Our Journey began in 2017 and will continue in 2024…

7 Days, 7 World Premieres, 363 Miles on the Erie Canal
July 2, 2017 - July 8, 2017

ALBANY

Water Music NY kicked off at Jennings Landing in Albany, just a few hundred yards from the original eastern terminus of the Erie Canal.

Highlights included:

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan attended this kick off event and spoke before the concert.
The Canal Corporation provided a close up demonstration to show how boats travel through the locks.
Daniel Schlosberg premiered his four movements of Canal Songs, with John Daugherty (baritone), Annika Socolofsky (soprano), and Briana "Bree" Hassell (spoken word).

A close up look at a mock lock.

Schenectady

Water Music NY continued the next day in Schenectady at Mabee Farm Historic Site, the oldest standing and workable farm in the Mohawk Valley.

Highlights included:

Some of the Albany Symphony musicians took a historical boat ride before the concert.
An incredible audience of over 5,500 people attended, leaving limited available seating on the lawn.
Annika Socolofsky premiered her quintet of movements in Beyond The Pines, in collaboration with the Capital Repertory Theatre.

Amsterdam

Riverlink Park in Amsterdam was the next location to host Water Music NY for another waterfront concert on the Fourth of July!

Highlights included:

Alex Torres and his Latin Kings livened up the crowd with some pre-concert salsa music and dancing.
Congressman Paul Tonko, a native to Amsterdam, spoke before the concert -- and also attended the first four Water Music NY concerts!
Angélica Negrón premiered her five-part composition, Mapping, which featured a Water Synthesizer: six acrylic vases, each filled with colorful water, played as an electronic musical instrument.

Little Falls

Next stop was Canal Place in Little Falls, home to the Mohawk Valley Arts Center and Lock 17 -- one of the highest historic lift locks in the state!

Highlights included:

Local vendors and artisans showcased their talents, including beautiful artwork, homemade goods, tasty treats, and more!
Little Falls Mayor Mark Blask attended and spoke before the concert.
Ben Wallace premiered his two movements of The Little Falls Lock, inspired by the 1912 Little Falls textile workers strike and the Herkimer Quartz, or, The Little Falls Diamond.

Baldwinsville

Water Music NY continued the next day on Paper Mill Island in Baldwinsville, located right next to Lock 24.

Highlights included:

Members of the Albany Symphony staff and the Water Music NY camera crew were taken on an early morning tugboat ride, aboard Tug Syracuse with Captain Wendy as their tour guide.
Over 50 vendors and artists participated in the Baldwinsville Canal Arts Festival, featuring paintings, jewelry, delicious food, and so much more!
Ryan Chase premiered his two-part composition, The Current Home, inspired by the families of Baldwinsville who live there, as a result of the Erie Canal's great impact.

Brockport

Our second-to-last concert stop was at the Brockport Welcome Center, located right in the center of town.

Highlights included:

We welcomed our audience to the first BARGE performance of Water Music NY!
Brockport Mayor Margaret B. Blackman and Mara Manus, executive director of New York State Council on the Arts, both attended and spoke before the concert.
Loren Loiacono premiered her three movements of Canal Tales, performed in collaboration with the Golden Eagle String Band and Mariah Maloney Dance.

Lockport

Our last and final Water Music NY performance was at the World-Renowned Historic Flight of Five Locks and the Symphony performed on a barge IN the lock! The barge was brought into the lock, that afternoon, by the mighty Tug Pittsford.

Highlights included:

NY State Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul conducted the Symphony for "The Stars and Stripes Forever"!
Lockport Mayor Anne E. McCaffrey attended and spoke before the concert.
David Mallamud premiered his operetta, Spittoonia on the Erie (An Absolutely-Historically-Accurate-Except-Where-It's-Not Folk Opera in One Act), a spinoff of the fairy tale, Cinderella.

Thank you to the following sponsors for their generous support of Water Music NY.

WATER MUSIC NY 2017, A MUSICAL EXPERIENCE 200 YEARS IN THE MAKING

Water Music NY is a cross-regional celebration of the bicentennial of New York’s Erie Canal, developed and presented by the Albany Symphony in close collaboration with the New York State Canal Corporation. The Albany Symphony embarked on a week-long barge journey on the Erie Canal from July 2 to July 8, 2017 performing free concerts in seven canal communities along the way. Collaborating with local art groups to debut seven original world premieres by emerging composers, as it stopped in Albany, Schenectady, Amsterdam, Little Falls, Baldwinsville, Brockport and Lockport.

Each composer immersed themselves in the culture, history and stories of each canal community as inspiration in composing these works of art that truly celebrate New York, the Erie Canal and all they have to offer.

Each concert experience was coordinated with the local community, to present a full day of block-parties and activities to draw attention to each community’s cultural highlights and historic character. Each concert was conducted by Grammy® Award Winning Conductor David Alan Miller.

Water Music NY is possible by NYS funding through Market NY/Empire State Development and New York State Council on the Arts Regional Economic Development Councils.