WMU HOME > ABOUT WMU > WMU NEWS Concert features outstanding string students Oct. 21, 2004 KALAMAZOO--Two outstanding Michigan high school orchestra string groups and guest violinist Jun-Ching Lin of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra are featured in this year's Western Invitational String Festival, with a free, public concert Friday, Nov. 5, at 5:30 p.m. in the Dalton Center Recital Hall at Western Michigan University. Featured string programs are from Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor under the direction of Mary Jean Quigley-Young, and from Saint Joseph High School, directed by Steve Reed. "These are two of the finest high school orchestra programs in Michigan," says Bruce Uchimura, festival coordinator, WMU professor of music and conductor of the University Symphony Orchestra. The Western Invitational String Festival is an all-day event designed to give talented high school string students the opportunity to see firsthand WMU's School of Music and campus, interact with the WMU string faculty and string students on a personal level, and rehearse and play an evening concert. The students participate in sectional rehearsals, ensemble rehearsals, and master classes with the university's string faculty, including violinist Renata Artman Knific, violist Igor Fedotov, bassist Tom Knific and cellist Bruce Uchimura. Students also have the opportunity to meet and speak with the festival's guest soloist, violinist Jun-Ching Lin, assistant concertmaster of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and faculty member at Emory University. Lin will perform a concerto with the University Symphony Orchestra during the 5:30 p.m. concert, and will speak to visiting high school students about playing in a professional orchestra and careers in music. The visiting high school orchestras will also work with Conductor Bruce Uchimura, and each ensemble will play a piece of its own on the culminating concert. The evening concert will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Dalton Center Recital Hall and will feature the two high school groups and a performance by the University Symphony Orchestra with Jun-Ching Lin as violin soloist. Also among the day's activities will be a 1 p.m. recital featuring WMU string students. Related stories Merling Trio performs with guest artist Jun-Ching Lin University Symphony Orchestra Nov. 6 concert Media contact: Kevin West, 269 387-4678, kevin.west@wmich.edu WMU News Office of University Relations Western Michigan University 1903 W Michigan Ave Kalamazoo MI 49008-5433 USA 269 387-8400 www.wmich.edu/wmu/news