Hershey Symphony Presents Family Wiz Kids Concert
A Celebration of Past & Present Precocious Music Makers
HERSHEY, PA – The Hershey Symphony Orchestra invites the community to attend its Family Wiz Kids Concert, A Celebration of Past and Present Precocious Music Makers, on Sunday, January 23, 2005, 3:00 p.m., Hershey Theatre, Hershey, PA.
The Hershey Symphony’s Family Wiz Kids Concert will feature the Hershey Symphony’s 2004 Young Artist Competition Winners, Clare Semes on violin and Julia Sheriff on piano. This special event will also feature the Hershey Symphony Festival Strings, the HSO’s youth symphony. This concert is sponsored by the Penn State Children’s Hospital and supported in part by the Hershey Rotary.
This spectacular afternoon will offer masterworks by Mendelssohn, Mozart, Rossini and Pennsylvania's own Samuel Barber, one of the most romantic composer's of the 20th century. Clare Semes, violin, 2004 Young Artist Competition Winner, will perform Bruch’s Finale, Violin Concerto #1 in G minor. Julia Sheriff, 2004 Young Artist Competition Winner will perform Saint-Saens’ Finale, Piano Concerto #2 in G minor. The Hershey Symphony Festival Strings will be featured on Mozart’s Finale, Serenade #9 in D Major, K. 320, Posthorn.
About Julia Sheriff, Piano
Julia’s passion for music began at the age of six when she learned scales and simple tunes from her father and from a neighbor, Mary Elizabeth Thompson. At the age of eight, she began learning classical piano music with Robert Rimm of Chronos Studios. During the fall of 2002,she auditioned at the Temple University Preparatory Music Division to gain acceptance intao a sonata class where she has been able to learn sonatas with a serious, young violinist. She was subsequently given a scholarship, also at Temple, to study with Dr. Charles Abramovic. Over the summers of 2003 and 2004, Julia attended the Rowan International Music Festival and the Northern Lights Music Festival, both run by Veda Zuponcic. Julia’s current music teachers are Dr. Abramovic, Robert Rimm and Veda Zuponcic.
Julia is currently playing in a piano trio at the Jenkintown branch of the Settlement Music School, coached by Ms. Jean Shook. She has also recently won the 2004 State Round in Pennsylvania for the Music Teachers National Association Competition, and will be competing in the North-Eastern Regional competition of the MTNA in New Hampshire in early January. This past summer, Julia competed in the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition. She has soloed with the Ambler Symphony, Orchestra Society of Philadelphia, and Olney Symphony under the direction of Mr. Jack Moore as well as the Independence Symphonia, Philharmonia of Southern New Jersey, and the Warminster Symphony.
About Clare Semes, Violin
Clare, currently in 7th grade, began the violin when she was almost 4 years old at the Settlement Music School. Her previous instructors have included Andreia Torain, Gerry Rice and Kimberly Fisher. She currently studies with C.J. Chang, of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Clare has performed as soloist this year with the Ocean City Pops, Musica 2000, and Bucks County Symphonies. In 2003, she was a featured soloist with the Strings International Music Festival Orchestra, as part of the Absolutely Mozart Festival at the Kimmel Center. In February, she will perform the Barber Concerto with the Ambler Symphony. This past month, Clare was featured on the popular radio show, "From the Top", performing the Barber Concerto, third movement and Bach.
Clare plays in the Delaware County Youth Orchestra. As a Starling Scholarship student at Temple Music Prep, she plays in the Youth Chamber Orchestra. Last summer she was a participant in the Aspen Music Festival and School in Aspen, Colorado. In her free time, Clare enjoys gymnastics, ice skating and playing with her three sisters, all of whom, also play the violin.
The Hershey Symphony has become an integral part of the Central Pennsylvania community and its quality of life. For more than 35 years, the Symphony has entertained music lovers throughout Central Pennsylvania with classical, romantic, baroque, contemporary, symphonic and Broadway favorites. Comprised of outstanding local musicians, the Hershey Symphony Orchestra is one of the largest volunteer community orchestras in the nation.
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Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for senior citizens, $5 for students. Children 12 and younger will be admitted free. Please contact the box office at (717) 533-8449 for additional information or visit our website at www.hersheysymphony.org.