Jason Tramm became conductor of the Putnam Chorale in July. The veteran music director serves as associate professor and director of choral activities at Seton Hall University, where he leads the university’s chorus, chamber choir and orchestra. He will lead the chorale in two upcoming holiday performances in Beacon and Brewster.
When did your interest in music and singing begin?
I grew up in Rockland County and was a singer since before I can remember. At 5 years old, I was a soloist for my local church in West Nyack. For me, it was just like breathing. It’s never been a choice for me. I’ve always been a musician, and always knew I wanted to be in music. I gravitated to conducting when I was studying for my master’s degree [at the University of Hartford]. Really, it’s the same thing — it’s expression, connecting with other people and moving hearts.
Why the switch to conducting?
I was a high school teacher in New Jersey and I knew that something was missing. I conducted when I was teaching, but never really thought of it as a career option. One day I just decided it was something I had to do. I founded a summer festival with a 60-voice chorus and that was a huge success. I have a friend from the Metropolitan Opera who sang. That concert led me to do my doctorate at Rutgers on a full scholarship.
What is the conductor’s role?
If you have a coach in football, it’s something like that. It’s also like the captain of a ship. Most of my job as conductor is spent by myself at 3 in the morning studying music. What the audience sees is the tip of the iceberg; the rest is below the waves — picking the music, selecting the rehearsal plan. I tell my students at Seton Hall that it’s like an electrical wire that goes from the composer’s intentions to the audience. That’s the conductor.
Is conducting an orchestra different from leading a chorale?
They need different things. In a choral setting, you have a whole semester to work on a project. In a symphony you usually only have three rehearsals and it’s a quick turnaround most of the time. We really spend the time with the chorale. We mold the sound, the vowels, the way that the choir speaks, and it’s a process that takes months. We get to know each other and it’s really a rewarding thing. It feels like home.
What’s special about chorales?
It’s a beautiful thing; it’s a unique alchemy. We’re greater than the sum of our parts. We get together and make special music happen. The groups I lead tend to focus on the masterworks. So we’re taking this 400 years of choral repertoire and digging in deep.
What attracted you to the Putnam Chorale?
I knew some of the members through one of my other choruses, the Taghkanic Chorale, and they were telling me about this group. I did my research and it seemed like a great group of people who really have a commitment to making fine music. There’s a great mix of people in this group, and almost every group. There’s a mixture of professional music teachers who have musical backgrounds and degrees in music. There are also people who just love to sing. They represent every possible career and background, but what unifies them is their love of music.
What can audiences expect from the upcoming performances in Beacon and Brewster?
I selected a really high-octane program with brass and organ and percussion. There’s going to be thrilling fanfares and some really interesting and exciting music.
Performances will be held on Friday, Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the Church of St. Joachim at 51 Leonard St. in Beacon and on Sunday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 83 Main St. in Brewster. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, and free for children 12 and under. Visit putnamchorale.org.
