Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra: A Journey of Discovery
Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra (GNSO) Vice President Robert McCurdy has been on the symphony’s Board of Directors since 2014, but his involvement didn’t start then.
“My father was on the board since day one and then spent 10 years as president,” McCurdy said.
McCurdy’s father had a long relationship with symphonies, serving as the president of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic in the 1960s. “He had a strong belief in the power of classical music and the benefit it brings a community, and he passed that down to me,” he said.
Community is a word McCurdy and Board of Directors member Tony Varano use to describe GNSO. “As a newcomer to the USA and particularly the Hudson Valley, GNSO has given me the opportunity to learn and get involved in the local community,” Varano said.
Varano joined the Board in 2020 and was asked to lead the marketing committee. He was impressed by the quality of the performance and the enthusiastic response from the audience at the first concert he attended.
“I don’t have an artistic or musical background, so for me it has been a journey of discovery,” he said. “It is amazing seeing so many talented people come together for these amazing performances for the benefit of our community.”
The symphony’s next concert is Saturday, Feb. 18, at 4 p.m. at Aquinas Hall at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, New York. At this “Concert of Concertos,” four acclaimed pianists will perform concertos by Mozart, Strauss, Prokofiev, and Rachmaninoff under the direction of Maestro Russell Ger.
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Maestro Ger is an award-winning Australian conductor who has conducted across North America, Europe, and his home country, Australia. From 2012 to 2014, he toured North America with distinguished violinist Itzhak Perlman. Ger joined GNSO in 2016; he was selected from over 100 candidates.
“On top of his professionalism, Russell possesses a strong stage presence and an incredible ability to connect with the audience,” Varano said. “He makes me very proud of what we deliver to the community.”
Those who have never attended the symphony are encouraged to attend the Feb. 18 performance to experience it for themselves. “All artistic endeavors are subject to personal preference, but I find that most people who perceive classical music as boring have never experienced a live performance,” Varano said about claims that classical music is uninteresting. McCurdy agrees that someone who categorizes classical music as boring doesn’t know the genre.
“I would say that person has not been to the symphony or attended an orchestra performance,” he said.
General admission tickets cost $25, and students receive free admission. Tickets are available for purchase at the door and at www.newburghsymphony.org.
