The concert is 4 p.m. in ��ݮ����’s Lehman Auditorium. A $7 donation is requested to benefit scholarship students in the .

SVCC’s Treble and Concert choirs, directed by , will present a sampling of choral works from their December 2015 “Angel’s Sing” concert.��The Treble choir is comprised of students ages 9-14 with basic and intermediate knowledge. The Concert Choir is a more advanced performing choir for ages 10-18.

Repertoire choices include both traditional and non-traditional Christmas carols and a Hebrew tune. Maurita Eberly and Tracey Reed will provide piano accompaniment for both choirs.

The 45-member Youth Symphony, conducted by interim director Rhonda Stees, will perform the following works: “Royal Fireworks Overture” by Handel, the Allegretto from “Symphony No. 7” by Beethoven, March to the Scaffold from “Symphony Fantastique” by Berlioz and “Superman Returns” by John Williams.

The symphony is an auditioned ensemble of high school musicians from Page, Shenandoah, Rockingham and Augusta counties, one of whom will be the featured soloist in this concert.

Violinist Madeline Williamson will perform the “Violin Concerto in G Major” by Haydn. Madeline, daughter of Dusty and Laura Williamson of Harrisonburg, Va., has studied violin with youth symphony conductor (currently on leave) and now studies with EMU professor . A senior home-schooled student, she takes concurrent courses at Blue Ridge Community College.

Madeline has been a member of the Shenandoah Valley Youth Symphony for four years and head chorister of the Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir for two years. In addition, Madeline plays violin with the EMU Orchestra.

She holds two state titles through the “Share the Fun” competition held at the Virginia 4-H Congress at Virginia Tech. She is co-president of the Plains 4-H Club and a member of the Rockingham County 4-H Young Leaders Association. Next year, Madeline plans to pursue a major in instrumental performance.

The concert will end with the Youth Symphony and SVCC choirs performing two pieces together, an arrangement of the Shaker hymn “How Can I Keep from Singing?” and Anderson’s holiday favorite, “Sleigh Ride.”

SVCC’s annual Christmas concert will also be at Lehman Auditorium Dec. 6 at 4 p.m.

The 42-member youth symphony, part of��, will perform Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Snow Maiden: Dance of the Tumblers,”��Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5, 4th movement,” Lennie Niehaus’s “Americana Rhapsody,” and Pyotr Ilyich��Tchaikovsky’s “Capriccio Italien.”

Hannah Fenoff, harp, will perform “Concerto in B-flat for harp” by George Frideric��Handel.

The orchestra, conducted by��, a violin teacher with preparatory music, consists of high school musicians from Page, Shenandoah, Rockingham and Augusta counties, and parts of West Virginia.

The SVCC��Treble Choir will perform Handel’s “Alleluia! Sing! Rejoice!” and Cynthia Gray’s “Hush My Babe.” In addition, the SVCC Concert Choir will perform Henry Purcell’s “Sound the Trumpet!,” the English traditional carol “Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day,” and “Christmas is Coming,” and a Silesian folk melody, “Eatnemen Vuelie.”

The children’s choir and youth orchestra��will close by joining together to perform Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” and��James��Bernard’s “Winter Wonderland.”

About the soloist

Hannah Fenoff is an active member of the American Harp Society and is in her third year with the youth orchestra. She has received superior ratings from the National Federation of Music Clubs and received a scholarship to attend the Young Artists Harp Seminar.

Hannah is the daughter Daniel and Susan Fenoff of Franklin, West Virginia.��She is active in the community, playing harp for a variety of events and volunteering at the Pendleton County Library. Hannah plans to attend college next fall to pursue a degree in harp performance.

A suggested $7 donation at the door will benefit EMU’s preparatory music scholarship program and SVCC tuition assistance fund.

The 33-member youth symphony, part of , will perform George Frideric Handel’s “Music for the Royal Fireworks Overture” and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Dances from “The Nutcracker.” In addition, Dance & Company will perform four of the dances.

Nicholas Gardner, oboe, will perform “Concerto for Oboe in A minor” by Antonio Vivaldi and Breton Nicholas, French horn, will perform “Morceau de Concert” by Camille Saint-Saens.

The Orchestra, conducted by , a violin teacher with preparatory music, consists of high school players from Page, Shenandoah, Rockingham and Augusta counties. EMU and James Madison Universitystudents will also participate in addition to several community members.

, Artistic Director and Founder, will conduct the concert choir in “Viva la Musica,” by Michael Praetorius; “Laudamus Te (Duet from Gloria),” by Vivaldi, arranged by Doreen Rao; “Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind,” text by William Shakespeare and music by John Rutter; and “Sesere eeye,” a traditional song and dance from the Torres Straight Island, arranged by Matthew Doyle.

The Treble Choir set will include “The Heavens Declare,” from William Selby, arranged by Barbara Owen; “I Will Bring You Brooches,” text by Robert Louis Stevenson and music by Ruth Boshkoff; and “Sourwood Mountain,” a southern folk song arranged by Shirley McRae with Lorcas on violin.

