Baritone Noah Chichester ’18 discovered his calling as a choral conductor through the support and experiences he found at Geneseo.
Chichester applied early-decision to Geneseo because he was confident that he could excel here.
“I could see that the academic departments are warm and close, you can really get to know people at Geneseo,” said Chichester, “not to mention the atmosphere, academics and price.”
During his first year, he declared a history education major, based on his interests in teaching, history and a love for the humanities. That soon changed when he auditioned for the Chamber Singers, Geneseo's internationally touring choir, directed by Professor of Music Gerard Floriano ’84.
During the audition for the Chamber Singers, Floriano suggested Chichester make music his major. Chichester shifted his focus to his real passion, and declared a double major, in vocal performance and history.
“Dr. Floriano saw it potential in me before I saw it in myself, and he could see that music is something that I really love,” he said.
Chichester’s voice teacher, Lecturer in Voice Joan Floriano ’82, was another mentor. “She is someone I really consider my guiding light at Geneseo,” Chichester said.
The trip to Italy with the Chamber Singers during his sophomore year, along with several classes he took with Distinguished Teaching Professor of English Ronald Herzman, inspired Chichester to minor in medieval studies.
“Music is such a great way to connect across cultures and borders,” he said. “To physically have seen topics we discussed at Geneseo, like how Dante mentions this place in the ‘Divine Comedy’ and I have been there, really made the trip valuable,” he said.
The versatility at Geneseo to sample and to pursue what you discover interests you most, is something Chichester values.
“The beauty of Geneseo is that the College is devoted to the public liberal arts, so you can have all these things up in the air at once,” he said. “I took classes that weren’t required by my majors but really shaped me.”
In following his passion for music, Chichester has become a recognizable figure in the music department. He was one of the winners of the Geneseo Concerto Competition in 2017, and performed his winning aria with the Geneseo Symphony Orchestra in 2018. He was a winner of the Music Department Honors Competition in both 2016 and 2017, and performed in the Music Department Honors Recital at the Lyric Theatre as part of the Rochester Fringe Festival.
He has also served as assistant conductor of the Geneseo Festival Chorus, in which students, faculty and community members perform choral masterworks, and as the assistant conductor of the newly-formed Geneseo Men’s Choir. This past spring, he led a student choir in a performance of a work by fellow music major Simone Louie ’18.
These experiences have solidified Chichester’s career path as a choral conductor. “I am certain this is the path I want to take,” he said.
After graduation, Chichester is looking to work abroad as a cultural ambassador to help other individuals learn English through the North American Language & Culture Assistants in Spain program, run by the Spanish government. Following this, he is planning to attend graduate school for choral conducting.
“The ability for reinvention is something that anyone can find at Geneseo,” said Chichester. “I came in as a history education major and left as a choral conductor — two radically different paths. The ability to grow and change academically and personally is what I will really take away.”
— By Kitrick McCoy '19