World-renown composer working on piece to debut in Medina for canal bicentennial
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 March 2025 at 9:47 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Clarice Assad collects sound near the Medina Waterfalls on Saturday afternoon. Assad, a Grammy-nominated composer, is working on a piece for the Albany Symphony to debut during a July 2 concert in Medina, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal.
Several community members joined Assad in a walk along the towpath and around the Canal Basin. She wanted to hear their insights about the community.
Clarice Assad walks along the towpath with Daniel Rosentreter on the north side of the Canal Basin. Rosentreter, co-owner of the Coffee Pot Café, also developed a bluebird trail in Medina including several bird boxes along the canal.
Assad walked with the group on Saturday and also was out on her own earlier in the morning. She was collecting sounds of nature, wildlife and other environmental noise, including church bells in the distance.
Assad has been a professional performer since she was 7. She was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2009 and a Grammy in 2022. She has more than 90 compositions to her credit, including many commissions for Carnegie Hall, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Orquestra Sinfônica de São Paulo, ROCO, LA Philharmonic, Grand Teton Music Festival, Santa Rosa Symphony, Metropolis ensemble, the Bravo! Vail Music Festival and the La Jolla Music Festival.
The group stops by the Big Apple along the canal. Assad also ventured over to the first quarry site for Medina Sandstone, John Ryan’s first commercial quarry in 1837. The quarry industry would bring thousands of immigrants to the community in the following century from Italy, Ireland, Poland and Britain.
Assad said she will take in what she heard and experienced in Medina as she works on the new piece.
People are also welcome to record their favorite sounds from Medina – a spot in the woods, birds singing outside their window, or other places that bring them comfort. Those sound files can be emailed to MedinaSoundArchive@gmail.com. Files can be in any format and should be under 5 minutes.
Clarice Assad welcomes a group of about a dozen people on the sound-gathering expedition. Stephen Shewan, a composer from Shelby, is next to Assad.
The Albany Symphony will be doing a concert with 35 musicians for the debut of Assad’s piece on July 2. The project is funded by the New York Power Authority and NYS Canal Corp. The Albany Symphony is planning five concerts which will all debut new compositions as part of the bicentennial.
The group walks along the towpath. While on their expedition, a bald eagle flew by.
Composer Clarice Assad seeks sound files for new work to celebrate the Erie Canal
The acclaimed composer will be in Medina, NY on Saturday, March 8 working on piece to debut in July 2 concert.
Classical 91.5 WXXO-FM | By Tom Rivers, Brenda Tremblay
Published March 7, 2025 at 7:44 AM EST
A composer working on a new piece that will debut in a July 2 concert will be in Medina on Saturday.
Clarice Assad, a Grammy-nominated composer, welcomes input from the community. She will be in the Canal Basin at 2 p.m. for a “Sound Capture Journey.”
Assad, a Brazilian-American, is developing an orchestral piece that will be performed by Albany Symphony on July 2 in Medina. Assad’s piece will be the centerpiece of the “Water Music New York: More Voices festival.” She will work around the theme of the voices of nature and the environment along the Erie Canal.
“The goal on March 8 is to create a digital archive of the sounds of nature and the environment, as heard by the Medina community,” said Lily Whiteman, programs manager of Albany Symphony Orchestra. “Clarice and adventurous listeners will capture sound snippets from around Orleans County to tell personal stories about nature and the environment.”
Anyone can join Assad on Saturday or adventure on their own sound-gathering expedition. People can record their favorite spot in the woods or share the sound of the song the birds sing outside their window.
“How do you listen adventurously to the natural world around you?” Whiteman asked.
Email sound files to MedinaSoundArchive@gmail.com. Files can be in any format and should be under 5 minutes.
Be sure to include where you collected the sound, and your first name and last initial, to be included in the online Medina Sound Archive.
Assad will be in the basin in downtown Medina at 2 p.m. on Saturday to talk about the project and to wander about, collecting sounds of nature that run through the community. To join the expedition or for more information, email Whiteman at lilyw@albanysymphony.com.
Thanks to the Orleans Hub for permission to share with WXXI Classical.
Water Music NY: More Voices 2024 Press
September 27, 2024 - Little Falls Historical Society - Little Falls, NY
“Friday September 27 was a most interesting and history-making day at the Little Falls Historical Society’s Old Bank Building Museum.
