Richard Simons

Hudson Valley Magazine's list of orchestras in the Hudson Valley includes the Cortlandt Chamber Orchestra, the SUNY Orange Community Orchestra, and the Mid-Hudson Community Orchestra at SUNY Dutchess. I'm delighted to see that symphonys are thriving in the Hudson Valley.

16 Orchestras and Instrumental Groups in the Hudson Valley Liven up the weekend by attending an instrumental concert or orchestra performance by one of these Hudson Valley groups.

“Banging on a drum or tooting a horn can also relieve stress, reduce burnout, and help with anxiety and depression. For older people specifically, research has shown potential cognitive benefits along with a possible decrease in dementia risk.”

Few adults play musical instruments, and even fewer do so in a group, Caroline Mimbs Nyce writes. What health benefits might they be giving up? https://theatln.tc/oglkQfzJ

“Kids receive plenty of music education, but as people get older, they fall out of practice. Many stop picking up their instrument,” Nyce writes. “This is unfortunate, in part because plenty of research shows that adults could benefit from playing music.”

Playing music helps build larger brain networks and new pathways. “Musicians tend to have better attention than nonmusicians,” Nyce continues. “Banging on a drum or tooting a horn can also relieve stress, reduce burnout, and help with anxiety and depression. For older people specifically, research has shown potential cognitive benefits along with a possible decrease in dementia risk.”

Adults may be skipping out in part because music education is associated with childhood and coursework. And after people grow out of music education in their childhood, they tend to think that music is a special talent, Nyce writes, not something that just anybody can learn.

“Of course, people are busy; they simply may not have the luxury of sitting down to study Bach once a week, much less the money to pay for an instrument or private lessons,” Nyce writes.

Playing music in groups has additional benefits, such as allowing adults to feel more trusting of and connected to one another, and to the world in general. But while it’s easy to go to a park or gym and pull together a game of pickup basketball, “piecing together people at the same skill level to play a concerto or even just jam in a garage is another matter.”

Nyce herself recently began to play the recorder. “I plan to keep learning,” she writes, “not because it strengthens my neuropathways per se (though I certainly don’t mind that), but because making music, even when it’s silly—perhaps especially when it’s silly—is just a whole lot of fun.” https://theatln.tc/oglkQfzJ

📸: Photo Media / ClassicStock / Getty

Seems legit, right? After all, 46694176 wouldn't mention me in a post unless it was real. ;-)

My first symphony is finally done! There are plenty of empty staves on the first page, but don't let that fool you.— There's plenty of music for everyone on the following pages.

I will conduct the premiere performance with the Cortlandt Chamber Orchestra
October 28 at 7:30pm
Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church
110 Grand Street
Croton-on-Hudson

(For more info, see www.cortlandtmusic.org)

Hello Fellow Musicians,

Last year, I sent out an email to local musicians, with information about various orchestras that were coming back on line, following the pandemic. Most of the community groups in the Hudson Valley have now returned to regular seasons, and have already been producing concerts. Once again, I am hoping to light a spark of interest in those who have still been hesitating to come play. I can personally vouch for at least three of the groups listed below, that our post-pandemic membership numbers are not as plentiful as before. Maybe, you feel like you haven't played in so long, that you feel uncomfortable to play publicly. Maybe, you have just lost touch with who you normally contact to play in a group. What truly matters is to come out and play again. Really!... Just do it. You know you want to. And you should encourage your musician friends and your students, too! And you should share this message with other musicians who might also like to play.

Find more about each of the following groups on their websites. You should definitely follow their Facebook Groups for more up-to-date information. The colleges are not good about keeping current information on their websites. Also, many groups are free, but some have participation fees.

- Cortlandt Chamber Orchestra (Croton, NY):
Next Performance: Saturday, November 19, 2022 - 7:30pm
http://www.cortlandtmusic.org/

- Danbury Symphony Orchestra (Danbury, CT)
Next Performance: Friday, October 28, 2022 - 7:30pm
https://danburymusiccentre.org/danbury-symphony-orchestra/

- Mid-Hudson Community Orchestra at SUNY Dutchess (Poughkeepsie, NY):
(SUNY requires proof of Covid-19 vaccination for participants.)
Next Performance: Friday, December 9, 2022 - ca.8:00pm
https://sunyorange.edu/arts_comm/performance/index.html

- New Westchester Symphony Orchestra (White Plains, NY):
Next Performance: Saturday, October 29, 2022 - 3:00pm
https://newsymphony.org/

- Northern Dutchess Symphony Orchestra (Rhinebeck, NY)
Next Performance: Sunday, October 23, 2022 - 3:00pm
https://www.ndsorchestra.org/

- Northern Westchester Symphony Orchestra (Montrose, NY):
Next Performance: To be announced (Spring 2023)
http://www.cortlandtmusic.org/

- Putnam Symphony Orchestra (Brewster, NY):
Next Performance: Sunday, November 20, 2022
http://putnamsymphonyorchestra.org/

- Rockland Symphony Orchestra (Nyack, NY)
Next Performance: Sunday, November 13, 2022 - 4:15pm
https://www.rocklandsymphony.org/

- SUNY Orange Orchestra (Middletown, NY):
(SUNY requires proof of Covid-19 vaccination for participants.)
Next Performance: Saturday, November 12, 2022 - 7:30pm
https://sunyorange.edu/arts_comm/performance/index.html

- Yonkers Philharmonic Orchestra (Yonkers, NY):
Next Performance: Sunday, October 23, 2022 - 3:00pm
https://yonkersphilharmonic.com/

Anyone who is interested in playing in the Cortlandt Chamber Orchestra (Croton), SUNY Dutchess Orchestra (Poughkeepsie), or SUNY Orange Orchestra (Middletown) should simply contact me and express your interest. Some instrument sections are already filled in these groups, but as is often the case, we never seem to have too many strings.

I hope to see and hear you soon,

- Rich Simons
[email protected]

Richard Simons is conductor of the Mid-Hudson Community Orchestra at SUNY Dutchess Community College, The SUNY Orange Community College Orchestra, and the Cortlandt Chamber Orchestra— a group which he founded in 1992. He is also a railroad conductor for Metro-North Railroad— which means that he has the exceedingly unique distinction of being one of the world's very few conductor-conductors. He holds music performance degrees from the University of South Carolina, and the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford. He is an active professional musician, and plays double bass and cello, as well as writing and arranging music.

Contact us here at the DCC Academy of Music for more information and to sign up for classes!

845-431-8916

Tonight's view from the bass section of the Southern Dutchess Concert Band.

This was our final concert of the summer, and it feels like the day of transition into the regular concert season. The Mid-Hudson Community Orchestra at SUNY Dutchess started rehearsals in Poughkeepsie last night, and the SUNY Orange Orchestra starts rehearsals in Middletown next Thursday. Ensembles everywhere are kicking into production mode— some, following a long hiatus after being held back by pandemic restrictions. At this point, if you're looking for a group to play in, and you can't find one that's also looking for you, then you aren't trying hard enough.