PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Date: March 12, 2009
Cheverus High School String Ensemble to Play in Special Collaborative Performance
Sunday, March 22 at 3:00 p.m.
A collaboration of intergenerational orchestral musicians will come together to perform symphonic pieces ranging from Dvorak to Schubert, Kabelevsky to Scarlatti on Sunday, March 22 at 3:00 p.m. at the Yarmouth Performing Arts Center, Yarmouth High School. Kleinsinger’s “Tubby the Tuba” will delight young and old in this classic fairy tale story of tributes to the unsung hero. This performance will be narrated by Maine singer and songwriter Rick Charette.
The Maine Youth Orchestra will host the Augusta Symphony Orchestra, the Cheverus High School String Ensemble and Bowdoin College cello student, Maren Askin. The MYO serves youth from Gardiner to Cape Elizabeth and many towns in between. With student musicians as young as nine years old, the orchestra provides middle and high school students the opportunity to study symphonic pieces in a non competitive environment, under the direction of conductor, Paul Ross, cellist for the Portland String Quartet. Mr. Ross is assisted by strings coach, Jeanie Wester and winds coach, Craig Ouellette.
The Cheverus High School String Ensemble is made up of eight high school string musicians who study daily during their regular school day (a rare phenomenon in Maine high schools today), under the direction of Sean Potter, music instructor and director of several performance groups at Cheverus. The students who make up the Ensemble are:
Violin I Gabe Terracciano, sophomore, of Portland
Allison Saunders, freshman, of Saco
Violin II Caroline Summa, sophomore, of Chebeague
Emily LaVerriere, sophomore, of Biddeford
Viola Ada Vaughan, sophomore, of West Kennebunk
Daniel DuDevoir, sophomore, of Biddeford
Cello Timothy Woods, junior, of Portland
Bass Sarah Shapiro, junior, of North Waterboro
Harp Diedre Lambert, sophomore, of Cumberland
Foreside
Mr. Ross also conducts the Augusta Symphony Orchestra, a community orchestra of mostly life long adult musicians by night, and lawyers, doctors, teachers and business people by day. ASO has for many years supported the Maine Youth Orchestra in its endeavor to give Maine students the opportunity to explore the classics missing in 95% of the public schools here.
Rick Charette has been capturing the hearts and spirits of young and old alike with his delightful and inspiring children's songs. His performances blend original contemporary pop music and lyrics with imaginative activities that generate all kinds of audience participation.
Bangor's Maren Askin began studying the cello at age eight, first with Juan Condori of Blue Hill, Maine and then Noreen Silver of Bangor, Maine. Presently a student (what year?) at Bowdoin College, she is studying with Mr. Ross. Her experience includes several chamber ensemble workshops, including Kneisel Hall Maine Young Musicians Program, the Next Generation program at Bay Chamber Concerts, and the Portland String Quartet workshop. She played in the Maine All State Orchestra from 2005-2008 and the All eastern Honors Orchestra in 2007. She is majoring in Biology and minoring in music at Bowdoin College, where she also runs cross-country.
The Maine Youth Orchestra Board of Directors believes that combining musical talents and resources always leads to a rich experience for everyone. This concert provides chances for collective, as well as individual learning for all those involved. The more experienced musician has the opportunity to teach and inspire, while the beginner musician has the chance learn and aspire.
We also believe a concert like this is a very wise use of valuable resources, especially in tough economic times. While most serious musicians seem to have an endless supply of passion for their art, things like financial resources, audience, coordinators of performances are less available. Partnerships make sense to achieve a common musical goal.
Please join us on Sunday, March 22 at 3:00 p.m. at the Yarmouth Performing Arts Center, Yarmouth High School, 286 West Elm Street, Yarmouth, to listen to an array of pieces, played by musicians, 9 to 79, as we assemble an intergenerational symphony orchestra to create a true community experience in classical music.
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