Trip Reports Home | My Trip Reports | Create Trip Report | Recent Reports | Search Trip Reports

Report 825: Discovering Central NY

By Upstate NY from New York, Spring 2005

Page 2 of 11: Culture at the Colleges

Colgate University Orchestra

We had moved up to the Central NY area more than five years before, but hadn’t really had the time to explore any of the nearby sights except for a couple of places in nearby Cooperstown. Entertainment for us has primarily been the wealth of opportunities at nearby colleges, particularly Colgate University’s musical programming. (It might also be because our daughter is a music/German major there and plays in the orchestra and chamber groups!) But, we have been thrilled at the professional offerings and the quality of even the student groups at performances that are open to the community for little or no cost. We were not aware that the colleges, which sponsor these programs for their students, also allow the public to attend many, if not most of what they have available. We now look forward to annual programs like Colgate’s Chenango Music Fest, generally held around the second week of June with an eclectic mix of music featuring top performers from around the country and sometimes from other parts of the world. Showcased are a variety of offerings which can range from Latin dance lessons, to Finger Lakes wine tastings, to children’s story telling, to Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Stravinsky, Gershwin, Bernstein et. al. and even Jamaican steel band, as well as the fabulous dessert contest with local restaurants vying for top prize with samples of impossibly delicious confections and a host of other programs during a busy four-day weekend in late June.

Hamilton College,(in Clinton, NY) also brings in a host of entertainment with professional speakers, dancers, and musicians among other things, available to all. Our particular favorite is the yearly musical, which is really comparable to a Broadway show at a tiny fraction of the price. The musical is performed by the Hamilton College Choir (which also tours). Hamilton attracts some amazing singers and G. Roberts Kolb's musical and theatrical direction is outstanding.

Previous Page | Next Page