Honor Charles Schneider’s Retirement

Assembly Resolution No. 1027 BY: M. of A. Magee COMMENDING Charles Schneider upon the occasion of his retirement as music director after many years of dedicated service to both the Catskill and Schenectady Symphonies WHEREAS, The arts, in whatever form depicted, are central to human expression; they are truly a universal language and their contribution to the development of friendship and understanding among all peoples cannot be underestimated; and WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to call attention to individuals that devote their time and energies to the cultural enrichment of the Empire State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend Charles Schneider upon the occasion of his retirement as music director after many years of dedicated service to both the Catskill and Schenectady Symphonies; and WHEREAS, A graduate of Cornell College in Iowa, Charles Schneider attended the Juilliard School of music as a piano student; and WHEREAS, In the 1960s, Charles Schneider began his long and distinguished conducting career on Broadway; his credits include Your Own Thing, Sweet Potato, and West Side Story at Lincoln Center; a decade later, he relocated to Kansas where he held the title of associate conductor of the Kansas City Philharmonic for one year; and WHEREAS, Charles Schneider mastered his conducting skills studying with greats such as Igor Markevitch of the National Orchestra of Monte Carlo; Herbert Blomstedt, formerly of the San Francisco Symphony and the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig, Germany; and Franco Ferrara of the St. Cecilia Academy in Rome and Siena, Italy; he later served as the assistant conductor for Herbert Blomstedt at the Aspen Music Festival; and WHEREAS, Charles Schneider was also the music director of the American premiere of The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny with the San Francisco Opera, and conducted the New York revivals of Trouble in Tahiti and Down in the Valley, and the Glasnost Ballet during its first American tour; and WHEREAS, Since 1973, Charles Schneider has conducted the Catskill Symphony and was the music director of the Utica Symphony from

1980-2011; he has also conducted the Schenectady Symphony Orchestra since 1982; and WHEREAS, Furthermore, Charles Schneider was co-founder of the Catskill Conservatory of Music, music director of the Portland Chamber Orchestra, and founding music director of Glimmerglass Opera, a position he held for 12 years; and WHEREAS, Charles Schneider also conducted five orchestra tours throughout Europe with the Central New York Symphony Orchestra, with concerts in Prague, Brno, Bratislava, Vienna, Budapest, Krakow, Athens, Sparta, Patras, Paris, Zurich, Lucerne, Geneva, Lyon, Bordeaux, and Crete; and WHEREAS, In addition to his performance work, Charles Schneider has served on the music faculties of San Diego State University, Hamilton College, Colgate University, Hartwick College, SUNY-Oneonta, Mohawk Valley Community College, and Skidmore College; and WHEREAS, For his significant contributions to the music world, Charles Schneider was the recipient of numerous awards and accolades including three ASCAP Awards, an honorary doctorate from Hartwick College in 1984, the 2000 Governor's Award for Musical Excellence, and a Citation of Musical Excellence by the United States Congress; and WHEREAS, With him throughout has been his wife, Rayna, who has shown him love and support and rejoices in his many achievements; and WHEREAS, It is most fitting that we take time to celebrate the arts of our Nation, to honor our artists, and to express our appreciation to everyone who patronizes the arts; and as we celebrate the arts, we celebrate and give thanks to our American freedom, the only atmosphere in which artists can truly create and in which art is truly the expression of the soul; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commend Charles Schneider upon the occasion of his retirement as music director after many years of dedicated service to both the Catskill and Schenectady Symphonies, and to wish him continued success in all his future endeavors; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Charles Schneider.