Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

WHAT: The Austin Symphony Orchestra High School Concerts
WHEN: February 6-9, 2007
WHERE: Austin Area High Schools
CONTACT: Don Hill, Director of Public Relations - 476-6064 x 213

AUSTIN SYMPHONY TO TOUR AREA HIGH SCHOOLS WITH 2007 YOUTH AWARD WINNERS

Sponsors: Sherrill Family Foundation, Supercuts, St. David's Healthcare Partnership, Applied Materials, Texas Commission on the Arts and the Austin Arts Commission
Media Sponsors: Time Warner Cable/News 8 Austin, Austin American-Statesman and KVET 98.1 FM

The 2007 High School Concert Tour of the Austin Symphony Orchestra begins February 6th with “And The Beat Goes On.” This year, six high school gymnasiums will be transformed into concert halls overflowing with sounds of classical music that is heard in everyday life. Thanks to sponsors Sherrill Family Foundation, Supercuts, St. David’s Healthcare Partnership, Applied Materials, Texas Commission on the Arts, and the Austin Arts Commission, bleachers will rock as over 10,000 would-be musicians and patrons prepare themselves for their future ties with the arts. Concerts will cruise for 45 minutes with selections of classic and light classic favorites, showing students that music that they hear in everyday life may just be “classical.” Also featured in these concerts will be performances by the teenage winners of the Austin Symphony Youth Awards. Each concert closes with a surprise spirit-filled finale, an orchestrated version of their high school fight song conducted by their own school’s music director.

Select student instrumentalists from each school, as well as the Austin Symphony Youth Award winners, will blend their musical talents with the Austin Symphony side-by-side in this popular educational program. The Austin Symphony Youth Award is a competition judged by ASO Conductor Peter Bay held through the Austin District Music Teachers Association that chooses student musicians to perform with the ASO during these concerts.

The 2007 recipients of the Austin Symphony Youth Awards are Ronald Thompson, Jessica Hwang and Jonathan Chang. Mr. Thompson, a pianist, is a junior at UT High School. He is a student of Anton Nel and has been playing for 10 years. Miss Hwang, pianist, is an 11-year-old 6th grader at Grisham Middle School, a student of Irina Chernysheva-Hicks and has been playing studying for 5 years. Mr. Chang, a 14-year-old violinist, is a 9th grader at Westwood High School and a student of Daniel Ching. The Austin Symphony Orchestra proudly presents its High School Concerts to provide quality educational programming and motivation for the student population of Central Texas. Whether they’re toddlers or graduates, students are constantly exposed to various musical programs featuring musicians of the ASO. This outstanding fusion of music, education, and students’ musical accomplishments will seduce ambitious musicians as well as give outstanding students the chance of a lifetime.

Schedule of 2007 High School Concerts
Raffaele Ponti, Guest Conductor

Tuesday, February 6, 2007 - 9:30 AM - LBJ High School
Wednesday, February 7, 2007 - 9:30 AM - Crockett High School
Wednesday, February 7, 2007 - 1:00 PM - Bowie High School
Thursday, February 8, 2007 - 10:30 AM - Anderson High School
Thursday, February 8, 2007 - 1:00 PM - Round Rock Performing Arts Center
Friday, February 9, 2007 - 3:10 PM - Lake Travis High School

FOR MEDIA ACCESS AND PARKING, CONTACT DON HILL AT 476-6064
All artists, programs, and schedules subject to change.