COURTNEE CESTA
Managing Editor
For School of Music professors Casey Gray and Tim Antonacci, there’s power in numbers.
“We want to go somewhere where we can make a difference together — use our skills together,” said Gray, to which Antonacci added, “That’s the key.”
As partners, the two finish each other’s sentences, compliment one another and laugh together. They’ve also been racking up a laundry list of collaborative performance experience since they first met as students of the School of Music in 2009. At the time, Gray was working towards a Master’s in vocal performance while Antonacci was finishing his undergraduate work in music education.
“I gave him a taco,” Antonacci said laughing, handing his thought over to Gray, who finished with, “When I was a poor grad student.”
Gray now teaches voice classes and Antonacci teaches music education, both at Fredonia. The two have been dating for five years.
And aside from teaching in the same department, Gray and Antonacci collaborate on musical productions at the First United Methodist Church at Fredonia, the Chautauqua Youth Chorus, as well as the School of Music and on outside productions — experiences that are enhanced by their relationship.
“I like that, for the most part, I know what he’s thinking,” said Antonacci. “If you can have a creative team where you know what everybody’s thinking, it makes things go so much smoother. And Casey compliments all the things I suck at, basically.”
After minutes of charming banter, Antonacci decided that his degrees in music education and music composition, both from Fredonia, allow him to bring skills in education, history, theory and composition to the table. On the other hand, Gray says that his undergraduate and master’s degrees in voice performance, first from Bethany College and then from Fredonia, have provided him with knowledge of vocal performance and collaboration. One thing they agree on: their diverse music abilities comfort one another; when one falters, the other steps up and provides stabilization.
“So, when I’m conducting a choir, Casey knows when to pick the singers up basically,” Antonacci said. “I know what he’s going to have troubles with, and he knows what I’m not going to want to do, so it works out.”
“And we know what each other is thinking a lot [of the time] so that we don’t even have to ask or say that kind of stuff. We just know. And I like that we know exactly what each other’s abilities are and what the limitations are — even though we push them sometimes,” said Gray.
When not working together, Gray accompanies nearly 20 vocalists in the School of Music, and Antonacci teaches music lessons at an after-school program in Jamestown. Because of the amount of time Gray spends away from home and with students, he appreciates that Antonacci recognizes the field’s time commitment, which is something he doesn’t think he would find in a partner not involved music.
“It’s so nice having each other who understands. When I call and say, ‘I have to be here an hour later,’ he knows how it goes,” said Gray.
And that’s where Antonacci returns the favor, providing support to Gray through his busy days.
“I like to ground him when he’s overworked,” Antonacci said. “I think that’s what we do really well. We ground each other.”
The couple’s mutual support is recognized by fellow collaborators as well as students, who say that their energy creates a great work environment.
“They are both dedicated to their church and the music that fills it,” says music education student Meredith Smietana who has worked with both Antonacci and Gray. “They are a power couple that is productive and always professional. It’s great having them in the same workplace. Not only are they supportive of their students, such as myself and colleagues. They are extremely supportive of each other.”
Aside from their music, the couple is energetic and charismatic with such high spirits that it’s hard not to smile when talking to them — as evidenced with a play-by-play of their most-fond memory.
“Shortly after Casey’s graduate recital, we were cleaning our apartment getting ready to move out, and Kristen Bowman, who was our roommate at the time, wanted to help,” Antonacci began. He continued to explain that in passing, they asked Bowman, who was a fellow music education student to clean the kitchen — something they perceived as a simple task.
“Fast forward a couple weeks,” Antonacci said. “Our landlord says ‘there’s just one problem. The basement is flooded and I can’t figure out where it’s coming from.’ Then I realized that we had a pound and a half of meatballs left over from the recital, and in the process of cleaning everything, Kristen had flushed them down the toilet, thinking that’s what you do as a kid with cereal.”
The lodge caused $162 in damage.
“It was one of our favorite memories because we lived off campus together … And after a year of living together, at least we didn’t flush the meatballs down the toilet,” the couple agreed.
As for the future, neither Gray or Antonacci know, exactly, what is next, but their goals surround utilizing their partnership and working together in the same department at a university.
“We can cover all aspects of the music core,” said Gray, reiterating that “Tim has the ed., the history and theory. I have the performance, the piano and voice. We’ve always wanted to collaborate.”
“And together,” Antonacci said, “we make up a pretty good ensemble.”