For Music for Youth: Local musicians play benefit concert

Thursday, 22 October 2009 23:00

Redding residents Declan and Cormac Cummiskey, Michelle Curtis, Olivia Owens and Lance Parisot are some of the young musicians who will be featured during the benefit concert for Music for Youth on Nov. 8 at 5 p.m. at Trinity Church in Southport. The concert will showcase 16 young musicians from the Fairfield County area.

Cormac Cummiskey, 14, will perform “Brasilieras,” the final movement of Darius Milhaud’s “Scaramouche,” a two-piano piece, with Marcus Russi, 14, of Westport.

Performing as the Redding String Quartet, violinist Declan Cummiskey, violist Michelle Curtis, violinist Olivia Owens and cellist Lance Parisot will play Mozart’s “Serenade and Dance.”

The Redding String Quartet is a youth quartet founded and coached by Dr. MaryJane Rodgers, band and orchestra conductor at Redding Elementary School. The quartet was the only elementary school ensemble in Connecticut selected to perform at the 2009 Music Educators’ National Conference in Hartford.

Cormac, a Joel Barlow High School freshman, has been studying piano for nine years and has performed in numerous area venues. He plays the cello, the electric bass, and guitar. As a cellist, he played six years in Redding school orchestras and three in the John Read Middle School chamber orchestra, where he was a concerto soloist in May 2009. He was principal cellist in the Fairfield County Strings Orchestra.

He attended the Ogontz Summer Suzuki Institute on cello in 2008 and 2009. On bass, Cormac is a founding member of the student band, Righteous Phunk. He has also appeared as guest bassist with Louder Daddy. Cormac received second prize in drawing in the Connecticut for the National PTA Reflections contest.

In 2009, he was awarded the Superintendent’s Award for academic excellence and all-around achievement. He has appeared in numerous theatrical performances at the New Pond Farm Summer Shakespeare Program. He enjoys playing soccer on Redding’s travel team and running.

Declan Cummiskey, 10, is the first violinist of the Redding String Quartet. He has been studying the violin since age 5. He also studies piano. Declan has performed in numerous solo and group concerts with the Suzuki School, notably in the America’s Youth in Concert Program at Carnegie Hall in 2007 and at Lincoln Center in 2008. He studied at the Ogontz Suzuki Institute in New Hampshire. He has played in the Redding Elementary School Orchestra since 2006. He also plays electric guitar.

Olivia Owens, 10, has been studying the violin since age 6. She is the second chair violinist with the Redding String Quartet. She also studies piano. Olivia has performed in numerous solo and group concerts and recitals with the Suzuki School including America’s Youth in Concert Program at Carnegie Hall in 2007, and at Lincoln Center in 2008. She has also performed at the Recital Hall at the Pequot Library in Southport.

She has studied at the Ogontz Summer Suzuki Institute of New Hampshire. She has played in the Redding Elementary School Orchestra since 2006. In addition to music, she is active in dance, loves crafts and is an avid reader.

Michelle Curtis, 10, began playing the viola when she was seven years old and recently became interested in playing percussion. She also enjoys horseback riding, swimming and biking.

Lance Parisot, 10, began studying cello through the inspiration of his grandfather Aldo Parisot. He has studied cello since the age of seven, and the piano since the age of six. He has played in various concerts for cello and piano as a soloist and with accompaniment. During spring 2009, he accompanied a South African folk band during a fund-raising concert in Westport, and he has performed at the Recital Hall at the Pequot Library in Southport.

Tickets to the benefit concert, priced $25 for students and $50 for adults, include a supper party following the performances. To purchase tickets, phone Music for Youth (203-227-1611) and charge VISA or MasterCard, or mail a check to Music for Youth Inc., POB 403, Westport CT 06881. Tickets are also on sale at Sally’s Place, 190 Main St., in Westport.

For information on Music for Youth, call Marianne Liberatore at 203- 227-1611, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit the Web site www.musicforyouth.net.