By Cinara Marquis
All eyes were on the sky April 8 — the total solar eclipse. Plattsburgh not only had the perfect view of the phenomenon but also the perfect weather conditions for the event. The city was in the center of the path of totality, a narrow strip across North America in which the sun is fully blocked by the moon.
At 3:25 p.m., totality occurred.
The striking sight of mid-afternoon darkness, a radiant halo in the sky and an emerging coolness in the air — it was breathtaking. After around three and a half minutes of complete darkness, the sky lit up with brilliant color and the daylight returned to normalcy.
The April 25 concert, “Eclipse Reminisce,” commemorated the extraordinary phenomenon. Directed by Daniel Gordon, the symphonic band played music relating to the cosmos.
The concert opened with “Fanfare from Also sprach Zarathustra,” also known as the “Theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey,” composed by Richard Strauss and arranged by Robert Longfield.
Next was “Looking Upward Suite,” including “By the Light of the Polar Star,” “Beneath the Southern Cross” and “Mars and Venus,” composed by John Sousa.
After a brief intermission, “Canticle of the Creatures” was played, it included “Sister Moon and the Stars,” “Mother Earth” and “Brother Sun,” all composed by Jim Curnow.
Lastly were “The Planets,” including Mars, the Bringer of War” and “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity,” composed by Gustav Holst.
On flute was Trevor White, Juliet Wivell, Khristina Heffernan, Ashley Filion and Breeley Rawls.
On clarinet was Daniel Traux, Edna Stroinski, Beth Delles, Oliver Lain, Shannon Breen and Margali Grenier on bass clarinet.
On saxophone were altos Alexander Finkey and Aaleena Landeta, tenor Levi Marshall and baritone Ian Deterling.
On trumpet was James Bayer, Matt Pray, Joe Marocco, Kirk Lancto and Sara Dean.
On the french horn was Lydya Felix, Lola Greer, Samantha Marocco and Nancy Liotta.
On trombone was Cody Walke, Timothy Lloyd, Hillary Sponable and Casey Belrose.
On percussion was Jacob Colton, Ngozi Permaul, Nelson Moore, Mike Lewandowski and Luke Gerhardt.
On oboe was McKennda Brazie, on euphonium was Eric Weller and on tuba was Benjamin Cepulo.
The performance was spectacular, a scene that combined the wonder of nature and the power of music in a brilliant display of grandeur. Throughout the E. Glenn Giltz Audiotorium, bombastic beats and striking rhythms rang; “Eclipse Reminisce” was a concert to remember.
Other end-of-semester concerts include the Senior Recital featuring Olivia Sorrell on Saturday, April 27 at 2 p.m. in Krinovitz Recital Hall. The “Jazz Music Clinic” with Jerry Weldon will be on Sunday, April 28, at 10 a.m. in the Krinovitz Recital Hall and the Jazz Ensemble concert directed by Matt Pray will be on Sunday, April 28, at 7:30 p.m. in the E. Glenn Giltz Auditorium.
Visit SUNY Plasttburgh’s Music Department online event calendar for more information at https://www.plattsburgh.edu/plattslife/arts/music-calendar.html.
Subscribe to the music department newsletter, “News & Notes,” for quarterly issues by contacting Dwayne Butchino, performing arts coordinator, for more information at butc3332@plattsburgh.edu.
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