The EMU community orchestra will present a concert 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Mar. 19, in Lehman Auditorium.

The program will feature EMU’s concerto/aria competition winners – Wieniawski "Violin Concerto in D Minor," Bebhinn Egger, violinist; Glazunov "Saxophone Concerto," Scott Beckler, saxophonist; and Offenbach’s "Doll Aria," Lena Risser, soprano; along with full orchestra performance of the rousing "Romanian Rhapsody No. 1" by Georges Enesco.

Joan Griffing

The 45-member orchestral ensemble is conducted by Joan Griffing, chair of EMU’s music department.

Dr. Griffing teaches violin and viola and coaches chamber music in addition to conducting the EMU orchestra. She is also concertmaster of the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival Orchestra and the Shenandoah Symphony Orchestra, and is a violinist with the Virginia Symphony and the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, N.C.

Admission to the program is free; donations are welcomed for the EMU music student scholarship fund.

The program will open with selections from the Junior Strings Ensemble, directed by Sharon M.D. Miller. They will join the full orchestra for an arrangement for an arrangement of the old Shaker song, "Simple Gifts."

The 30-member youth orchestra, directed by Maria Lorcas, will play selections from "The Sound of Music" by Rodgers & Hammerstein, "Orpheus in the Underworld" by J. Offenback and the "Viola Concerto in D Major" by K. Stamitz.

Benjamin Roth, featured soloist

Featured soloist on the viola concert will be Benjamin Roth, son of Ken and Terri Roth of Harrisonburg. The 17-year-old homeschooled senior has played the viola for three years and has taken violin and piano lessons for six years with Joan Griffing and Sharon Miller and has had lessons and master classes with Amadi Hummings, Scott Rawls, Che Hung Chen and Diane Phoenix-Neal.

In addition to the youth orchestra, Roth has played in the EMU Community Orchestra 2004-present, the South Central Virginia Senior Regional Orchestra (2005,2006, 2007) and the All-Virginia Orchestra (2007, 2008).

The Shenandoah Valley Youth Orchestra and Junior Strings ensemble are part of 草莓社区’s Preparatory Music Program.

A five dollar donation is requested at the door to assist in the operation of these groups.

The program will feature winners of an EMU student concerto competition:the senior Nathan N. (Nate) Bontrager on the Saint-Saens “Cello Concerto,” junior Kara S. Glick on the Mendelssohn “Violin Concerto” and senior Jonathan D. Keener on the Beethoven “Piano Concerto #5.” Music from the film, “Pirates of the Caribbean,” will close the concert.

The 50-member orchestral ensemble is conducted by Joan Griffing, chair of EMU’s music department.

Dr. Joan Griffing, conductor

Dr. Griffing teaches violin and viola and coaches chamber music in addition to conducting the EMU orchestra. She is also concertmaster of the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival Orchestra and the Shenandoah Symphony Orchestra, and is a violinist with the Virginia Symphony and the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, N.C.

Orchestra members are primarily from the Harrisonburg-Rockingham County area and several from Augusta County and Orange, Va.

Admission to the program is free. Donations are welcomed for the EMU student scholarship fund.