By Elizabeth Burke '17
Twelve Siena chamber singers, three alumni and Choral Director Timothy J. Reno, D.M.A, participated in the 2015 New York State American Choral Directors Association Fall Conference at the Eastman School of Music. From October 23rd through October 25th the chamber singers attended lectures, participated in workshops and had the chance to perform at many unique venues.
To prepare for their trip, the chamber singers held an event titled, “Vocomotion!”. This performance combined the voices of Reno’s group with artwork created by students of Scott Nelson Foster, M.F.A. The drawing students created original portraits of the choir while they performed. The art movements displayed their visual, vocal and interpretive talents.
At the NYACDA Conference, the students had the opportunity to meet Karen Kennedy, an associate professor and director of choral studies at the University of Miami, Frost School of Music. Dii Lieu’17 a psychology and creative arts major was particularly interested in Kennedy’s lecture on the organization of choral rehearsal time.
“She was inspiring with her interactions with us, poking fun but still getting her point across. Afterwards, we talked to her about our own performance, giving us amazing feedback. She recognized the chances our group took with our pieces and saw how much we were able to accomplish with what we had,” said Lieu.
The group was fortunate to stay with a host family from a local United Methodist Church during their trip. In gratitude for their hospitality, the chamber singers performed at two worship services during their stay.
While the chamber singers enjoy performing on campus, they recognize that opportunities such as the NYACDA Conference are important learning experiences.
“Conferences are a great way to go out into the world to see what everyone is doing and see how we compare in a healthy way, in a supportive environment,” said Reno.
Although the chamber singers all have a passion for performing, the students have diverse interests outside of their Foy Hall classroom. Members of the group come from all different majors, such as physics, computer science, psychology, political science, and history.
This opportunity allows member Valerie King to have an outlet for her passion.
“It has helped me musically. It has helped me with collaboration with music especially…I will be going to cinema makeup school after graduation in either New York City or Los Angeles, and I hope to find a choral group to sing with when I go,” said King.
Although their academic interests may differ, the Siena College chamber singers all have a passion for performing both on and off campus.
