News from the Noteworthy from Catskill Symphony Orchestra

CSO Kicks Off ‘Boundless’ New Season

Confession: I know the phrase “symphony orchestra” can conjure images of stuffy concert halls, uncomfortable formalwear, and the vague fear that one might clap at the wrong moment and everyone will know you do not belong. I am here to tell you, on behalf of the Catskill Symphony Orchestra, that none of that is true here—and we would love for you to find that out in person.

Here is why that is worth noting. There is no other ensemble in our region that brings together this many professional musicians, performing this scope of repertoire, at this level of artistry. The CSO is, in a very real sense, the orchestral high water mark of our area’s cultural life—a full symphony orchestra rooted in Otsego County and reaching across the Catskill and Leatherstocking regions, in a part of New York State where that kind of institution is genuinely rare. That is not a small thing for a community our size to sustain, and it is not something we take for granted.

This fall, the CSO launches its 73rd season, and we have given it a name that doubles as a dare: “Boundless.” It is a season built on the idea that great music belongs to everyone, not just the folks who already know the difference between an adagio and an allegro (for the record, one is slow, one is fast—you are welcome). Across five concerts, we are serving up everything from Halloween theatrics to cinematic showstoppers, alongside the kind of masterworks that have been giving people goosebumps for centuries.

We are opening things up on Saturday, September 26 with a concert called “American Legends,” and honestly, it might be the most fun front door we have ever built for newcomers. The evening features acclaimed pianist Lisa Leonard, Copland’s stirring “A Lincoln Portrait,” and Dvořák’s beloved “New World” Symphony—three works that, together, ask what it means to sound American. It is a fitting nod to our nation’s 250th anniversary, performed in the same spirit of reflection and celebration the milestone calls for. The program also includes the New York State premiere of a new composition by our own Artistic Director and Conductor Glen Cortese, meaning audiences will be among the first in the state to hear it. Add to that special narration from Oneonta Mayor Dan Buttermann, and this is a night that is part concert, part hometown celebration, part “I did not know classical music could feel like this.”

Here is the thing about live orchestral music that recordings simply cannot capture: It is physical. You feel the low brass in your chest. You watch 50-some musicians somehow breathe together as one. It is the kind of experience that sneaks up on you—you go in curious, and you leave a little bit changed. That is the whole idea behind “Boundless”: There really is something in this season for the curious first-timer and the lifelong subscriber alike.

And that brings me to the part of this I care about most. All students, from school-age through college, always get in free to CSO concerts, no exceptions, no fine print. Accompanying parents, guardians or chaperones pay just $10.00, thanks to the generosity of the Wendy Brown Student Ticket Program. An institution of this scale is only as noteworthy as it is accessible, and we built that program because we believe the next generation of musicians and music lovers should not have to wait until they can afford a ticket to fall in love with this music. So bring the kids. Bring the grandkids. Bring the neighbor’s kid (somewhere, someplace, a parent needs a night off!).

Otsego County and the surrounding region have always shown up for the arts, and we cannot wait to open our season together on September 26 at the Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center in Oneonta. Come see what “Boundless” sounds like.

For tickets and season details, visit the Catskill Symphony Orchestra online (www.catskillsymphony.org) or reach out (607) 269-7501. We would love to help you find your seat.

The Catskill Symphony Orchestra has served the Catskill and Leatherstocking regions for 73 years, bringing world-class orchestral music to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Ian Kenyon of Cooperstown has served on its Board of Directors and is currently CSO’s general director.