History of the OSFL
The Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes (OSFL) has been thrilling audiences throughout the Twin Tiers since 1995. The OSFL was created with the merger of two cherished orchestras: the Corning Philharmonic Society and the Elmira Symphony and Choral Society, with the mission of providing live classical music to the region. Since its first season in 1995-1996, the OSFL has been committed to the performance of masterworks of the orchestra repertoire, as well as to performances of works by living composers.
The OSFL is organized under the auspices of Corning-Elmira Musical Arts, Inc. (CEMA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which was created at the merger to oversee the activities of the OSFL, the Chorus of the Southern Finger Lakes, the Youth Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes, the Junior String Ensemble, and the Doreen B. Hertzog Concerto/Aria Competition.
Marietta Cheng, professor of music at Colgate University served as the music director from 1995 to 2008. Cheng has been an advocate for opening conducting opportunities for women. She was featured in a story about women conductors for a story on CNN, has written many articles about women in music and contributed to the opinion page of The New York Times. Learn more about Marietta here.
In 2009, Cheng handed the baton over to the Toshiyuki Shimada of Yale University. Shimada’s sparkling personality and musicianship have won the hearts of the OSFL audience. Shimada served as music director of the Portland (Maine) Symphony Orchestra for 20 years and exhibits a love community in his work with the OSFL: featuring soloists with ties to the orchestra and the region at many performances, taking a delight in attending local events, and even taking time to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and participating in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. Learn more about Toshi here.
The OSFL has been devoted to working with young people, maintaining programs created by its parent organizations. The Youth Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes, originally established by the Corning Philharmonic, and the Annual Doreen B. Hertzog Concerto/Aria Competition, a project of the Elmira Symphony, both provide aspiring area music students the opportunity to perform orchestral works in concert. The OSFL has expanded its education programming with the addition of the Junior String Ensemble which gives younger string students a chance to play together and hone their skills before joining the Youth Orchestra.
The OSFL is organized under the auspices of Corning-Elmira Musical Arts, Inc. (CEMA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which was created at the merger to oversee the activities of the OSFL, the Chorus of the Southern Finger Lakes, the Youth Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes, the Junior String Ensemble, and the Doreen B. Hertzog Concerto/Aria Competition.
Marietta Cheng, professor of music at Colgate University served as the music director from 1995 to 2008. Cheng has been an advocate for opening conducting opportunities for women. She was featured in a story about women conductors for a story on CNN, has written many articles about women in music and contributed to the opinion page of The New York Times. Learn more about Marietta here.
In 2009, Cheng handed the baton over to the Toshiyuki Shimada of Yale University. Shimada’s sparkling personality and musicianship have won the hearts of the OSFL audience. Shimada served as music director of the Portland (Maine) Symphony Orchestra for 20 years and exhibits a love community in his work with the OSFL: featuring soloists with ties to the orchestra and the region at many performances, taking a delight in attending local events, and even taking time to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and participating in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. Learn more about Toshi here.
The OSFL has been devoted to working with young people, maintaining programs created by its parent organizations. The Youth Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes, originally established by the Corning Philharmonic, and the Annual Doreen B. Hertzog Concerto/Aria Competition, a project of the Elmira Symphony, both provide aspiring area music students the opportunity to perform orchestral works in concert. The OSFL has expanded its education programming with the addition of the Junior String Ensemble which gives younger string students a chance to play together and hone their skills before joining the Youth Orchestra.
