Albany Symphony
Water Music New York: Many Voices

Hudson Crossing Park is thrilled to welcome back the Albany Symphony on Sunday, July 6 for a FREE “Water Music New York: Many Voices" performance. The project fuses arts, cultural heritage, and contemporary issues to re-envision the past, present, and future of people and communities bordering the New York State canal system in collaborations with composers, local artists, cultural and educational institutions, and community members. Through WMNY:MV, the Albany Symphony is creating new artistic, recreational, cultural, and economic opportunities for canal communities with the belief that music and art will spark dialogue and expand perspectives to help reimagine the Erie Canal as it begins its third century.

As part of the Erie Canal bicentennial commemoration, the Albany Symphony, the NYS Canal Corporation, and Hudson Crossing Park are presenting a festival day celebrating the rich, multifaceted history of Washington and Saratoga Counties, with an emphasis on the experiences of Black Americans, culminating in a free orchestra concert that will feature a thrilling world-premiere composition by DBR (Daniel Bernard Roumain) inspired by the legacy and life of Solomon Northup. Northup was a free-born Black man, professional fiddler, and farmer from Schuylerville and Saratoga Springs, who was kidnapped into slavery in 1841. Upon his rescue in 1853, he wrote a remarkable memoir, Twelve Years a Slave, describing his ordeal in extraordinary detail. He became a noted abolitionist speaker in the years following his return to New York State. DBR, an accomplished violinist himself and a leading American composer, will create a uniquely collaborative work for the Albany Symphony and audience of massed violins, in which community members are all invited to pick up a violin and join in, even those who have never played before. In addition, the day’s events will celebrate the rich culture of the Schuylerville region, the historic Erie Canal and Hudson River, and the central role the region played during the Revolutionary War during the Battle of Saratoga, the turning point of the Revolution.

The project also builds upon the success of the Albany Symphony’s original 2017 Water Music NY Festival, and opens a new chapter, exploring underrepresented voices, including those of women, immigrants, people of color, indigenous peoples, and the elusive voice of nature itself, to commemorate the bicentennial of the completion of the Erie Canal. The concert day will include programs and events in and around the park, incluing violinists and country fiddlers of all kinds along with visual artists, history and walking tours, and accessible recreational activities. Artisanal foods and beverages from the region will also be featured, community organization tables and activities, a fine art sale and more in the Hudson Crossing field leading to the Symphony’s performance at dusk.

This will truly be an event to remember, so mark your calendars and we will see you soon!