Union College Concert Series Gets New Name, New Independent Nonprofit Status

The Union College Concert Series, which attracts the world’s finest classical music
performers to Memorial Chapel, will begin operating as an independent nonprofit
organization – Capital Region Classical Inc. – overseen by a board of directors for the
time in in its storied history.

The series will also get a new name: Capital Region Classical at Union College.
Performances will continue to be held in Memorial Chapel, and Artistic Director
Derek Delaney will remain as its leader.

“We have grown enormously since our transition from a volunteer organization over
five years ago, and Union College is largely responsible for this success,” said
Delaney, who took over as artistic director of the series from Dan Berkenblit in 2011.
“As a result of this growth, this next chapter in our history will allow the series and the
College to better serve the greater community and to provide for the long-term
sustainability of the program.”

College President David R. Harris said, “Union is proud of its longstanding history
with the series and its growing prominence in the region under the leadership of Derek
Delaney. We are confident that this transition will position the series to enjoy
continued growth. We look forward to continuing to welcome audiences from across
the region to Memorial Chapel for outstanding classical music performances.”
Founded in 1971 and administered by the College since 2001, the series is a regular
stop for internationally renowned classical musicians such as Emanuel Ax, Mitsuko
Uchida, Ian Bostridge, the Emerson String Quartet, and others. Oftentimes, these
artists perform the identical program at venues such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln
Center for more than triple the ticket price.

Under the new arrangement, the College will continue to provide Memorial Chapel at
no cost, and concert series operations will reside off campus. The series will continue
to rely upon revenue from individual and organizational contributions and ticket sales
to support its more than $425,000 annual operating budget.

The popularity of the series has grown significantly in the last five years. Total
attendance has increased nearly 25 percent with more than a third of its audience
members coming from beyond Schenectady and Albany counties. Almost 50 of its
concerts have aired nationally and regionally on public radio’s Performance Today.
“We are excited about the changes moving forward,” Delaney said. “Audiences in the
Capital Region have experienced some of the finest classical music performers in the
world at our home in Memorial Chapel. We are pleased to continue to partner with
Union College in providing this vital cultural programming to the community, and we
look forward to working together for many years to come.”

For more information, visit the website: http://www.capitalregionclassical.org.