A Symphony of Sounds: Riley McCurdy’s Graduate Conducting Recital

By Calvin Milliner

Photos by Calvin Milliner and courtesy of Riley McCurdy

A symphony of sounds swept through Hendricks Chapel Tuesday night.  

The Hendricks Chapel Choir, conducted by Riley McCurdy (pictured right), a second-year master’s student in the Choral Conducting and Music Education program performed for her last recital in Hendricks Chapel.  

“This is such a major building on campus, I feel like a lot of things are centered around Hendricks Chapel,” McCurdy said. “To be a part of the Hendricks Chapel Choir, the group that represents this building and the wonderful things that happen here have always been special to me.”  

McCurdy received her bachelors from Syracuse University and has been a part of the Hendricks Chapel Choir since her sophomore year.  

“Every year you really get to feel that special bond the singers and choir have,” McCurdy said.  

The group is not primarily made up of music majors but a diverse background of singers from Syracuse University and SUNY ESF. Once a week the group comes together and makes music during “Music and Message” which is a weekly series from Hendricks Chapel that features musical performances and spoken reflections from diverse religious and spiritual backgrounds. It’s beautiful, McCurdy said. 

The wide array of musical selections was not chosen by McCurdy but by her professor, Dr. José “Peppie” Calvar. McCurdy feels she and the choir took the musical selections under their wing and made them ours, she said. The performance started with an upbeat song by Moses Hogan which demanded unison from the group called “The Battle of Jericho.” And ended the performance with the euphoric “Psalm 150” by Philip W.J. Stopford. Although most plans were subject to change in the age of COVID, McCurdy was willing to adjust with the times.  

“Singing with masks is difficult,” McCurdy said. “We’ve been doing it for two years now, we’re used to it but it’s still not the best.”  

McCurdy and the choir had to juggle the ever-changing COVID guidelines for two years. The difficulties COVID placed on the group made it hard for certain people to make it to rehearsals, McCurdy said. But she is grateful the group made it all work.  

McCurdy draws inspiration from her former elementary school music teacher Brian Gagnon. His influence has set her on the path she takes today. She is now pursuing a job as a music teacher in Baltimore, Maryland. 

Click the video below to watch the performance on the Hendricks Chapel YouTube channel.