Five soloist selected for Youth Symphony
May 2, 2003
KALAMAZOO -- Five outstanding high school musicians have been selected as concerto soloists for a performance with the Metropolitan Youth Symphony from Detroit.
The five students were among nearly 80 talented high school musicians from throughout Michigan who auditioned for the honor in mid-April. They will perform with the ensemble during a gala concert of the 41st annual Michigan Youth Arts Festival at Western Michigan University. The concert begins at 7 p.m. Friday, May 9, in Miller Auditorium.
Under the direction of Alan McNair, conductor, the Metropolitan Youth Symphony will perform the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" by Dukas. Soloists performing with the Youth Symphony will be: Zachary Huang, violin; Marcus Alston, clarinet; Evan Premo, bass; David Sanzi, piano; and Lucy Head, soprano.
Huang is a junior at Andover High School in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. His music teacher is Geoffrey Applegate. He will perform the first movement of the "Violin Concerto in D Major" by Jean Sibelius.
Alston is a senior at Lansing Eastern High School in Lansing, Mich. His music teacher is Frank Ell. He will perform the first movement of the "Concerto No. 1 in F Minor" by Carl Maria V. Weber.
Premo is a senior at Forest Park High School in Crystal Falls, Mich. His music teacher is Diana Gannett. He will perform the first movement of the "Concerto No. 2 in B Minor" by Bottesini.
Sanzi is a senior at Jackson High School in Jackson, Mich. His music teacher is Anita Fobes. He will perform the first movement of "Concerto No. 5 (Emperor)" by Beethoven.
Head is from Sexton High School in Lansing, Mich. Her director is Wendy York. Her selection is to be announced.
This is the 19th year that WMU has served as host to the art festival, which is sponsored in part through funding from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs; the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo; the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation; National City Bank; James and Springgate; Howard Printing; and Psi Iota Xi, Eta Omicron Chapter.
The gala concert, is open to the public. Festival event passes are available at Festival Headquarters in the Dalton Center on the WMU campus for $15; individual tickets may be purchased at Miller Auditorium the evening of the event for $5. For more information, please contact the Michigan Youth Arts Festival at (269) 342-1400.
Media contact: Mark Schwerin, 269 387-8400, mark.schwerin@wmich.edu