Community Performance Series to Welcome Organist Marvin Mills, Seraph Brass & Perla Batalla for Fall 2026 Season

A Season of Sound: Community Performance Series Celebrates 37th Season with Award-Winning Artists Set to Perform at SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music

Potsdam, NY (09/04/2026) — The Community Performance Series will launch its 37th season with three distinctive performances by award-winning artists at SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music this fall.

"The Fall 2026 season of the Community Performance Series features a range of concerts by acclaimed artists representing a range of musical genres. This fall, we look forward to welcoming both returning and new audience members to enjoy these exceptional guest artist performances at SUNY Potsdam," said CPS Director Vanessa Vaverchak '27.

26th Annual L. Felix & Helen Miller Ranlett Organ Recital & Encounter

Organist Marvin Mills will perform a solo recital on Sunday, Sept. 20, at 3 p.m., in the Helen M. Hosmer Concert Hall. In advance of the concert, Mills will give a free public pipe organ encounter on Saturday, Sept. 19, also at 3 p.m. on the Hosmer stage. This unique informal talk and demonstration will offer an intimate perspective on the artistry, mechanics and power of the pipe organ. Both events are free and open to the public, thanks to the generosity of Drs. Judith and John Ranlett.

An organist, pianist, harpsichordist, conductor and composer, Marvin Mills has performed extensively throughout the United States and appeared as soloist with the Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Peabody and National Symphony orchestras in concertos by Handel, Hindemith, Jongen, Poulenc, Rheinberger and Saint-Saens. As keyboard/continuo artist/choral conductor for the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival from 2000 to 2025, he has collaborated with numerous ensembles, including the Washington Bach Consort, Concert Artists of Baltimore, the Ritz Chamber Players, Mastersingers of Wilmington, the Philadelphia Brass and the Opera Philadelphia Chorus.

10th Cania Family Visiting Artist

In conjunction with the Crane School of Music Brass Summit, CPS will welcome Seraph Brass in concert on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m. Winners of the American Prize in Chamber Music, the dynamic ensemble Seraph Brass will bring their diverse body of repertoire to the Sara M. Snell Music Theater. As part of the inaugural Crane Brass Summit, the guest artists will work directly with Crane students and summit guests, as they visit classes, lead ensemble coaching, offer a Q&A session and take part in a "lunch and listen" event -- offering an extraordinary opportunity to engage with the globally-touring and highly accomplished brass ensemble.

Seraph Brass, now in its 13th season, was founded by trumpet soloist Mary Elizabeth Bowden with a mission to showcase the excellence of women brass players and highlight musicians from marginalized groups. Winners of the American Prize in Chamber Music, the group has been praised for its "beautiful sounds" (American Record Guide), "fine playing" (Gramophone), and "staggeringly high caliber of performance" (Textura).

The ensemble tours nationally and globally, and the 2026-27 highlights include recitals across the United States, a concerto performance with the San Francisco Brass Band, residencies in Germany, Mexico and Haiti, and the release of their third album in the spring. Members of Seraph Brass are passionate about music education, and hold faculty positions at Shenandoah Conservatory, the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the University of Wisconsin Madison. In each of their tours, the group works to provide educational outreach to local schools.

Registration is now open for the inaugural Crane Brass Summit, taking place from Friday, Sept. 25 to Sunday, Sept. 27 at The Crane School of Music. Summit registrants will receive an all-access pass to a weekend of performances (Seraph Brass concert included), as well as educational opportunities and activities. The weekend features masterclasses and a Q&A session, recitals featuring Crane alumni and the Potsdam Brass Quintet, workshops, a large brass ensemble reading session, and an exhibit hall featuring visiting brass vendors. To register or learn more, visit cpspotsdam.org/brass-summit.

47th Annual McElheran Visiting Artist

Singer-songwriter and composer Perla Batalla will take the Hosmer Hall stage on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m., for a concert titled "A Letter to Leonard: Tribute to a Friend," paying tribute to her friend and mentor, Leonard Cohen, on the tenth anniversary of his passing.

While today Perla Batalla can be found sharing the stage with such musicians as Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright and Jackson Browne, it was her early years touring and recording with the celebrated Canadian poet Leonard Cohen that shaped her as an artist in her own right. With Cohen's encouragement, Perla began performing her own songs in Los Angeles clubs in the late 1990s. During this period, she was noticed by Elektra Records founder Jac Holzman (The Doors, Queen, Judy Collins), and signed to the Discovery-Warner label.

Batalla continues to forge her reputation as an essential interpreter of Leonard Cohen's music. Perla's first homage to Cohen, "Bird on the Wire," was recorded with Cohen's blessing: He attended the studio sessions, weighed in on material and uncharacteristically participated in a photo session at his Los Angeles home to help promote the project.

Perla's powerful follow-up Cohen undertaking, "A Letter to Leonard Cohen: Tribute to a Friend," picks up where she left off, and this time features Batalla's original compositions inspired by two decades of musical exchanges with Canada's poet laureate.

Tickets

Tickets for the Fall 2026 Community Performance Series season and Brass Summit are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.cpspotsdam.org. Youth, senior, military and college discounts are available.

Virtual CPS Box Office customer support is available by phone Monday through Friday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Walk-up tickets may be purchased in person at the performance venue one hour prior to each show.

About Community Performance Series:

The mission of the Community Performance Series is to foster a vibrant arts culture at SUNY Potsdam and throughout Northern New York by presenting an annual season of exceptional performances by distinguished artists and musicians. CPS also enriches education by offering high-quality performance classes, internships, workshops, artistic collaborations, and performing arts programs that inspire learning and creativity for students and community members of all ages. For more information, visit www.cpspotsdam.org.

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