About the Conductor
Originally from Fairbanks, Alaska, composer, conductor, percussionist Cayenna Ponchione has made her home in Alpine, New York. A graduate of the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and Ithaca College she has received Masters degrees in both instrumental conducting and percussion performance. She currently serves as the music director for the Binghamton Community Orchestra, the Ithaca Community Orchestra and the GrassRoots Festival Chamber Orchestra and is one of the founding conductors of the annual Finger Lakes Community Orchestra Festival. Her percussion ensemble work “The Creation“ won the 2003 Percussive Arts Society Composition Contest and, in addition to her other works for percussion, has been performed throughout the country and in Central and South America. A recent commission by Brazilian marimbist Gilmar Goulart, brought the composer to South America for its world premiere in October 2006 and to give master classes on composition and marimba. As a percussionist Ms. Ponchione has been a soloist with the Ithaca College Chamber Orchestra, Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra and the University of Alaska Wind Ensemble.