The Corning-Painted Post Area School District welcomed the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes (OSFL) to the CPP High School Theatre on Wednesday morning for a special educational concert that brought the excitement of live orchestral music directly to over 700 students and staff, including all fourth grade students across the school district.
Under the direction of Music Director Toshiyuki Shimada, the full professional orchestra performed a lively program designed to introduce students to the power and storytelling of orchestral music. The concert entitled “Music in Motion” featured beloved classics including Suppé’s Light Cavalry Overture, Rossini’s William Tell Overture, Johann Strauss II’s Perpetual Mobile, and Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever.
A highlight of the morning was a performance of George Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue featuring guest pianist Alexandra Joan, who also served as a guide for the audience. Throughout the concert, Joan and Shimada spoke directly with students about the music, composers, and instruments of the orchestra, turning the performance into an engaging and interactive learning experience.
The program combined live music with demonstrations and insights that helped students better understand how orchestral works are created and performed, offering many students a rare opportunity to experience a full professional orchestra performing live.
“This kind of experience can spark a lifelong appreciation for music,” said Amy Ginalski, CPP music teacher. “Seeing and hearing an orchestra up close makes the art form come alive in a way that recordings simply can’t.”
This program was made possible in part by the generous support of the Edwin Caplin Foundation.
Experience the Orchestra Again This Weekend
Community members will have another opportunity to experience the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes this weekend at the orchestra’s upcoming concert “Reaching for the Stars” this Sunday, March 15 at 3:00 PM at the Clemens Center Powers Theater in downtown Elmira.
The concert will feature many of the orchestra’s professional musicians performing alongside talented members of the Youth Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes in a special side-by-side performance celebrating mentorship and the future of orchestral music.
Youth under 18 attend free, making it a perfect opportunity for families who enjoyed Wednesday’s school concert to hear the orchestra again in a full concert setting.
Tickets and more information are available at https://www.osfl.org/