Six musicians and conductor from the Albany Symphony Orchestra, along with vocalist Britt Hewitt and various sound technicians, recorded ORENDA in the museum. Composer Francisco del Pino was also on hand for the entire rehearsal and recording session.The six-piece ensemble performed the same new piece of music outdoors that afternoon at Lock 36 of the old Erie Canal.” Full Article -->
September 20, 2024 - My Little Falls - Little Falls, NY
“In Little Falls, Francisco del Pino’s world premiere ‘Orenda’ will be sung by Britt Hewitt, accompanied by Albany Symphony musicians Liz Silver, Violin I, Mitsuko Suzuki, Violin II, Tina Chang-Chien, Vila, Erica Pickhardt, Cello, Luke Stence, Bass, and Karen Hosmer, Oboe. The performance will be on September 27, 2024, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at Lock 36 (east of Lock 17 on the access road).” Full Article -->
September 20, 2024 - Niagara Gazette - Niagara Falls, NY
“The Albany Symphony String Quartet will be performing in front of the Lockport Lock Tenders Tribute at 4 p.m. Thursday as part of Water Music NY, a string of five pop-up concerts along the Erie Canal through Nov. 2.
The performance is called “Agrarian and Liquid” and was written by composers Daniel Bernard Roumain and Marc Bamuthi Joseph, who are also contributing through spoken word. Devony Smith will be performing vocals for the piece.” Full Article -->
September 17, 2024 - Discover Lockport - Lockport, NY
“Agrarian and Liquid was composed centering the libretto written by my dear friend, Marc Bamuthi Joseph. We have created several works together, including the opera We Shall Not Be Moved. This is the first score I’ve created that holds and responds to each word in the libretto in a dynamic manner, and allows the musicians to hold, respond, and make decisions about the words and their meaning throughout their interpretation and performance of the music.” Full Article -->
September 16, 2024 - NYS MUSIC - NYSMUSIC.COM
“With a history of bringing new voices to light like theirs, the Albany Symphony’s newest endeavor, Water Music NY, only makes sense. Inspired by the orchestra’s original 2017 Water Music NY Festival, the project is a three-year venture expanding upon the original musical tour down the Erie Canal. Now, with more resources and bigger pictures in mind, the Symphony is uplifting underrepresented voices including those of women, immigrants, people of color, and indigenous peoples.” Full Article -->
Albany Symphony Musicians perform selections from Handel's Water Music at Albany's Jennings Landing on May 12, 2017 at the official launch of Water Music NY.
july 7, 2017 - NEW YORK TIMES - new york city
“Water was always going to be a dominant theme when the intrepid Albany Symphony set off to celebrate the Erie Canal’s bicentennial this week by touring the length of that waterway. But the orchestra got quite a bit more of it than it had bargained for.”
june 30, 2017 - Buffalo news - buffalo
"The Albany Symphony will perform a free concert on a barge anchored in the Erie Canal locks in Lockport at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 8, wrapping up the orchestra's statewide tour to mark the 200th anniversary of the canal." Full Article -->
June 30, 2017 - wcny radio - Syracuse
"The Albany Symphony is embarking on an exciting trip next week, as they cruise from Albany to Lockport on the Erie Canal. Music Director David Alan Miller spoke with mid-day host Diane Jones about the trip (which has been in the works for nearly 17 years), and the concerts they’ll be giving along the way. Seven stops in seven days, to celebrate the bicentennial of the Erie Canal. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event!" Full Interview -->
june 29, 2017 - WAMC public radio - albany
"New York’s Erie Canal is celebrating its 200th birthday. To mark the occasion, the Albany Symphony Orchestra is holding performances from the canal’s historic beginning in Albany to Lockport in Niagara County. WAMC’s Southern Adirondack Bureau Chief Lucas Willard has more on the series of events that kicks off this Sunday called “Water Music New York.” Full Interview -->
june 29, 2017 - Daily Gazette - Schenectady
“ 'I feel like I’ve been officially indoctrinated as a North-Easterner,' ” Annika Socolofsky said.
Although she grew up outside of Chicago, her work with Water Music New York has irrevocably strengthened her ties to New York State." Full Article -->
JUNE 28,2017 - LOCKPORT UNION-SUN & Journal - LOCKPORt
"To many, musical theater has a reputation for being pretentious, overwrought and sometimes plain boring.
