Cayuga Chamber Orchestra offers array of concerts and welcomes new music director

Did you know that Ithaca has its own professional orchestra? The Cayuga Chamber Orchestra (CCO) was founded in 1976 and selects its talented musicians by audition; those musicians come from as near as Ithaca and as far away as New York City and beyond. We offer a subscription season that features nine concerts this year: five with the whole orchestra and four with smaller chamber groups. If you haven’t attended a live orchestra or chamber music concert, we invite you to give one a try.

“My first CCO concert was last year’s Messiah. I love hearing that piece performed around the holidays. I enjoyed it so much, I attended every concert for the rest of the season. The Four Seasons moved me to tears. I’m thrilled that we have such an outstanding orchestra here, and I look forward to becoming a long-term supporter!” said Nancy Holzhauer, second year subscriber, Cayuga Chamber Orchestra.

Every CCO season is unique in terms of the programming and soloists.  This year, we have the added excitement of presenting the first season with our new Music Director, Guillaume Pirard.  Guillaume was chosen from four  finalists who worked with the orchestra during the 2023-24 season.  The orchestra musicians, search committee members, board members and community members all had a voice in choosing the next Music Director.

Guillaume’s connection with the orchestra and his ability to convey his musical vision were evident throughout his work in rehearsals and the exhilarating concert he conducted. Even in his inaugural season as Music Director, Guillaume has already left a distinct and imaginative mark on the orchestra.  The Orchestral Series offers the audience a musical journey based on various themes: Overture introduces a sampling of the season; Ostinato delves into rhythmic grooves; Flight of Fancy explores bird-inspired music; and Translations portrays how music can describe something beyond itself.

Guillaume reflects, “I believe a concert should be both an event and a journey. My programming strives to create thematic connections that resonate across different musical styles. A program centered on birds, for instance, showcases the rich and varied compositions inspired by them and seems fitting for Ithaca. It also provides a wonderful opportunity to perform the masterpiece that is Rautavaara’s Cantus Arcticus, a concerto for birds and orchestra that uniquely integrates real recorded bird sounds from the Arctic Circle, played over the orchestra.”

Guillaume grew up in Belgium and remembers hearing classical music from a young age: “My sister played the piano, and on holidays my father would play a cassette of Glenn Gould playing partitas and our first CD was the Brandenburg concertos by the Kuijkens. I still associate that music with bliss and cicadas. My mother, a doctor, was sometimes on call to be present at the Philharmonie, happily nothing bad ever happened, but I did come along and dozed off happily every time. Those are my earliest memories.”

He started playing the piano at age six because his sister played it and his parents knew of a teacher, but, he says, “I could not get into it. After two years of not practicing, I got my wish to play the violin, which I wanted to do all along, because it was my grandfather’s hobby and I was off to the races. I started playing in recitals and youth orchestras soon after and I was hooked.”

Guillaume is both a violinist and a conductor. Asked about the similarities or differences between the two, he comments, “I think being a beginner at both would make for extremely different experiences. But as I progressed as a violinist, I ended up doing things that are very similar to a conductor: listening, proposing, responding, and leading when useful.”

Guillaume came to Ithaca to conduct Cornell University’s orchestra and also has served as Violin Professor at Ithaca College.  He sees this new role as “both a validation and a responsibility.”  He adds, “Perhaps validation of the values I hold dear regarding the hows and whys we make music, or perhaps more simply the validation that indeed my sentiment that CCO musicians had appreciated my work with them was not entirely misplaced. It is a responsibility towards the organization, the musicians, and the audience. The CCO is a jewel in the cultural landscape of Ithaca and the region, and my hope is to help it shine as bright as it can.”

The CCO offers much more than its marvelous subscription season.  Our Family Concert & Storytime Series at Tompkins Public library is free thanks to generous sponsorship, and, our Willard Daetsch Youth Outreach program brings us to 900 second graders all over Tompkins County each spring.  We also have a fantastic Youth Orchestra which gives two free concerts each spring. 

For more information on all of our programs, including our subscription packages and single tickets to our concerts, please visit:  CCOithaca.org.  Concerts begin September 14^th in Ford Hall at Ithaca College.

When asked how he likes to spend his spare time in Ithaca, where he now resides, he replied, “I like to swim in lakes and rivers, and look for snakes. I am also of the pensive persuasion, and am partial towards nature. Maybe that’s why I love Ithaca?”