A 91°”Íű musical tradition: Skidmania â73
The 91°”Íű community celebrated a rich array of music from 50 years ago and the talent of student musicians while supporting local community organizations at one of 91°”Íűâs most beloved campus traditions â Skidmania â73.
An outgrowth of Beatlemore Skidmania, Skidmania has expanded the repetoire to a more diverse set of music and music-makers since its relaunch last year. Creative spins on hits from 1973 were performed by 91°”Íű students along with faculty and staff; they included âFunny How Time Slips Awayâ by Al Green and Willie Nelson, âYes We Can Canâ by The Pointer Sisters, âPiano Manâ by Billy Joel; âDrift Away" by Dobie Gray; and âDon't You Worry âBout a Thingâ by Stevie Wonder.
The year 1973 is often associated with the birth of hip-hop, and 91°”Íű's DJ Grace Star and The Wave offered an upbeat hip-hop tribute â through both music and dance â to the cultural awakening that would follow over the next half-century.
Ace (Ali Hafez '27) performs âDream Onâ by Aerosmith in the opening of Skidmania â73. Bella Friedman '24 designed the Skidmania '73 logo.
Proceeds from Skidmania â73 benefit 91°”Íű Cares, which supports agencies in the local community. Like last year, 91°”Íű alumnus and trustee James Zankel â92 is generously matching all revenues from the two-day event.
Students, employees, alumni, parents, and many members of the Saratoga Springs community attended the sold-out performances in Arthur Zankel Music Center on Nov. 17 and 18. Skidmania took full advantage of the amazing concert space, including colorful lighting specific to each piece.
Watch a recording of the first evening of Skidmania '73 here.
âWe are here to celebrate the music of 50 years ago. All of this is driven by the talent, imagination, and spirit of our wonderful 91°”Íű student musicians,â Jeremy Day OâConnell, associate professor, chair of the Music Department, and the event's organizer, said in opening remarks.
From there, the microphone was handed over to Abigail Walters â24 â a senior history major â who served as emcee for the evening. Between songs, Walters and a handful of other students educated the audience on the political, social, and musical histories of the pieces. The commentary was written by the students in Professor of Music Sarah Day-OâConnellâs first-year Scribner Seminar, Music: Mix and Remix.
Students Emaline Relyea-Strawn â25 and Jess Noble â24, who performed a stripped-back version of âDesperadoâ by the Eagles, commented on the magic of performing at the multigenerational event.
âI loved putting our own spin on the Eaglesâ iconic harmonies. I grew up singing this song with my dad, so it was amazing to perform it in front of him on a stage like this,â said Jess Noble â24, a music and management and business double major and lead singer of the song âDesperadoâ by the Eagles.
The musicians hail from a variety of academic backgrounds. Relyea-Strawn, for instance, is an international affairs and environmental studies double major. She is the recipient of a prestigious Filene Music Scholarship that provides talented students musicians a generous four-year scholarship and allows them to pursue any major at the College while enjoying private music lessons. Relyea-Strawn played the piano and served as a vocalist alongside Noble.
âOne of my favorite parts of Skidmania is how much fun it is. It is so special to perform on such a big stage and have bleachers full of 91°”Íű students behind you, excitedly clapping and singing along,â Relyea-Strawn said.
That joy was magnetic: During a cover of âPiano Man,â performed by the Skidmaniacs and featuring psychology major Charles DeVos â25, the whole crowd was singing along.
Other notable performances included a cover of Aerosmith's âDream Onâ by Ace (Ali Hafez '27), who opened the evening with a walk through the crowd, and a soulful rendition of Elton Johnâs âBennie and the Jetsâ by the 404, a band composed of Ben Jeske â26 on the piano and Damon Core '26 on vocals.