I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jaman Dunn, the new Assistant Conductor, Community Engagement at the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Jaman was in Rochester to participate in the Gateways Music Festival as a guest conductor. Gateways aims to connect and support professional classical musicians of African descent, and enlightens and inspires communities through the power of performance.

Siena Facciolo is a musician that channels every aspect of her being into each chord she plays or note she sings. Siena grew up in Vermont, where she started piano lessons at 6 years old and continued on to be a classically trained pianist and talented vocalist. In university, she spent two years at McGill (one year studying environmental sciences) before switching to their music program, and ultimately transferring to the University of Rochester to complete her undergraduate studies in music. As much as she enjoys performing her work, she also takes time to teach piano, and has offered private lessons throughout her music career.

On the surface of things, the plot of the new opera Blue is the simplest human story of all.

Two people fall in love and have a baby. 

But Blue, the new work by Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson, is complicated by three facts: the couple is black, the dad is a cop, and their baby is a boy.