with orchestras like the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Copenhagen Philharmonic have earned him the prestigious Julius Isserlis Award from The Royal Philharmonic Society in London. That such an internationally acclaimed artist chooses to perform Brahms’ monumental Piano Concerto No. 1 with the CSO orchestra speaks volumes about the orchestra’s reputation and artistic standards.
Equally noteworthy is 32-year-old composer Marc Migó, who is flying in from Barcelona specifically for the world premiere of his “The Ecstasy of St. Teresa.” Winner of the Leo Kaplan Award 2023 and currently completing his doctorate at Juilliard, Migó represents the best of contemporary classical composition. Described as “one of the most internationally acclaimed young Catalan composers of classical music,” his presence transforms our concert from a performance into a historic moment—the birth of a new work witnessed first right here in our back yard.
These artistic partnerships illuminate why the Catskill Symphony Orchestra remains vital to our region’s cultural ecosystem. For 72 years, the CSO has served as more than an entertainment venue; it’s an educational institution that opens doors for young minds. Through the Wendy Brown Student Ticket Fund, every school-age and college student receives free admission, while their parents, guardians, and chaperones pay only $10.00. This isn’t charity—it is an investment in cultural literacy, exposing the next generation to music that spans centuries and crosses continents.
The educational impact extends beyond the concert hall. When students witness Fisher’s technical mastery of Brahms or hear Migó discuss his creative process, they experience art as a living, breathing force. These encounters plant seeds that can blossom into lifelong appreciation for classical music or even inspire future musicians and composers. Creativity has no standard formula—it requires constant experimentation and exploration. Is our next legendary figure among us?
But perhaps most importantly, events like these prove that exceptional art belongs everywhere, not just in major metropolitan centers. The CSO’s ability to attract artists of Fisher and Migó’s caliber demonstrates that our fair and bucolic region deserves—and can sustain—cultural experiences of the highest order.
The CSO’s season theme, “The Orchestral Kaleidoscope,” reflects this philosophy perfectly. Like a symphony itself, it truly takes an entire community—musicians, board members, volunteers, donors, and audience members—working in harmony to create something greater than the sum of its parts.
As we gather on September 20 to celebrate these noteworthy artists and launch another season of musical excellence, we are not just attending a concert. We are participating in the continuation of a 72-year legacy that enriches our community, educates our youth, and proves that world-class art can flourish anywhere there are people passionate enough to sustain it.
You are invited, and you know where to find the tickets: www.catskillsymphony.org.
Ian Kenyon is vice chair of the Catskill Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors.
