News

Hailed for his “trademark brilliance, penetrating sound and rich character” (New York Times), clarinetist Anthony McGill is one of classical music’s most recognizable and brilliantly multifaceted figures. In addition to his dynamic international solo and chamber music career, McGill is principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic—the first African-American principal player in the organization's history. In 2020, McGill was awarded the Avery Fisher Prize, one of classical music’s most significant awards given in recognition of soloists who represent the highest level of musical excellence.

“A Conversation with Anthony McGill” will feature this internationally renowned artist in a 30-minute interview conducted by Kenneth Andrews, Music Director of the Orchestra of Northern New York on Friday, April 23 at 6:00 p.m. Patrons may register to attend the livestream for free by visiting onny.org/event.  While registering, there will be an opportunity to submit a question for Mr. McGill.

McGill will share his thoughts about diversity in American orchestras, his thoughts on various concertos that he performs, and respond to questions submitted in advance when viewers register to attend.

He was originally scheduled to appear in ONNY’s spring concert on April 24 and 25, both performances of which were canceled due to the ongoing pandemic. ONNY personnel are hopeful that McGill will be available to solo in an ONNY concert later this year, but confirmation may not be come until late summer.

In the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, McGill launched a powerful musical protest video urging people to #TakeTwoKnees in demonstration against the death of George Floyd and historic racial injustice. His video went viral, and hundreds of artists and citizens amplified the message and responded to the protest with their own videos using the hashtag #TakeTwoKnees.

McGill is an ardent advocate for helping music education reach underserved communities and for addressing issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in classical music.

A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, McGill previously served as the principal clarinet of the Metropolitan Opera and associate principal clarinet of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. In demand as a teacher, he serves on the faculty of The Juilliard School, Curtis Institute of Music, and Bard College-Conservatory of Music. In fall 2020, he was named Artist-in-Residence at the Cali School of Music at Montclair State University.

He is also a member of the board of directors for the League of American Orchestras, of which ONNY is a member.

Photo credit: Eric Rudd Photography

Dear ONNY Friends,

'Tis the season for giving, and ONNY has been fortunate to receive a few special gifts in recent days that I wish to share with you. Perhaps they will inspire you to make a year-end donation.

Last week’s mail brought a $2,000 check from Jim Parks and Donna Behnke, Potsdam. When I called to thank them personally, Donna explained they usually travel, which is not possible now because of the pandemic. She and Jim decided to donate their travel funds to arts organizations, ONNY being one of the lucky ones.  

Jim and Donna, your gift will help ONNY create beautiful music for people to face the challenges of these day. We sincerely thank you.

A recent phone call from Brenda Healey, Potsdam, resulted in a gift from her family of two pieces of music for the Mozart & McGill concert planned for April. We look forward to welcoming Anthony McGill, internationally-renowned soloist and Principal Clarinet, NY Philharmonic, as the featured soloist for that concert. We are grateful to Brenda and her family for their ongoing support.

Purchasing music or covering rental costs is a great way to help reduce ONNY expenses. The donor’s name is permanently recognized on the work in ONNY’s music library, and acknowledged on the program page of the concert in which it is performed. 

photo_flynn.jpg

Ann decided to donate $2,500 to sponsor a chair in the Orchestra in honor of her mother, who chose ONNY's Principal oboe chair, filled by Anna Hendrickson.

Then, another $2,500 was received to commission a new piece of music about the St. Lawrence River, the shores on which her mother spent her childhood. The piece is made possible by Geraldine Kavanaugh Flynn and her husband, Dr. Charles Flynn, in memory of Clifford and Margaret (Peg) Kavanaugh, Syracuse and Thousand Island Park, NY (shown here).

ONNY violinist, Gretchen Koehler, and NCPR personality and ONNY narrator at our holiday concert a few years, Barb Heller, spoke via Zoom with Mrs. Flynn recently to elicit her memories of growing up on the river. They will incorporate her recollections of the sounds of the river in the new work. It will premiere at three performances of ONNY’s summer Pops concert in July 2021, one of which is tentatively planned to take place at Thousand Island Park on July 2.

The moral of this story - There are many ways to support this cultural gem in the region.

Memorial gifts honor a lost loved one. This year, several friends of the late Eric Thacher, a loyal ONNY concertgoer, made donations in his memory. ONNY and Eric's sons, Jeff and Andy, are grateful for this special remembrance in their father's memory.

ONNY Personnel Manager, Jill Rubio, and ONNY's former Orchestra Librarian, Keith Ziemba, are both monthly donors, as am I. This is an easy way to have an affordable monthly donation add up to a substantial annual gift. Consider joining us as monthly givers.

Other supporters, such as Board Director and Social Media Coordinator, Rebecca Weissman, contributed to ONNY’s Endowment Fund. These donations are matched by the Northern New York Community Foundation, up to $10,000. Thanks, Rebecca, for doubling your gift.

If you enjoyed our new ONNY ONLINE programs, including interesting interviews by Music Director Ken Andrews, fascinating conversations with ONNY's immediate past president Tim Savage, and performances by our talented professional musicians, please consider becoming a sponsor of ONNY ONLINE offerings. Support of this new endeavor is critical because the pool of funds is almost dry! Our sincere thanks to Nikki Coates of Nikki Coates & Associates, Potsdam, and Robert Tarnow of Light Touch Acupuncture, Massena, for their generous support of this effort.

On behalf of the 25,000+ viewers of ONNY ONLINE in just the first three months, I wish to extend sincere gratitude to the following organizations and individuals that provided the seed money to launch this digital initiative in September: NYS Council on the Arts, a state agency, with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the NYS Legislature; Northern New York Community Foundation; ONNY President Kimberly Busch, and her husband, Gary, Hannawa Falls; her parents, Gary and Mary Ellen Morgan, West Winfield, NY; and Tim Savage, and his wife, Jill, an ONNY musician, Canton. 

