When COVID-19 struck this past March, the Orchestra of Northern New York cancelled its March, April and July concerts.

As the spring progressed and there appeared to be little abatement of the spread of coronavirus, the ONNY Board decided to cancel the August, October and December 2020 concerts out of an abundance of caution for musicians and audience members.

That’s when the Program Committee of the North Country’s only year-round professional orchestra kicked its creativity into high gear.

The results of months of planning and new uses of technology platforms are five new digital programs titled, ONNY ONLINE – Instrumental to Our Future.

All offerings, available at www.onny.org/online, are sponsored by: the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the NYS Legislature and the Northern New York Community Foundation; with generous support from Gary and Kimberly Busch, Hannawa Falls; Gary and Mary Ellen Morgan, West Winfield; and Timothy and Jill Savage, Canton.

• Tuesday Talks with the Maestro features ONNY Founder, Music Director and Conductor Kenneth Andrews in recorded interviews with the Orchestra’s principals, musicians, and staff.

These talented people reveal how and when they started their musical careers, the high and a few low points along the way to their current careers. New sessions are available at noon each Tuesday.

• Behind the Scenes of ONNY presents fascinating conversations with some of the people who make possible ONNY concerts.

Tim Savage, ONNY’s immediate past president (2011-2020), hosts these discussions with sponsors, donors, board members, the ONNY transportation crew, and even an ONNY Young Artist Competition participant. New videos go live at noon every Thursday.

• ONNY Beyond the Stage showcases the extraordinary individual talents of ONNY musicians who are delighted to perform once again from their homes, studios, in nature, and in other non-traditional settings.

These videos highlight each musician’s personally selected pieces and can be enjoyed from the comfort and safety of one’s own home.

• Mini Music Lessons by ONNY Musicians offers music students of all ages a free 20-minute one-on-one lesson via a private Zoom link.

To request a lesson, simply e-mail lessons@onny.org. ONNY musicians are volunteering their time to offer this program.

• Finally, Improv Sessions with ONNY Musicians is a program coordinated by Amalio “Mario” Pratti, a charter member of ONNY and one of its bassists for more than 30 years.

Pratti is the Director of Orchestras for the Massena Central School District.

The program is open to young instrumentalists and vocalists in Grades 5-12 anywhere in the U.S. Students have the opportunity to express their feelings by creating a video of a one- to two-minute improvisation using the backing track on ONNY’s website.

Students will then receive personal feedback from ONNY musicians.

No experience is necessary to create an improvisation, but a signed Parental Consent Form must be submitted prior to participating in the program.

ONNY has created a Website Usage Parental Consent and Release Form in voluntary compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), (www.coppa.org).

This is a federal law intended to help parents/legal guardians remain in control of the personal information websites and other online services can collect from their children under 13 years of age.

Although nonprofit organizations are exempt from COPPA, ONNY takes seriously the privacy rights of children.

Therefore, it is following COPPA rules by obtaining verifiable parental consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of a child’s personal information on its website.

Sponsorship opportunities are available to area businesses for the online programs. Advertisements will be inserted into sponsored videos for all who view the programs. Sponsorships start at $60.

For more information, contact Kathy Del Guidice, executive director, 315-212-3440 or by email: executivedirector@onny.org.