When Saskia Kamerling ’23 (Music—Classical Performance) picks up her fiddle and plays a traditional Irish folk tune, she is in her element. 

“Performing fiddle is just an absolute joy, top to bottom,” she said. “I come into it with a level of peace and excitement, which I think is a sign that Irish folk music is the genre for me.” 

Following her graduation from SUNY New Paltz more than a year ago, Kamerling is fulfilling her passion for the fiddle and Irish folk music right at the epicenter of the genre: Limerick, Ireland.  

She is currently on a scholarship from the U.S. Fulbright Scholar Program, which provides grants for individually designed study/research projects, supporting a year-long master’s program at the University of Limerick. There, she is sharing her love of the genre with fellow students and engaging in their jam sessions as part of the university’s curriculum. 

Through this experience, she gets to pursue her musicianship in a collaborative environment, while pursuing her independent study of the fiddle as part of the Fulbright study.  

“I’ve worked with other musicians in Ireland since I got here, and this sense of collaboration has allowed me to fully immerse myself,” she said. 

Kamerling first became attracted to the fiddle in her high school years, and what attracted her was its freeform nature, where she could play the instrument without the same structure and discipline as a more typical violin. 

“Violins are an extremely finely tuned machine,” she said. “If you do one thing differently or wrong, you might compromise the sound or the structure of the instrument, while fiddles are a little bit more loosey goosey.” 

How Kamerling brought love of fiddle to fellow students  

Having first discovered Irish folk music as she discovered the fiddle, Kamerling sought to bring her peers into this passion as a student at SUNY New Paltz. 

Studying music during the COVID-19 pandemic compelled her to create the New Paltz Session, a traditional folk session club that meets weekly. After being a part of a number of virtual performances during the pandemic, she wanted to replicate that same experience in person once restrictions were lifted. 

“I tried to take those same experiences and replicate them as much as possible in a smaller ensemble, which could allow me to try new things,” she said. 

She started the troupe to encourage her Department of Music peers to play Irish folk music, while also exposing students to genres outside of their comfort zone. 

“Early on in my time at New Paltz, I had a goal of starting some sort of traditional music group,” she said. “I wanted a place where I could express my passion for this genre and have the most fun possible, and if that worked for other students, that would be a huge bonus.”  

Kamerling’s legacy of encouraging collaboration among Department of Music peers is continuing in full force while she pursues her dreams abroad.  

Now officially a student organization, the New Paltz Session lives on with Kamerling’s successor Nicola Kelly ’25 (Music—Classical Performance).  

“Saskia laid the groundwork for the New Paltz Session,” said Kelly. “As we enter our first year as an official club, it's so great to know that she left a roadmap of videos and social media clips showcasing her vision for what this club could offer Music students.” 

An example of diligence, passion & talent of Department of Music 

Kamerling’s story showcases what the SUNY New Paltz Department of Music is all about: harnessing the joy students have performing their instrument of choice and giving them the tools to bring their talent a larger platform. 

“The Department of Music has the gift of bringing the best out of each individual,” said Department of Music Chair Jane Sileo. “Our talented faculty use their expertise to recognize and nurture students’ talents and to introduce new musical skills during lessons or in ensembles.” 

Music majors are given the freedom to pursue whatever style they choose, with a strong emphasis on using their talent to benefit the greater community.  

Students gain experience in sharing their talents with the public through the Music Concert Series each semester, which hosts a variety of vocal and instrumental ensemble performances of both classical and contemporary pieces. Each performance invites the public to see firsthand the dedication New Paltz students put into their instrument.  

“I found that everyone in the New Paltz music department was very supportive of non-classical genres that anybody wanted to pursue,” said Kamerling. “In my final year especially, I was given the freedom to share my love for Irish folk music and how I have improved my performance through the New Paltz Session.”  

Following the conclusion of her master’s program in 2025, Kamerling aspires to continue sharing her love of Irish folk music with the public and being a value add in her community through her performances by partnering with a community-based institution that offers her a forum for an interactive, educational musical experience. 

“I've been looking at museums around the U.S. that would allow me to bring my knowledge and love of world music and folk music into a museum setting or for a public-facing, nonprofit organization,” she said. “I'm keeping my options open, but that might very well be where I end up.” 

Click here to learn more about the Department of Music at SUNY New Paltz.