By Jonathan Heath
Reflected in the glassy waters of Mirror Lake: the silhouette of 20 musicians. Above them, the Adirondack mountains frame the skyline—snowcapped in winter, lush and mossy in summer—at once dramatic and inviting. The peaks form a natural amphitheater around a small timber-framed pavilion on the lakeshore. Seated on blankets and picnic chairs, music lovers gather to listen, their attention pulled toward the music and the mountains alike.
Among the musicians this summer is Emily Dobmeier ’20E (DMA), a clarinetist and Eastman alumna recently named executive director of the Lake Placid Sinfonietta. Tasked with preserving the orchestra’s storied past while leading it toward a sustainable future, Dobmeier now oversees the ensemble that has made music in this picturesque corner of the Adirondacks for more than a century.
“This role is both an honor and a responsibility,” Dobmeier says. “The Lake Placid Sinfonietta has a remarkable history of bringing world-class music to the Adirondacks, and stepping into a leadership position means helping to preserve that legacy while guiding the orchestra into an exciting new chapter. For me, it’s about building connections between musicians and audiences, tradition and creativity, and between the Sinfonietta and the vibrant communities we serve.”
The Lake Placid Sinfonietta plays at the Paul White Memorial Shell overlooking Mirror Lake at Mid’s Park. The pavilion is named for the Eastman faculty member who played such an integral part in the ensemble’s history.
The Sinfonietta’s origins date back to 1917, when an 11-member ensemble from Boston began presenting summer concerts at the Lake Placid Club. In the years following World War I, the tradition continued, and the Adirondack Music Festival was established. But with the outbreak of World War II, the Boston musicians stopped coming, relocating instead to a site closer to home that would eventually become the Tanglewood Music Center outside Lenox, MA.
Into this void stepped Dr. Paul White, then associate conductor of the Rochester Civic Orchestra and the Eastman School Symphony. A faculty member at Eastman since 1928, White inherited not only a rich music library left behind by the “Boston Simfony Ensemble,” but an audience eager for an orchestra. The Lake Placid Club commissioned him to form a new ensemble. In response, he assembled the Lake Placid Club Sinfonietta with 10 Rochester Philharmonic musicians and pianist Carl Lamson.
Over the decades, the Sinfonietta expanded both its roster and its reach, eventually growing to 20 seats and welcoming students from Eastman and other music schools. Through both turbulent times and seasons of great success, the Lake Placid Sinfonietta, the Orchestra of the Adirondacks, has endured—falling silent only twice: once in 1945, when the camp served as an Army rest center at the end of the war, and again in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Emily Dobmeier
For Dobmeier, the legacies of Eastman and the Sinfonietta go hand in hand. “Eastman is rooted in a tradition of the highest artistic standards, and that same commitment is alive in the Sinfonietta,” she says. “It’s incredibly exciting to be part of a long line of Eastman musicians who have made music in this beautiful, unique corner of the world. There’s something special about feeling that connection across generations, knowing that I’m stepping into something shaped by people who shared the same values and love for this place and this orchestra.”
No stranger to arts management or the Adirondack region, Dobmeier previously served for eight years as vice president of operations and artistic planning at nearby Luzerne Music Center. She has also taught at the Eastman Community Music School, helping to guide young musicians. “Teaching reinforced for me that music is for everyone,” she says. “It gave me experience building relationships and engagement and making classical music approachable—essential skills for leading an organization like the Sinfonietta.
Dobmeier may be the latest link in the entwined DNA of Eastman and the Sinfonietta, but she’s not the only Eastman alum on stage. Currently, there are five others: Assistant Concertmaster and violinist Amanda Brin ’02E; cellist Jonathan Brin ’02E (both on leave through 2025); flutist Anne Harrow ’81E, ’96E (MM), who also serves as associate professor of flute and piccolo and chair of Eastman’s Chamber Music Department; oboist Jillian Honn ’16E, and second horn player Mirella Gable ’10E.
From left to right: Jillian Honn, Eastman alum Jeremy Gill ’96E whose work ‘Epiphanies’ was performed by the Sinfonietta this summer, new executive director Emily Dobmeier, Mirella Gable, and Anne Harrow.
Just over five hours and 275 miles from Eastman, Lake Placid feels both “next door” and worlds away. Compared to the flat farmland of Monroe County and the Lake Ontario shoreline, the Adirondacks are home to dense forests, glacial lakes, Olympic dreams, and the highest peaks in New York State. There are plenty of reasons to make the drive.
The Adirondacks in winter. Photo courtesy of Lauren Sageer.
For oboist Jillian Honn, there was nothing quite like it. “I visited Lake Placid for New Year’s Eve in 2018 and experienced the picturesque snow globe that was falling snow and ice skaters on Mirror Lake. I couldn’t believe anything could be more beautiful,” she says. “Now, playing at the bandstand in Mid’s Park every Wednesday in the summer—surrounded by mountains, cool breezes, and such a warm and enthusiastic audience—keeps me optimistic and excited about what I do for a living. Sharing music with people in this location has been so career-affirming, whether they’re passing by on foot or by kayak, season subscribers, or accidental attendees.”
Honn, too, is drawn by the Eastman connection. “My professor, Richard Killmer, was the oboist in the Sinfonietta following Robert Sprenkle ’36E (a founding member of the Lake Placid Sinfonietta and Killmer’s predecessor at Eastman), and after Killmer’s retirement from the ensemble, several Eastman oboists held the chair in succession. To a young musician from the suburbs of Dallas, TX, such as myself, Lake Placid was a dreamy place with a desirably peaceful and simple atmosphere. I never really considered that I would become one of these Eastman oboists in the Sinfonietta lineage but was so honored to receive a call to fill in for Cynthia Watson ’86E back in 2021. I credit my experience with the Sinfonietta that year and in subsequent years with keeping my passion for music performance alive and giving me the space to continue to hone my craft and grow as an artist.”
From the podium to the picnic blankets, Eastman’s imprint on the Lake Placid Sinfonietta runs deep. For over a century, its musicians have brought classical music to the mountains, creating a tradition as enduring as the peaks themselves. Now, with Dobmeier, Honn, and a cohort of alumni at the helm, the future hums with promise.
“The future of the Sinfonietta is full of possibility!” confirms Dobmeier. “Our core values—joy, excellence, inclusivity—will remain central as we explore new opportunities: performing in unique venues, creating partnerships with local organizations, and expanding educational programs. It’s an exciting time, and I see a future where the Sinfonietta continues to be a cultural anchor in the Adirondacks. We want to make space for people who already love and devote their energy to classical music, and for those who might be experiencing it for the first time as well!”