For the past three years, the Erehwon Ensemble has floated around the Hudson Valley looking for the right place to call home. Their name, Erehwon, or nowhere backwards, reflected this sentiment. Recently, the chamber orchestra decided to lay down roots in Kingston, and with that, they’ve altered the meaning behind their name: now here.

Why Kingston? Admittedly, the group was looking for somewhere without an already established orchestra to compete against and Kingston stuck out as a place with a thriving, diverse arts scene and enough population to fill a performance space. They’ve now also established themselves, they claim, as Kingston’s first professional orchestra.

Erehwon is comprised of 23 musicians, all highly trained professionals who have trained around the world in the baroque style and in improvisation. When we spoke to conductor David Rudge, he posed the question: “What other orchestra can play Tchaikovsky and improvise?”

With this, the program for their upcoming, debut show in Kingston this weekend will include music that’s “balanced between traditional and alternative.”

It’s this balance that the orchestra is coining as a distinct aspect of their repertoire. In a press release, they described their ensemble as “presenting dynamic concerts that juxtapose rarely heard masterpieces with fresh approaches to familiar works.”

Through curating a variety show of styles, they hope people will settle in for tried-and-true orchestral sounds and, moments later, proffered novel entertainment through a diverse line-up.

The work to be played is both secular and complex, with compositions from German, Russian, English, Hungarian, Finnish and American composers that each stand out as reflections of their country’s style and as a testament to the innovation of each individual piece.

To get into specifics, the program will begin with five traditional pieces for string instruments: Jean Sibelius’ Canzonetta, Carl Reinecke’s Serenade for Strings, Gerald Finzi’s Prelude, Leo Weiner’s Divertimento No. 2 and Dmitri Shostakovich’s Two Pieces for String Orchestra, and will conclude with the program’s highlights: a partly improvised performance of Voodoo Dolls by American composer Jesse Montgomery, featuring West African percussion, and David Balakrishnan’s Skylife, a “head-banging rock-anthem,” also with some improvisation included.

The orchestra hasn’t played a live concert in over a year, but it was during this break they got to know Kingston and raised awareness – and money – to make their dream of having a permanent home a reality.

As Erehwon embarks on their first season in Kingston, they have two performances slated until April of next year, and after that, once they garner a proper following, they hope to boost their stage time to four concerts for their next season.

Their upcoming show, Skylife & Voodoo Dolls, is this Sunday, Oct. 25, 4 p.m. at Old Dutch Church, 272 Wall St. in Uptown Kingston. Following this, O mágnum mystérium: The Great Mystery, will take place on April 18, 2027, at Old Dutch Church, featuring work by pioneering composer and Kingston resident the late Pauline Oliveros.

General admission tickets to the show this weekend are $30, premium seating is $75 and student tickets are $5. Tickets can be purchased here.

“People are siloed these days,” Rudge said. “Being the conductor of a group of people is new for people. It’s the town’s team and people come out for it. There are towns that really get behind their orchestra. We’re looking forward to putting our roots in the ground.”

Learn more about Erehwon Ensemble here.