WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (April 27, 2016) –The Winston-Salem Symphony Premiere Strings and Youth Philharmonic along with the Academy of Music and Arts (a partnership with The Salvation Army of Greater Winston-Salem) will perform a free concert on Sunday, May 1, 2016, at 7 p.m. in Brendle Recital Hall on the campus of Wake Forest University. The concert is free and open to the public.
This is the first time that the Academy of Music and Arts musicians will perform with musicians in the Winston-Salem Symphony Youth Orchestras program. The Academy of Music and Arts will perform with the Premiere Strings for Mozart’s Symphony No. 25; It Don’t Mean a Thing, by Ellington; and other selections. The Winston-Salem Symphony Youth Philharmonic will perform a variety of pieces by Rimsky-Korsakoff, Shostakovich, Wagner, and Haydn as well as an arrangement of the rock band Journey’s greatest hits. The concert will conclude with a performance of Suite from the Star Wars Epic—Part 1, by John Williams.
“We are excited to bring these three ensembles of young musicians together for this Jamboree,” said Stephen Mulligan, Assistant Conductor for the Winston-Salem Symphony. “They are all very talented musicians and we are particularly delighted to bring the young musicians from the Academy of Music and Arts to the stage with us for the first time. Their hard work and dedication has really paid off and we can’t wait to share their accomplishments with the audience.”
In addition to the concert, the Winston-Salem Symphony is holding its first ever online auction to benefit the three orchestras in the Winston-Salem Symphony Youth Orchestras Program. Items for the 2016 Symphony Jamboree! auction can be found via the Symphony’s eBay page at http://www.ebay.com/usr/wssymphony. There are many great options from local community partners in the auction including items from the Winston-Salem Dash, Bermuda Run Country Club, the Piedmont Wind Symphony, Bib’s Downtown, Piedmont Opera, Associated Artists of Winston-Salem, The Community Music School of UNCSA, Wake Forest Athletics, and more! The auctions end on May 4.
The Winston-Salem Symphony Youth Orchestras is part of the Winston-Salem Symphony and includes about 90 student musicians. The Winston-Salem Symphony Youth Orchestras are currently comprised of two full orchestras and a string orchestra for aspiring musicians in the first through twelfth grades: the Premiere Strings, led by Fabrice Dharamraj, is a strings ensemble for young musicians; the Youth Philharmonic, led by Margaret Rehder, is a full orchestra for intermediate level students; and the Youth Symphony, led by Stephen Mulligan, is a full orchestra for advanced students. For more information, visit wssyo.org.
The Academy of Music and Arts, a partnership with The Salvation Army of Greater Winston-Salem and inspired by Venezuela’s ground-breaking El Sistema, is an intensive after-school program for young people wishing to develop their musical talent. The program is inclusive of intensive ensemble training on instruments, basic music skills, and social development enabling every child to contribute in the ensemble, at school, at home, and within society to their absolute highest potential. For more information, visit https://www.salvationarmycarolinas.org/winston-salem/programs/academy-of-music-and-arts.
About the Winston-Salem Symphony
The Winston-Salem Symphony began its 69th season in September 2015 as one of the Southeast’s most highly regarded regional orchestras. Under the baton of Music Director Robert Moody, the performance season includes a Classics Series, a Plugged-In Pops Series, Discovery Concerts for Kids, annual performances of Handel’s Messiah, a concert featuring Winston-Salem Symphony and Youth Symphony musicians, holiday concerts, three youth orchestra ensembles, and a multitude of educational and community engagement programs. For more information visit WSsymphony.org
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