Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Music Director JoAnn Falletta is the recipient of the statewide SUNY Distinguished Medallion of Distinction Award. WBFO'S Eileen Buckley says Falletta was honored for her accomplishments and working closely with the University at Buffalo.
"I feel very, very proud as a New Yorker because I was born and raised in New York. I had all my musical education in New York," said Falletta.
Falletta is the 4th person to receive the prestigious award from SUNY. In a WBFO News interview she remains humble about the honor and credits the unique relationship the BPO shares with UB in collaborating on musical projects for the community.
"We have a very unusual and productive, and somewhat unprecedented relationship with the University at Buffalo. We're very luck. Not many cities have this kind of synergy that exists between a performing arts organization and one of the best university's in the world," said Falletta.
UB President Satish Tripathi nominated Falletta for the honor. And although the BPO and University have worked on projects for a few decades, Falletta credits Tripathi's leadership for stepping up the relationship between the school and orchestra.
"And it is really because of his vision," noted Falletta "The university has concentrated so much on engineering and science, but they are realizing more and more that the arts are key to a life of intellectual stimulation"
Under Falletta's BPO leadership UB has worked on a number of projects, including the June in Buffalo Festival.
Falletta tells WBFO News working with UB is important for remaining innovative and modern. "We need to be relevant to people who are just discovering, in a very different way the arts and discovering music," said Falletta.
The BPO also performs at UB at Center for the Arts, campus concert halls and UB On the Green.
