Nature is full of music when you take a moment to listen. Hear the wind shushing in the trees, listen to the birds singing back and forth, pick up the buzzing of insect wings flapping faster than you could ever imagine. Enjoy the symphony of music made by nature and man. As you walk along this trail loop, let your senses lead the way.
The Wild Center and the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam are thrilled to announce a groundbreaking collaboration that has resulted in a captivating new composition featured in The Wild Center’s acclaimed Forest Music installation.
The collaboration between the Wild Center and the Crane School of Music has brought together the talents of three student composers who have crafted an awe-inspiring musical experience.
About the Composers
Katherine McAuliffe – “Woodland”
Kate McAuliffe is a student of Music Composition at the Crane School of Music, anticipating to earn their B.M. in Musical Studies in May 2023. Her musical background includes vocal music, ranging from choral to contemporary styles, percussion, and ukulele. Prior to her pursuit of composition, she briefly studied Music Therapy at Elizabethtown College. They have experience composing for live ensembles, such as Crane’s Phoenix Club Treble Choir and Concert Choir, as well as fixed media. In her time at Crane, Kate has studied composition with Dr. Ivette Herryman-Rodriguez, Dr. Jerod Sommerfeldt, and Dr. Timothy Sullivan.
Amanda Rizzo – “Etcher Indwelt”
Amanda Rizzo is an alum of The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, where she graduated with a BM in Musical Studies with a concentration in voice. Her compositional style ranges from slow, meditative works to scores that are avant-garde, experimental, and chaotic. She uses elements of uncertainty, with psychedelic aspects that immerse the listener in a world of sound that is both bizarre and ethereal.
Cole Fortier – “A Tupper Fantasia”
Cole Fortier is a composer of concert music, a singer-songwriter, and a performer known for his distinctly varied musical palette and output of emotional works. He is about to graduate from The Crane School of Music with degrees in Music Composition and Music Education. Born and raised in Port Jefferson, New York on Long Island, music was always a part of the family as his father (Andrew Fortier) is an acclaimed singer-songwriter himself. Cole has an EP of original music out entitled Cafe Nostalgia as well as two new songs he released in the beginning of 2023. While continuing to compose for chamber commissions at Crane as well as preparing a follow-up album of original songs, he is honored and grateful to have his music be a part of the Forest Music installation at The Wild Center.