Another great way to support ONNY is to purchase The ONNY Family Online Cookbook, First Edition, a fundraising project of ONNY’s Watertown Advisory Committee. You know it's an authentic ONNY publication because musicians submitted the greatest number of recipes AND desserts are the hightest number of submissions!

ONNY also encourages its patrons to shop locally, sustaining small businesses that have been and continue to be generous advertisers and donors. In August, more than 40 businesses donated great prizes for our golf tournament's silent auction and raffles, even in these difficult economic times.  As a result, the proceeds of this fundraiser tripled compared to last year.

Finally, If you do shop on Amazon, please designate ONNY as your charity of choice for AmazonSmile, where a percentage of your purchase is forwarded to the Orchestra.

Regardless of the amount or designated purpose of a gift, a year-end donation to ONNY is much needed and would be greatly appreciated. My sincere thanks to all ONNY supporters, especially those who have already renewed their support in recent weeks. Please consider becoming a cherished patron by making a contribution before December 31st.  Visit onny.org/support for easy online giving, send your gift to PO Box 488, Potsdam, NY 13676, or call me at 315-212-3440 to make a gift with your credit card.

During the busy and sometimes stressful holidays, remember: music is a time-honored and effective self-prescribed therapy. 

Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind,
flight to the imagination and life to everything.
                                                                         Plato

Wishing You and Yours Safe, Happy Holidays, and All the Best in the New Year!

Sincerely,

Kathy Del Guidice
Executive Director

The North Country’s only year-round professional symphony orchestra honors veterans and active duty personnel with a musical tribute this Veterans Day 2020.

The Orchestra of Northern New York has produced a six-minute video, with the help of Massena AMVETS Post 4 members, to thank all Americans who have served or are serving in our armed forces for their dedication and sacrifice.

Each year at its summer Pops concert, the Orchestra performs “Armed Forces Salute,” a medley of theme songs of five of the branches of the armed services. Music Director and Conductor Kenneth Andrews invites veterans and active duty military in the audience to stand and be recognized by those present, a particularly memorable part of each performance as the crowd erupts with applause.

For many years, veterans from Massena AMVETS Post 4 have presented the flags during this musical piece. They do so again in the video from Veterans Memorial Park in Massena. ONNY thanks publicly: Fred Cockayne, Disabled American Veterans Commander; Ken Kells, Post 4 Commander; Tim Mattice, Second Commander; Larry Paige, Sons Officer; and Ken Sequin, American Veterans Officer.

ONNY’s musical tribute will be posted at 8 a.m., Wednesday, November 11th on its website, www.onny.org, and on social media.

During the pandemic, the Orchestra is fulfilling its mission without live concerts for the first time in its 33rd year by offering “New Experiences Through Blended Programming.” Five new ONNY ONLINE programs include interviews of its professional musicians and staff by Music Director Andrews; conversations between donors, board members , and even a Young Artist Competition participant and former Board President Timothy Savage; a variety of performances by ONNY’s professional  musicians; and two programs geared for children - Improv Sessions with ONNY Musicians, coordinated by Massena Central School District Director of Orchestras, Amalio “Mario” Pratti, and free Mini Music Lessons.

All ONNY programs are supported in part by the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency, with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the NYS Legislature; and the Northern New York Community Foundation, Watertown.

For more information or to make a donation in support of ONNY’s online programs,  contact Executive Director Kathy Del Guidice at 315-212-3440 or executivedirector@onny.org.

Dear Friends, 

The entire ONNY family has missed seeing you since we gave our last concert in December 2019. All of us hope that you and yours are safe and healthy.

In recent months, many creative people have been collaborating to develop programming for our 33rd year. It is my pleasure to announce a blended season of traditional live concerts and new digital programs for 2020-2021.

ONNY ONLINE includes five new programs that begin on September 8th on our website, www.onny.org/online. Select segments from these offerings will also appear on Facebook and Instagram, so be sure to follow ONNY on those social media platforms.

Tuesday Talks with the Maestro features interviews with past and present ONNY musicians, soloists and other ONNY personalities. Learn more about the interesting lives of our musicians as well as their thoughts on various aspects of music.

Behind the Scenes of ONNY is hosted by well-known musician, educator and immediate past president of the ONNY Board of Directors, Tim Savage. His conversations with ONNY sponsors, donors, staff, volunteers, even a Young Artist Competition participant, are fascinating. 

Improv Sessions with ONNY Musicians, coordinated by Mario Pratti, ONNY bassist and well-known music teacher in Massena schools, enables young people in Grades 5-12 to express their feelings through music. Each student will receive personalized feedback from ONNY musicians about their improvised piece.  

Mini Music Lessons with ONNY Musicians offer the opportunity for young people and people young at heart to receive a free one-on-one tutorial via a live Zoom session. Visit the ONNY website for details about how to request a lesson.

Finally, don’t miss ONNY Beyond the Stage, short videos in which our professional musicians perform solo or small ensemble works from their home or other settings outside the concert hall. I am confident you will enjoy this inside look at the creative process and these intimate performances.

This year, ONNY’s primary goal is to Manage Change. We wish you well as you, too, face these ever-evolving and challenging times. Be sure to visit www.onny.org often and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest information about concert venues, dates and times and the new ONNY ONLINE programs.

Watch your email for the invitation to “Toast the Season,” a live Zoom session at 7 pm, Sunday, September 27, when the three-concert season will be announced.

Thank you for your past and continuing support.

Sincerely,
Kenneth Andrews