The Albany Symphony will bring its celebrated Water Music NY: More Voices Festival to Seneca Falls this Independence Day, blending orchestral performance with community storytelling to honor the town’s rich history as the birthplace of the women’s rights movement.
The free day-long event on July 4 is part of a five-stop concert series along New York’s canal system and coincides with the bicentennial of the Erie Canal. In Seneca Falls, composer Tanner Porter will premiere a new orchestral work inspired by the voices of local women past and present, created in collaboration with students and choirs from the community.
“This grand new adventure celebrates the vibrant history and culture of our great state,” said Albany Symphony Music Director David Alan Miller. “We hope our music will spark dialogue, expand perspectives, and inspire everyone to experience and cherish the beautiful canal system that flows through New York.”
The festival will take place at Canal Harbor Southside on the Bonafiglia Family Foundation property and include yoga, nature and history walks, tours of the Women’s Rights National Historical Park and Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s home, jazz performances, artisanal food, and family activities. The evening concludes with a spectacular drone light show as an eco-friendly alternative to fireworks.
The Water Music NY: More Voices Festival is presented by the Albany Symphony in partnership with the New York Power Authority and the New York State Canal Corporation, with support from the New York State Council on the Arts.
Other festival stops include Medina, Utica, Fort Plain, and Schuylerville, each with a unique theme celebrating underrepresented voices in canal communities.
For more information, visit: www.albanysymphony.com/2025-wmny.
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