Community music

I grew up in the NYC area surrounded by a large extended family of first- and second-generation Italian immigrants, most hailing from Sicily. I enjoyed the musical aftermath of our extended family visits where uncles and cousins would play their mandolins and guitars after sharing a traditional meal and lively conversation! 

I recently received one of my uncle’s Gibson mandolins from my cousin that was hanging on his wall and during a recent visit, it was offered and became my current musical obsession.

I don’t always think to mention it. I’m so used to it, that in most situations I pretty much forget about it, until someone asks me if I’m nervous or wonders if they’re making me uncomfortable.

“Oh no, I’m not worried. My hands just shake! It’s called Essential Tremor.”

It’s something I’ve had as long as I can remember – at least since third grade, when I went to a neurologist. I remember three things about that visit:

According to an article in The Daily News, the Genesee Symphony Orchestra is dipping its toes into the world of playing live music with movies.

Music Director Shade Zajac says that they are trying it out first on their holiday concert on December 10th – with the animated holiday classic “The Snowman” and its music by Howard Blake.

Throughout this afternoon and evening, music will be filling the streets around Rochester.

The first annual Make Music Rochester event is modeled after a Parisian tradition that began in 1982 as a tribute to the Summer Solstice.

Maria Furgiuele, interim executive director at the Community Design Center, is one of the organizers of the one day celebration. She recalls being in France 30 years ago and experiencing the original event that inspired it.

As we're wrapping up our celebration of Music in Our Schools Month, here is one more entry in our guide to community music groups. 

Although I started this series of posts thinking of adult musicians who wished to get back into playing and singing (or start something new), we had a few requests to list opportunities for students. 

Every year around the world, musicians gather and celebrate the music of Johann Sebastian Bach with performances, focusing on bringing his music to places that it is not normally heard. The project is called “Bach in the Subways."  This year, for Bach’s 332nd birthday, there are several performances in Rochester.

Band, choir, orchestra…these groups are all pretty familiar ideas. For this installment in our guide to opportunities to get involved in community music in Rochester and the surrounding region, I have for you a list of other groups, which don’t fit into such neat categories. 

Here is a list of community orchestras. And a list of choirs and choruses.  What about community bands?

We’ve got some great ones, and this is an area where I am sure that I am missing someone, so please let me know in the comments (or via email) if there is a group that should be added to this list. 

Calling all singers!

“Oh, I’m not really a singer you say, I just really like to sing when the hymns come in church, or “I haven’t been in choir since school…”, or you only sing in the shower.  Then again, maybe you are a seriously trained singer, with the keenest of ears and truest of voices, looking for a group to really challenge you…

At all levels and in many different styles of music, there are choirs that would love to have you sing with them!  This post is the second installment of our series on how to get involved in community music (Part I listed the local community orchestras).