In The Spotlight

The Norwalk Youth Symphony Class of 2011

NYS honored its graduating seniors in a ceremony at the 2011 Mother's Day Concert.

Richard Brooks, Jonathan Yates, and the Class of 2011

• Julio Baca -
• Molly Blessing -
• Margot Bruce -
• Jedrik Chao -
• Olivia Ford -
• Ben Freeman -
• Matthew Gentile -
• Ilse Heine -
• Carson Hele -
• Gregory Henninger -
• Victoria Jansson -
• Meghan Loose -
• Samantha Mendez -
• Scott Mesh -
• Megha Nadig -
• Jennifer Park -
• Deborah Reyes -
• Adele Shenoy -
• Samantha Small -
• Whitney Steele -
• Ellen Trinklein

The 2011 Ramer Memorial Scholarship Award was awarded to Jedrik Chao. The Award is granted each year to a deserving senior as chosen by their peers on the basis of leadership, commitment, preparation and attendance.

 

Jedrik Chao receives the 2011 Ramer Memorial Scholarship Award from NYS Chairman Larry Reilly

 

The Norwalk Youth Symphony extends its heartiest congratulations to our graduates and wishes them every success in the future.

Mother's Day Concert 2011

The annual Mother's Day Concert marks the end of the Norwalk Youth Symphony's concert season.

The concert traditionally includes the presentation of our graduating seniors and awarding of the Ramer Memorial Scholarship Award, which is granted to a deserving senior as chosen by their peers on the basis of leadership, commitment, preparation and attendance.

Concerto Competition Winner - Christine Xu

The Mother's Day Concert also features a performance by the winner of the NYS Concerto Competition. This year's concert will feature Christine Xu, piano, in a performance of the Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16.

Ms. Xu, a sophomore at Weston High School (WHS), is a talented pianist who began her music studies at the age of six. Since then she has matured into a "passionate and powerful player" whose performances are always full of "heartfelt emotion". In addition to winning the NYS Concerto Competition, Ms. Xu recently won first place in the senior division of the Ellen Spivak Chopin competition sponsored by the Schubert Club. She was awarded Honorable Mention at the prestigious Greater Bridgeport Symphony's Carlson Horn Competition in March 2011, and performed at the GBS Finalists' Showcase to critical acclaim. She was awarded the Gold Cup by the Young Musicians Festival for obtaining the highest ratings in the most advanced categories for three consecutive years.

In the summer of 2009, Ms. Xu attended the Vianden Music Festival in Luxembourg where she was featured as a soloist and in chamber ensembles. This past summer, she participated in the Killington Music Festival in Vermont where her performances at concerts, master classes and outreach programs were received with great enthusiasm. In April, Ms. Xu and two other young pianists held a benefit concert at Westport's Steinway Hall, to raise funds for the American Red Cross/Japan Relief Fund.

Ms. Xu is also an accomplished cellist. She peforms with NYS as a cellist in the Principal Orchestra, with the WHS Symphonic Orchestra, and with chamber ensembles. She served as the assistant principal cellist at the 2010 Fairfield County String Festival and in 2011 she performed with other talented musicians from Connecticut at the CMEA Western Region High School Concert Festival. Ms. Xu will also perform at Carnegie Hall with the NYS Principal Orchestra in May.

Ms. Xu studies piano with Yoshie Akimoto and cello with Lois Errante.

The Norwalk Youth Symphony Mother's Day Concert 2011 will take place on Sunday May 8, 2011 at 3PM at the Norwalk Concert Hall at City Hall, 125 East Avenue, Norwalk CT. The concert is free and is open to the public. View event details.

David Finckel Cello Talks

The acclaimed cellist of the Emerson String Quartet presents a continuing series of video cello lessons, providing his unique insights into technique and musicianship.

The Importance Of Music

An excerpt from a welcome address given to parents of incoming students at The Boston Conservatory on September 1, 2004, by Dr. Karl Paulnack, Director of the Music Division.