Philharmonia Concert Features New Director, Teacher Awards
The Buffalo State Philharmonia will present its final performance of the 2015–2016 season with “Romantic Requiem,” a joint performance with the college’s Chamber Choir and Chorale, on Tuesday, April 26, at 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. The performance is free and open to the public.
The concert will feature works by such Romantic composers as Paul Dukas, Erik Satie, Claude Debussy, and Gabriel Fauré.
Daniel Bassin, a composer, trumpeter, and conductor who was recently named the new director of the college-community orchestra, is conducting. He replaces Paul Ferington, who founded the Philharmonia in 2009. After he retired last spring, oboist Joseph Peters stepped in to direct for one semester.
“I am very excited to be directing the Philharmonia,” said Bassin, a Long Island, New York, native. He arrived in Buffalo six years ago to pursue his doctorate in composition at the University at Buffalo where he also conducted the UB Symphony Orchestra. Previously, Bassin played with the American Symphony Orchestra in New York City. He made his debut conducting the Slee Sinfonietta, Buffalo’s professional new music chamber orchestra, in 2012, and in 2013 he was a featured conductor at the Ensemble Linea/Peter Eötvös master classes at France’s Royaumont Abbey.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in music composition with honors from the New England Conservatory and his master of fine arts degree in orchestral conducting from Bard College. Along with his work with UB, Bassin has served as music director of Buffalo’s Unitarian Universalist Church.
Bassin, who conducted his first Philharmonia concert in March, said he’s looking forward to working with the variety of fine musicians who compose the orchestra. This final performance, he said, will be special both because of its collaboration with two campus choral groups and the chance to present the Music Educator of the Year awards.
During intermission, the music faculty will present awards to three local educators: Nora Murnane-Robertson of West Seneca West Senior High School, for instrumental music educator of the year; Jill Neuhaus of Kenmore East High School, for vocal Music Educator of the Year; and Carol Horrigan of Huth Road Elementary School, for general music educator of the year.
“These are teachers who go above and beyond in their classroom instruction and in their modeling of best teaching practices for our students,” said Emily Boyce, chair and associate professor of music. “We decided a couple of years ago to make it an annual tradition to recognize the teachers who help us provide real-world lessons for our students.”
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