Symphoria celebrates the music of the Haudenosaunee to honor the alliance of the six indigenous Nations in our region.
PROGRAM
BEAR FOX: Ohenton Karihwatekwen Karenna
IMPICHCHAACHAAHA’ TATE: Chokfi’
VARIOUS: Tale of Two Teams
INTERMISSION
BEAR FOX: Our Precious Mothers
PERCUSSION AND BEAR FOX: Ionkwanoronhkwa Ohneka/Water Song
INTERMISSION
CUSTER: Ashokan Farewell
SHENANDOAH: Selections featuring Leah Shenandoah (tribute to Joanne Shenandoah)
PROGRAM NOTES
Tale of Two Teams is based on the Haudenosaunee legend that teaches every living creature is significant and has a purpose. Symphoria performs music of Sibelius, Bartok, and Ravel with the story. This work is being presented thanks to the Oneida Indian Nation. The book, written by the Oneida Indian Nation Language Program, is illustrated by William Burns (Lakota-Sioux), a graphic media artist working in the Oneida Indian Nation’s communications department. In development for over a year, the new book utilizes a rebus format, which allows any person to pick up the book and learn specific Oneida words ...
Tale of Two Teams is based on the Haudenosaunee legend that teaches every living creature is significant and has a purpose. Symphoria performs music of Sibelius, Bartok, and Ravel with the story. This work is being presented thanks to the Oneida Indian Nation. The book, written by the Oneida Indian Nation Language Program, is illustrated by William Burns (Lakota-Sioux), a graphic media artist working in the Oneida Indian Nation’s communications department. In development for over a year, the new book utilizes a rebus format, which allows any person to pick up the book and learn specific Oneida words by the end of the story using pictures, color, and phonetics right in the middle of the sentences. The book features both the Oneida text and the full English translation.
FEATURED ARTISTS
Heather Buchman is director of the Hamilton College Orchestra and Chamber Music program and Chair of the Department of Music. While serving as Education and Outreach Conductor for Symphoria, she helped develope numerous innovative programs, as well as for the orchestral and chamber programs at Hamilton College. She appears ...
Heather Buchman is director of the Hamilton College Orchestra and Chamber Music program and Chair of the Department of Music. While serving as Education and Outreach Conductor for Symphoria, she helped develope numerous innovative programs, as well as for the orchestral and chamber programs at Hamilton College. She appears frequently as conductor and trombonist with the Society for New Music and other organizations.
She has developed various artistic collaborations at Hamilton College, including a fully staged production of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and a new interdisciplinary event, called Sight/Sound/Spoken, mixing chamber music with performances by creative writers and displays of student artwork. Her interests include experimenting with concert format; performing in nontraditional, informal, and architecturally unique spaces; mixing performance and education (as in the Brainstorm series with Hamilton College Orchestra); and in a wide range of collaborative work.
Buchman’s work in regional arts advocacy has been recognized by a citation from the Society for New Music in 2013 and Civic Morning Musicals’ Ruth Edson Award in 2014. She serves on the board of CNY Arts, a regional organization working with NY State Council on the Arts and other funders for supporting and promoting arts and culture in Central New York. In 2012 she received Hamilton College’s Class of 1963 Award for Outstanding Teaching. She served on the ad hoc committee that developed Hamilton College’s educational goals.
Buchman completed professional studies in conducting at the Juilliard School, earned a M.M. in orchestral conducting from the University of Michigan, and a B. Mus. degree in trombone from the Eastman School of Music. More recent studies include conducting workshops in St. Petersburg, Russia.
She served as Principal Trombonist of the San Diego Symphony from 1988-1997. She won prizes at the ARD International Music Competition in Munich, Germany and the New York Philharmonic Young Artists Concerto Competition.
A more recent path of exploration has been the study of ballet. She explores the parallels and intersections between music and dance in her teaching and in performance. Other interests include the connections between music/sound and other art forms and fields, and developing collaborations grounded in these connections.
Leah Shenandoah is of Wolf Clan from Oneida, NY. She has been making art and performing her entire life with her Mother, Joanne Shenandoah, who has 17 albums and holds a Grammy. Her Grandmother, Maisie Shenandoah, Wolf Clan, taught her native crafts from a young age. She intends to help ...
Leah Shenandoah is of Wolf Clan from Oneida, NY. She has been making art and performing her entire life with her Mother, Joanne Shenandoah, who has 17 albums and holds a Grammy. Her Grandmother, Maisie Shenandoah, Wolf Clan, taught her native crafts from a young age. She intends to help heal others through her art and music, with loving intent, materials and colours.
Leah holds a BS Cum Laude in Textiles from Syracuse University and an MFA Cum Laude candidate in Metals and Jewelry from Rochester Institute of Technology. Leah won a Native American Music Award for “Best Debut Artist” and a Syracuse Area Music Award for “Best Alternative” for her debut album “Spectra”. Leah is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Cornell University.