Medina will host Albany Symphony, fireworks on July 2 to celebrate Erie Canal’s 200th
Provided photos: Medina’s Canal Basin will host the Albany Symphony and other programs on July 2. The symphony will begin its concert at 8 p.m. with fireworks to follow.
MEDINA – The Village of Medina on July 2 will be hosting the Albany Symphony as part of a day-long celebration of the Erie Canal’s bicentennial, a day that will be capped with fireworks.
The New York Power Authority and NYS Canal Corp. have set five concerts from the symphony from July 2-6, events that will feature the debut of commissioned compositions.
Clarice Assad
At Medina, the symphony will perform outdoors in the Canal Basin beginning at 8 p.m., and play a composition by world-renowned, Brazilian American composer Clarice Assad. Her composition is on a “Sound Capture Journey,” as she began crafting a new orchestral work on the theme of the sound of nature and the environment and along the Erie Canal.
Assad visited Medina in March and she and others recorded sound snippets from around Orleans County, collecting personal stories about local connections to nature, the environment, and individual sense of place.
Assad’s composition will be performed by the Albany Symphony as the centerpiece of the “Water Music New York: More Voices Festival” on July 2. The free day-long event commemorates the bicentennial of the Erie Canal and celebrates the waters that connect everyone through local food, arts, music and outdoor fun.
The festival promises a special appearance by Orly the Ox, the Orleans County Bicentennial mascot, and concludes with a fireworks show. There will be yoga, face painting, wildlife displays, artisans, a history talk about the Medina Sandstone and the Erie Canal, performances by the popular local bands, and other activities.
The concert series continues July 3 in Utica, July 4 in Seneca Falls, July 5 in Fort Plain and July 6 in Schuylerville. M & T Bank is a sponsor of the events.
“As we reflect on 200 years of the Erie Canal and contemplate its next century of use, we’re focusing on revitalization, recreation, arts and culture,” said Canal Corporation Director Brian Stratton. “This partnership with the Albany Symphony Orchestra embodies all those themes by bringing people together at Canalside communities for free and inclusive concerts that celebrate the unique aspects of the communities where they are taking place.”
The themes for the original compositions include environmental justice on July 2, immigrant communities on July 3, women’s rights on July 4, Indigenous stories on July 5, and Black experience on July 6.
“As the Erie Canal nears its third century of operation, we are so excited to embark on a grand new adventure with our wonderful partners at the New York State Canal Corporation,” said Albany Symphony MusicDirector David Alan Miller. “In anticipation of the Erie Canal’s momentous bicentennial season, we have engaged five brilliant composers who have immersed themselves in five gorgeous canalside communities and have created visionary new works for our orchestra and community collaborators exploring the vibrant history and culture of our great state.
“We cannot wait to celebrate with thousands of residents and visitors at free daylong festivals that include delicious food, fun outdoor activities, historical explorations, and family-friendly arts, culminating in fabulous orchestra concerts featuring these dazzling new works. It is our hope that our music will spark dialogue, expand perspectives, and inspire everyone to experience and cherish the beautiful canal system that flows through our state and is so much a part of New York State’s past, present and future.”
Click here for more information on the Water Music NY: More Voices Festival.
