© 2024 WXXI Public Broadcasting, 280 State St. Rochester, NY 14614, (585) 325-7500
Celebrating 50 years on FM 91.5
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Every day there are exciting things going on in Rochester's cultural arts community. Classical 91.5 hosts collaborate with and create highlights of various arts organizations, musicians and artists in and around our community.

"Into the Silent Land" : Eastman instructor's composition reflects on Sandy Hook tragedy

www.stevedanyew.com

As the recent mass shooting at a Florida high school re-energizes the national gun violence debate, a local composer has turned to music to reflect on a tragedy that shook America to its core just over five years ago.

Credit www.stevedanyew.com

Eastman School of Music instructor Steve Danyew once attended Sandy Hook Elementary in  Newtown, Connecticut, where 20 children and six adults were killed by a mass shooter on December 14, 2012.

Danyew's piece "Into the Silent Land" blends elements of a funeral march and a lament.  Near the end, a poem is read over the music by a narrator.

On Sunday, the piece made its local debut as it was performed by the Nazareth College Wind Symphony, conducted by Jared Chase. The poem "Remember me when I am gone away, gone far away into the silent land" was read by Katie Hannigan, assistant professor of voice at Nazareth College.

Below is a video of the Nazareth Wind Symphony performing the piece. The video was produced by Steve Danyew and  Jared Chase.  The videographer was Michael Sherman.

https://youtu.be/l-fkN1a3jUk

Copyright 2018 WXXI News

Beth Adams
Beth Adams joined WXXI as host of Morning Edition in 2012 after a more than two decade radio career. She was the longtime host of the WHAM Morning News in Rochester, where she was recognized for her work by the New York State Associated Press Broadcasters Association and the New York State Humane Society. Her career also took her from radio stations in Elmira, New York to Miami, Florida.