But when composer David Mallamud was approached about contributing a new piece to Water Music NY — a feature of the Erie Canal’s bicentennial celebration — he wanted something everybody in the audience could enjoy and relate to." Full Article -->
erie canal bicentennial inspires statewide music celebration
june 28,2017 - NYMUSIC.com
"Upstate NY music lovers can catch a unique experience while celebrating a part of history. The Albany Symphony, along with the New York State Canal Corporation, will present Water Music New York, a celebration to commemorate the bicentennial year of the Erie Canal." Full Article -->
june 26, 2017 - US News & world Report
"ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal's groundbreaking will be marked next month with a musical celebration along the waterway." Full Article -->
June 26, 2017- NBC NEws channel 13-albany
"ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - The 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal's groundbreaking will be marked next month with a musical celebration along the waterway." Full Article -->
june 22, 2017 - bigfrog104.com - Utica/Little Falls
"In celebration of the Erie Canal’s 200th birthday, The Albany Symphony will perform at seven stops along the canal between Albany and Lockport from July 2 to July 8, including a stop in Little Falls. Full Article -->
June 21, 2017 - NBC NEws channel 13 - Albany
"There's a special concert planned to mark the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal and the 300th anniversary of Handel's Water Music. David Alan Miller from the Albany Symphony and Brian Stratton from the Canal Corporation stopped by NewsChannel 13 to talk about it." Watch Video-->
JUNE 21, 2017 - Albany county News With Mary Rozak - Albany
"Maeve McEneny talks summer events, including Albany Symphony's #WaterMusicNY, Erie Canal festivities, and Alive at Five." Watch Video -->
JUNE 8, 2017 - TIMES UNION: ALBANY
"A selection of events across the region and the state commemorating the 200th birthday of the Erie Canal For more, see eriecanalway.org" Full Article -->
JUNE 5, 2017 - Spectrum news: albany
"The Albany Symphony is hosting special concerts along the canal this July as part of the bicentennial celebration. Here's a sneak peek!" Watch Video -->
june 5, 2017 - times telegram: LIttle falls
"Two Thousand Seventeen is an enormously important year in the history of inland navigation here in the Empire State, as we celebrate the start of construction of the original Erie Canal...
A series of events in June and July to commemorate the bicentennial of the Erie Canal at several communities along the waterway has been announced by the 56th governor, Andrew Cuomo. The programs will be co-hosted by the New York State Canal Corporation, and include a major musical performance in Little Falls." Full Article -->
May 12, 2017 - Governor Cuomo's Press Office
"Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced Water Music NY, a seven-day event with the Albany Symphony spanning the length of the Erie Canal to celebrate the canal’s bicentennial. The Albany Symphony will perform seven world premieres from July 2 to July 8 in a unique cross-regional experience that will highlight vibrant communities, emerging artistic talent and the power of the arts..." Full Article -->
may 12,2017 - nbc news channel 13: albany
The Water Music NY concert schedule is as follows:
Sunday, July 2 at 8:00 p.m.: Albany
Corning Preserve/Jennings Landing Amphitheatre
Full Schedule -->
may 12, 2017 - Times union: albany
"Albany Symphony Orchestra on Friday announced Water Music NY, a seven-day waterfront concert series in celebration of the Erie Canal bicentennial.
The free series will take place from July 2 to July 8, and with it will be seven world premieres of new compositions. The orchestra will perform either on the a barge or canal-side along the Erie." Full Article -->
May 12, 2017 - Daily Gazette: Schenectady
"Seven world premieres to be unveiled over seven nights in communities along the Erie Canal will be part of the state’s Erie Canal Bicentennial Celebration, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced Friday.
The Albany Symphony will perform from July 2 to July 8 in Water Music NY, a unique cross-regional experience that will highlight vibrant communities, emerging artistic talent and the power of the arts..." Full Article -->
May 12, 2017 - Spectrum News: Albany
"A first-of-its-kind series of concerts will celebrate 200 years of Erie Canal history this summer. Partnering with the New York State Canal Corporation, the Albany Symphony will offer seven nightly performances between in early July during its Water Music New York series, which was announced Friday at Jennings Landing in Albany.
Starting in Albany and ending in Lockport near Buffalo, the full orchestra will travel the canal by barge and either perform from the vessel or nearby on shore." Watch Video -->
May 12, 2017 - Times Union: Albany
"Albany Symphony Orchestra on Friday announced Water Music NY, a seven-day waterfront concert series in celebration of the Erie Canal bicentennial.
The free series will take place from July 2 to 8, and with it will be seven world premieres. The orchestra will perform either on a barge or canal-side along the Erie." Full Article -->