by Jacqueline Davis
After a long year of absence, Summer Serenades is back in town, celebrating its tenth anniversary and honoring Brockport. Serenades is now hosted by the Village of Brockport. Program details are available at www.brockportny.org.
Brockport is a small gem of a community. Known as the Victorian Village on the Erie Canal, it is culturally rich with museums, public art, numerous musical events like Summer Serenades, and a vibrant SUNY college. This year’s Serenades honors this duality musically, with its lineup of events, and culturally, with the recognition of The Three Bills.
As in previous years, concerts, with the exception of the RPO, will be held at the Brockport Welcome Center, 11 Water Street on the Erie Canal. The rain location is St. Luke’s Episcopal Church at Main and State Streets.
The first concert of the summer is Thursday, July 15, at 7 p.m. Zak’s Pack, a local high-energy rock and roll band performing old favorites of the ’60s and ’70s, kicks off this exciting season following a village event from 5:30 to 7 p.m. A kayak flotilla from Commissary Park will end at the Welcome Center for the new adaptive kayak launch dedication, music from local group She Sings, and more. All are invited to join the fun.
This season also introduces two new musical entertainments. Singers from the Finger Lakes Opera will perform Broadway songs and favorites from their repertoire on July 22. The Rochester Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra closes the series on August 29. Both are well known in the area and will bring musical diversity to the program.
Serenades is fortunate to have been selected as a summer venue for a Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra concert on August 5. Those who remember the RPO visit in 2018 know what a special evening this will be. The Village website will have time and location details soon.
In addition, you can expect a good time with regular crowd favorites: Eight Days a Week, musicians having fun with Beatles standards; Feedback, a high-energy six-piece band featuring the lead vocals of Vernette Hill; and Chris Wilson, popular songwriter and singer with an international following. Check the Summer Serenades ad in Westside News for the full season listing.
Culturally speaking, Serenades is celebrating The Three Bills, three notable Brockport men who each made significant contributions to the Brockport community. All three were highly regarded professors at the college, illustrating the long history of connections between SUNY Brockport, the Village, and surrounding towns.
Bill Hullfish brought tunes from the 19th century alive when he and his Golden Eagle String Band played their traditional folk instruments to the delight of all when they performed at Summer Serenades and numerous other local events. In addition to teaching at the college for nearly 50 years, Bill was an internationally recognized musician, composer, and author. His Golden Eagle String Band features both historic music of the Erie Canal and Bill’s original compositions. He passed this year and will be greatly missed.
Bill Stewart, internationally recognized ceramic sculptor, taught dynamic and inspiring classes at SUNY Brockport for over 30 years. His work positioned the college as one of the country’s premier progressive art departments. His artwork brought mystery, humor, and joy to the Rochester community for more than half a century. At the Welcome Center, his “Howdeee” sculpture welcomes community members and visiting boaters from around the globe as they pass through Brockport on our famous Erie Canal. He also passed this year.
The third Bill, Bill Andrews, is known for his research and publications about Brockport’s history in addition to his long career as a popular professor in the Political Science Department at SUNY Brockport. The results of many of his research projects can be seen in numerous panels around town, visual displays of Brockport’s industrial, social, and agricultural history, installed by the Brockport Community Museum, of which he is a founding member. He is also a founding member of the Summer Serenades, among his other numerous village contributions. He is still very active at age 93.
Summer Serenades will continue to be funded solely by donations and grants, without which the music series could not continue. The committee of Bill Andrews, Terry Ann Carbone, Jacquie Davis, Patty Kutz, Jo Matela, and Gary Skoog wishes to thank the community and local businesses for ten years of generous support.
Tax-deductible donation checks can be sent to the Village of Brockport, 127 Main Street, Brockport, NY 14420. Specify that the donation is for Summer Serenades. Donations will also support Winter Serenades.
For information, visit www.brockportny.org or contact Gary Skoog at 637-6586 or Erica Linden, Village Manager, at 637- 5300 ext 112.
