Young musicians to star at benefit on Nov. 8

Written by Elise Rossi
Wednesday, 04 November 2009 11:18

The 2009 Music for Youth Benefit for the Free Young Persons’ Concert series and the School Residency program in the Bridgeport public schools will feature prize-winning pianist Alex Beyer and 15 other young musicians, all of whom have starred in Music for Youth master classes.

The Benefit Concert and Supper Party will take place Sunday, Nov. 8, at 5 p.m., at Trinity Church, 651 Pequot Avenue, in Southport. Ticket prices, which include the supper party, are $50 for adults and $25 for students, and are available at Sally’s Place, 190 Main St., Westport, or by calling 203-227-1611.

Alex Beyer of Fairfield, age 15, winner of the Bridgeport Symphony Carlson Horn Concerto Competition, will perform solo piano music of Franz Liszt and with the Greenfield Hill Piano Trio will play the first movement of the Ghost Piano Trio by Beethoven. Alex started his piano studies in California at age six, and after moving to Connecticut has been studying with Yoshi Akimoto. He has been awarded many prizes and participated in music festivals throughout the U.S. and this past summer in Luxembourg. His partners in the Piano Trio will be the talented Fath sisters, violinist Amanda, 15, and cellist Eliza, 14, also of Fairfield.  Amanda studies with Wendy Sharp at the Yale School of Music in New Haven and Eliza at the pre-college division of Juilliard in New York.  Both Fath sisters have participated in music festivals throughout the U.S and have performed abroad.

“Music for Youth,” said Amanda Fath, “has been a source of inspiration for my two sisters and me since we were really little. We’ve been lucky enough to participate in their master classes with world-famous musicians who were incredibly giving of their time to us. We hope the benefit raises lots of money so Music for Youth can continue to bring such high-caliber musicians to our area to inspire children to get out and play music. But we also hope the audience will get to see and hear the wonderful talent in our area.”

Other performers in the benefit concert are:

The Cello Duo — Camden Archambeau, 8, of Weston and Julian Shiveley, 9, of Trumbull — playing music of Bartok;

Pianist Dalton Yu, 10,  of Trumbull, playing Anime by Ravel;

The Redding String Quartet (all 10-year-olds and all from Redding) — violinist Declan Cummiskey, violinist Olivia Owens, violist Michelle Curtis and cellist Lance Parisot playing selections from Mozart;

Pianist Victoria Chao, 13, of Darien, performing the First Movement of Piano Concerto No.1 by Mendelssohn, accompanied by Alan Murchie on the organ;

Violist Jedrik Chao, 16, of Wilton, playing Caprice No. 24 by Paganini;

The Pequot Piano Duo, Cormac Cummiskey, 14, of Redding, and Marcus Russi, 14, of Westport, playing Scaramouche by Darius Milhaud;

Guitarist Yossi Kohrman-Glaser, 14, of Newtown, playing music of Albeniz;

Adriana Bay, 10, violinist from Fairfield, who is performing Kreisler's Praeludium and Allegro.

Proceeds from the benefit will help fund the Free Young Persons’ Concerts, which each season offer thousands of children and parents compelling musical experiences — performances by virtuosic soloists; acclaimed chamber ensembles; opera, and master classes. These programs take place in Southport on Saturday afternoons at 2 from September through May. This season’s roster includes winners of the Concert Artists Guild, Young Concert Artists International and Sphinx Competitions.  “Master classes” are offered after all concerts.  Highlights of the season include harpist Bridget Kibbey; Vassily and Konstantin Soukovetski performing as duo-pianists; the Harlem String Quartet; cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan; and Trio Solisti.

The benefit also supports the Music for Youth School Residency program, with the acclaimed Enso String Quartet returning to Bridgeport to continue its successful coaching of music students at High Horizons Middle School.

Music for Youth is a non-profit organization and all contributions are tax-deductible.  For more information, log on to: www.musicforyouth.net.