Phyllis Pulver graduated from Niskayuna High School nearly 60 years ago. Decades later, she returned to her alma mater to witness her longtime dream become a reality.
Pulver, a former NHS orchestra concertmaster and Rexford resident, had always wished to hear her own musical arrangement performed – and on Feb. 12, nearly 100 Niskayuna High School Choir and Concert Chorale students sang a medley of “The Impossible Dream” and “I Dreamed a Dream” (Man of La Mancha/Les Mis), arranged by Pulver herself.
“I’ve held this dream in mind for 30 years,” said Pulver, who wrote and recorded the arrangement almost three decades earlier. “To have it sung back to me and to hear it, to realize that dream is beyond description.”
Pulver’s lifelong passion for music started when she learned to play the violin at age 7. She continued through high school, and although she pursued a career in the financial industry, music remained an integral part of her life.
In 2024, Pulver’s musical ambitions became one step closer to fruition when she contacted Choral Teacher Christina Pizzino-Catalano, who welcomed her with open arms. Pulver joined the choir and concert chorale classes to help coach students while they learned her original arrangement. As a guitarist, piano player, and local choir director, Pulver has also been part of several professionally recorded albums.
“Phyllis’ earnest excitement to share her continued immersion of music is, hopefully, a great example for the students,” said Pizzino-Catalano. “We talked about her history and experience, and in that conversation, reminded students that no matter where they go or what they pursue, music is always there.”
Pizzino-Catalano praises Pulver’s choral composition for redefining what it means to play classical music and shed light on underrepresented composers.
“Pulver wrote understanding the adolescent/teenage voice—she created harmonic lines that were reasonable to sing in a range that is comfortable for changing voices, and she highlights all voice parts – not just the sopranos on the melody,” she said.
Pulver’s example shows that a dream delayed is not a dream deferred. With persistence and a true love for one’s craft, we can create the opportunities we seek and eventually the right doors will open.
“Isn’t this a life lesson for all of us?” said Pizzino-Catalano. “We don’t have to be Mozart to continue the study of our instrument, to participate in a community choir, to dabble in composition, or perhaps most importantly, to be a patron of the arts. The opportunities in music are endless, whether it’s your profession or your passion.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.