Jason Lensky ’23, left, (trombone) performs “Five Miniatures for Five Brasses” alongside Ryan Rafferty ’24 (trumpet) during a performance with the Frackenpohl Honors Brass Quintet on Friday, April 21, during the dedication of the Robert and Beverly Washburn Rehearsal Room at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music. SUNY Potsdam photo.
POTSDAM — A crowd gathered Friday, April 21 at the premier ensemble rehearsal room at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music to honor two longtime members of the Crane community, Dr. Robert B. Washburn ’49 and Beverly Darnell Washburn ’63.
“You know, there are concert halls all over the world named after famous people, but this is where the work happens,” said Brooks Washburn, as he spoke at the ceremony dedicating the new space in honor of his parents. “It is truly a fitting tribute to them that it’s a rehearsal room, because that’s where the work gets done and that’s where the payoff really comes.”
The space, which was finalized as part of a $21.5 million renovation and expansion of The Crane School of Music, will now forever be known as the Robert and Beverly Washburn Rehearsal Room, in recognition of the Washburn family’s long and proud history at the institution.
“This space, the Washburn Rehearsal Room, is Crane’s premier rehearsal environment. It’s designed from the ground up to allow our large ensembles to safely and effectively prepare for the kinds of transformative, iconic performances we offer every year on this campus, in our community and around the world,” said Crane School of Music Dean Dr. William Gibbons. “But fancy bells and whistles aside, what makes the Crane experience truly special is people… today we celebrate two of those figures.”
Dr. Robert B. Washburn ’49 and Beverly Darnell Washburn ’63 were beloved members of the SUNY Potsdam family for more than five decades, dedicating their lives to educating and nurturing generations of students on campus and in the community. Dr. Washburn was greatly admired and…
Read the full article here