Project Trio to perform at SUNY Cortland 

09/27/2022 

The Brooklyn-based, genre-defying Project Trio, which breaks down traditional ideas of chamber music, will reopen in-person musical events at SUNY Cortland on Friday, Sept. 30. 

Made up of double bassist Peter Seymour, flautist Greg Pattillo and saxophonist Daniel Berkey, Project Trio will perform at 8 p.m. in Old Main Brown Auditorium as part of Family Weekend. 

Hosted by SUNY Cortland Campus Artist and Lecture Series (CALS), admission to all CALS events this year is free and open to the public.  

However, tickets are still required so as not to exceed venue capacity and are now available. Tickets can be picked up Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. in Corey Union, Room 406, starting one month prior to each event, or reserved and picked up at the venue starting one hour prior to each event. 

Project Trio is a passionate, high energy chamber music ensemble composed of three virtuosic composers and performers. Blending their classical training with an eclectic taste in musical styles, Project Trio has burst onto the scene with their landmark videos right out of the internet generation. 

Gramophone Magazine singled out the group as “an ensemble willing and able to touch on the gamut of musical bases ranging from Baroque to nu-Metal and taking in pretty much every stylism in between.” The Wall Street Journal hailed the trio for their “wide appeal, subversive humor and first-rate playing.” The New York Times has called beatboxing flutist Greg Pattillo “the best in the world at what he does.”

The three musicians forged their partnership out of a collective desire to draw new and diverse audiences by performing high-energy, top-quality music. Using social media to broaden their reach beyond the concert stage and classroom, Project Trio has its own YouTube channel, which has over 85 million views and 100,000 subscribers, making Project Trio one of the most watched instrumental ensembles on the internet. 

Peter Seymour 

Seymour has performed with many of the world’s most highly acclaimed artists and ensembles, including the Cleveland Orchestra, New World Symphony, Houston Symphony, New York City Ballet, Iris Orchestra and the Colorado Music Festival. He was the recipient of the Downbeat Magazine Award for Best Jazz Soloist and has shared the stage with such luminaries as Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove and Bobby McFerrin. Seymour received a bachelor of music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a master's degree in bass performance from Rice University, where he was a student of Paul Ellison.  

Greg Pattillo  

Pattillo is recognized throughout the world for his redefinition of the flute sound. His groundbreaking performance videos on YouTube, showcasing “beatbox flute,” have been viewed more than 50 million times. After earning his master’s degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, Pattillo found work as at the acting principal flute of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra and became a founding member of the Collaborative Arts Insurgency in San Francisco. 

Daniel Berkey  

Berkey, who hails from Chicago, Illinois, has been playing professionally since the age of 13. Under the tutelage of Nic Meyer and Greg Fishman, Daniel won several honors, most notably a DownBeat Magazine outstanding soloist award. He was selected as a Vail Jazz All Star. He attended The New School and has performed with The Four Tops, Mingus Band, Bobby Broom, Marquis Hill, and Dennis Carroll. He was inspired by Sonny Rollins. 

For the concert, patrons with mobility challenges will be accommodated. Advance notification would be appreciated to help make the experience more comfortable. 

For more information about any CALS event, call the Campus Activities and Corey Union Office at 607-753-5574. 

CALS is funded by Cortland Auxiliary Services and the Cortland College Foundation. 

For information about upcoming concerts, follow SUNY Cortland CALS on Facebook and Instagram or check out the SUNY Cortland Campus Artist and Lecture Series website.