sounds of the season
About the program
Take a sleigh ride to Whoville and enjoy holiday favorites from around the world. Special guests include The Hudson Valley Saxophone Orchestra and Santa narrating ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.
Program subject to change.
guest artists
Click the names below to learn more about our guest artists.
william stevens, conductor
William Stevens is an active performer and conductor throughout the Hudson Valley. He is one of the band and jazz band directors at Union Vale Middle School in the Arlington Central School District in LaGrange, NY, with a middle school band program of around 300 students. William’s professional conducting experience includes 10 productions with the Admiral Players, principal conductor of the Hudson Valley Saxophone Ensemble, and guest conductor for the Northern Dutchess Symphony where he led the New York State premiere of the Scott Routenberg Concerto for Jazz Violin and Orchestra. He was also chosen as a conducting finalist for the Woodstock Chamber Orchestra (WCO) and was reviewed by Leslie Gerber of Hudson Valley One: “I have never heard the WCO sound as good as it did during this concert… Those of us who were in the audience were lucky to be there.”
William has been sought after as an All-County conductor and has lead groups in Tioga, Montgomery, Putnam, Orange, and Sullivan counties. He is currently the principal clarinetist for the Northern Dutchess Symphony Orchestra and the Greater Newburgh Symphony, and has performed in Europe and at Carnegie Hall with the New York Wind Symphony. William received his Bachelor of Music Education and Performance degree from SUNY Fredonia, and his Masters degree in Clarinet Performance from Ithaca college. He has studied conducting with Dr. Russel C. Mikkelson (former Director of Bands, SUNY Fredonia), Dr. Paula Holcomb (Director of Bands, SUNY Fredonia), Dr. David Rudge (Director of Orchestras, SUNY Fredonia), and Dr. Steve Petersen (former Director of Bands, Ithaca College). William lives in Poughkeepsie, NY with his supportive husband Chris and their adorable pug Jake.
William has been sought after as an All-County conductor and has lead groups in Tioga, Montgomery, Putnam, Orange, and Sullivan counties. He is currently the principal clarinetist for the Northern Dutchess Symphony Orchestra and the Greater Newburgh Symphony, and has performed in Europe and at Carnegie Hall with the New York Wind Symphony. William received his Bachelor of Music Education and Performance degree from SUNY Fredonia, and his Masters degree in Clarinet Performance from Ithaca college. He has studied conducting with Dr. Russel C. Mikkelson (former Director of Bands, SUNY Fredonia), Dr. Paula Holcomb (Director of Bands, SUNY Fredonia), Dr. David Rudge (Director of Orchestras, SUNY Fredonia), and Dr. Steve Petersen (former Director of Bands, Ithaca College). William lives in Poughkeepsie, NY with his supportive husband Chris and their adorable pug Jake.
The Hudson Valley Saxophone Orchestra
Founded in 2012 by Charles W. Gray, the Hudson Valley Saxophone Orchestra began as an ensemble of music professionals and educators who teach in middle schools, high schools, and colleges in the Hudson Valley region of New York and New Jersey. With thirteen members performing on sopranino through contrabass saxophone, the group strives to capture the rich and sonorous sound established by the Raschèr Ensemble. In an article about the ensemble in the Poughkeepsie Journal (December 16, 2015) founder Charles Gray described their sound: “It’s almost like a string orchestra, but with the versatility to have the power of a jazz setting at times.”
Under the baton of William Stevens, they performed their 4th annual Christmas concert at the Cunneen-Hackett in Poughkeepsie, New York of music first done by David Bilger’s Saxophone Sinfonia as well as new arrangements commissioned from area composers. Proceeds from these concerts have been donated to help fund local music scholarships including the Dutchess Community College Hudson Valley Saxophone Orchestra Music Scholarship and the Chamber Foundation’s Charles S. North Music Scholarship. After a successful Kickstarter campaign their studio recording “It’s That Time Again” (2014) features this holiday music and is available on iTunes and CDBaby.
The HVSO, with guest conductor Dr. Paul Cohen, was invited to perform a program entitled A Tribute to the Raschèr Saxophone Ensemble, and Beyondat Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Virgina for the U.S. Navy Band’s International Saxophone Symposium in 2016.
The ensemble receives the support of the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce and Paul Effman Music.
Learn more at their website, www.hudsonvalleysaxophoneorchestra.com.
Under the baton of William Stevens, they performed their 4th annual Christmas concert at the Cunneen-Hackett in Poughkeepsie, New York of music first done by David Bilger’s Saxophone Sinfonia as well as new arrangements commissioned from area composers. Proceeds from these concerts have been donated to help fund local music scholarships including the Dutchess Community College Hudson Valley Saxophone Orchestra Music Scholarship and the Chamber Foundation’s Charles S. North Music Scholarship. After a successful Kickstarter campaign their studio recording “It’s That Time Again” (2014) features this holiday music and is available on iTunes and CDBaby.
The HVSO, with guest conductor Dr. Paul Cohen, was invited to perform a program entitled A Tribute to the Raschèr Saxophone Ensemble, and Beyondat Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Virgina for the U.S. Navy Band’s International Saxophone Symposium in 2016.
The ensemble receives the support of the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce and Paul Effman Music.
Learn more at their website, www.hudsonvalleysaxophoneorchestra.com.
