<p>Well, it has been a long (long) time, but do recall some interaction between Vassar and SUNY New Paltz way back when. </p>
<p>Seems we did a joint Choral Concert with SUNY New Paltz, pairing the Vassar College Choir with the equivalent SUNY New Paltz group to do the Brahms Requiem, with a full orchestra of local pros and some students, plus pro soloists in from NYC and Boston. Likely they had to combine to be able to afford all the pro players and big-ish name singers. We did home and away concerts, which was probably the only time I ever got up to New Paltz in my time at Vassar. </p>
<p>In the way of these things, the very next year the Vassar Music dept. managed to deny tenure to the choral director, musicologist and impressario that pulled that whole thing together. He felt down in the dumps for a bit, but right as the Vassar gig wound down he got hired by - what is that school called - starts with H, located in Cambridge or something? - and he has been there ever since doing everything from small renaissance to big time romantic choral and orchestral works with many of the different choral groups there. That school with the H even features him conducting in the Memorial Church in their admissions propaganda video. Not one of Vassar’s better decisions. </p>
<p>Not that this all has much to do with the Jewish population at Vassar. I wonder if the Hillel quote of “1100 in ten miles” has to do with the local population?</p>