The Orchestra of Northern New York (ONNY), the North Country’s only year-round professional symphony orchestra, is launching a new family-centered outreach initiative this spring: ONNY Pops Up!
Designed to spotlight the talents of ONNY musicians, ONNY Pops Up! aims to build new community partnerships, expand the orchestra’s capacity for future outreach, and bring live music into unexpected spaces. The program focuses on increasing public engagement—especially among youth and families—by offering performances outside traditional concert halls.
The program is chaired by ONNY bassoonist and board director Max Grube, who also serves as Internship Coordinator at SUNY Potsdam’s Lougheed Center for Applied Learning. Grube says, "We're excited to launch "ONNY Pops Up!" in spaces across the North Country. With the goal of enhancing community connection through music, this series will feature pop-up concerts in new and/or unexpected spaces (with an initial focus on family and youth programming). This series has something for all listeners—audience members can expect a range of musical styles, instrumentation, and engaging demos from ONNY musicians. Please be in community with us, wherever "ONNY Pops Up" next!"
The inaugural ONNY Pops Up! event will take place Saturday, April 11 at 11 a.m. at the North Country Children’s Museum. The Potsdam Brass Quintet will perform, and all attendees will receive a free keepsake from the event. Admission is free for NCCM members and $10 for non-member adults and children ages one and up.
Additional ONNY Pops Up! performances will feature string quartets drawn from the orchestra. Upcoming dates include events at the Frederic Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg in June and Boldt Castle in Alexandria Bay in July.
Other members of ONNY’s Outreach Committee include principal cellist Marie-Elaine Gagnon, assistant concertmaster Maggie McKenna, and Crane School of Music student apprentices Michael Wong ’26 and Alyssa Spina ’26.
Now in its 38th season, ONNY is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Its next major performance, Summon the Heroes, celebrates American composers and features Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait, narrated by Dr. P. Wesley Roy, Assistant Professor of Choral Music Education at the Crane School of Music. Performances are on April 25 in Potsdam and April 26 in Watertown.
For more information, visit onny.org or call/text 315-212-3440.