The fall concert is a precursor to the SVCC Christmas Concert with the Washington Symphonic Brass Quintet 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 3, and 3 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 4, in Lehman Auditorium.

A suggested $5 donation at the door will benefit EMU’s Preparatory Music scholarship program and SVCC tuition assistance fund.

About the soloists

Breton Nicholas is an active member of both the National Honor Society and National Spanish Honor Society and HHS Tri-M music honor society. He attended the 2011 Summer Residential Governor’s School for the Humanities at Radford University and the 2009 Valley Ridge Summer Regional

Governor’s School in Environmental Science at JMU.

Nicholas co-founded the HHS Bike Club and Rocktown Racing and earned a varsity letter in swimming. He is in his fourth year as a member of the HHS Symphonic Band, playing first chair horn the last two years. Nicholas has been first chair horn in both Harrisonburg city and Rockingham County Honors band and District band last year.

In addition, he is an active member of Boy Scout Troop 40 of Harrisonburg and will have completed all requirements for the highest award, Eagle Scout, by December of 2011. Nicholas hopes to study music and science in college. He is the son of and .

Nicholas Gardner is a senior at Spotswood High School (SHS). He has played oboe in the concert and Symphonic bands at SHS since his freshman year. He is in his seventh year of private instruction and has been a member of the EMU Youth Orchestra since the spring of 2010. In the spring of 2011, he was awarded the medallion and academic awards for music at SHS.

Gardner held the position of luminary chairman for the Rockingham County Relay for Life in 2011 and is a member of the National Social Studies Honor Society and the National Spanish Honor Society.

Gardner is a member of Boy Scout Troop 40 where he is finishing requirements for his Eagle Scout rank. He has held the position of senior patrol leader and was on the team teaching the Boy Scout’s National Youth Leadership Training program. He plans to study music education in college. He is the son of Nichola and Richard Gardner.

History of

The orchestra began in 1990 as a strong ensemble and in part through a grant from the . The ensemble grew to a full orchestra in its next season and is the only opportunity for instrumental students to participate in such a group this side of Charlottesville and Winchester. Students become members by audition and perform three or four public concerts per year.�� Rising seniors may audition to play a solo with the orchestra.

This semester the Orchestra has partnered with to perform four dances from “The Nutcracker.” It is a unique opportunity for dancers to perform to live music and for musicians to have their music interpreted before a live audience. On October 23, they presented a “Musical Treats” concert in costume for about 75 area children.

is the program director. Inquiries to the Shenandoah Valley Youth Orchestra should be made to 540-432-4277 or prepmusic@emu.edu.

More on the

The SVCC is part of the music department at ��ݮ����.�� The SVCC includes over 150 children in three auditioned choirs and two classes for young children, a staff of five and a rigorous performing and touring schedule.

The SVCC’s fifteenth compact disc entitled “” was released October 15, 2011, to mark the twentieth anniversary year.�� A compilation of the last two years of song repertoire, the CD includes both general music and Christmas selections.�� The Preparatory, Treble, and Concert Choirs are featured separately and guests including the Sons of the Day, Washington Symphonic Brass, and guest musicians Nick Merillat and Pedro Aponte are featured.

For more information on SVCC or to order a compact disc visit�� , email svcc@emu.edu or call , choir manager at 540-432-4650.

Families and children of all ages are invited to a concert that will feature excerpts from one of the more famous productions of all time.

“This year, in addition to the presentation of the instruments, we are having a special performance of three dances from ‘The Nutcracker’ in partnership with Dance & Company,” said Maria Lorcas, instructor of preparatory music.

Members of the Youth Orchestra will present their instruments and perform a selection with the full orchestra. The program will last 30 minutes.

“People are invited to come in costume and expect a variety of treats,” said Lorcas.

Admission to the concert is free.

For more information contact Sharon Miller, administrative director of preparatory music at 540-432-4220 or millersm@emu.edu.

Four members of the Shenandoah Valley Youth Orchestra who have formed a string quartet will open the concert with selections by Tchaikovsky and Anderson.

The Junior Strings ensemble, directed by Sharon M. Miller, will play several classical selections by Handel and Vivaldi as well as a fiddle tune. This intermediate-level group has 13 members from Shenandoah, Rockingham, Shenandoah and Augusta counties.

The concert will continue with small groups of Youth Orchestra members. A wind quintet will play one number and a brass sextet will perform two pieces.

The 46-member Youth Orchestra, conducted by Maria Lorcas, will perform the “Concerto for Oboe in C major” by Haydn featuring Perry Maddox, the “Concerto for Cello No. 1” by Saint-Saens featuring Joseph Roth, the Introduction and Finale from “Romeo and Juliet” by Tchaikovsky and “Slavonic Dances Nos. 4 and 8” by Dvorak. Students are from Rockingham, Augusta, Shenandoah, Page and Alleghany counties as well as West Virginia.

The featured soloists are Perry Maddox, oboe, and Joseph Roth, cello. Perry is the son of Charles and Martha Maddox. A senior at Broadway High School, he is in the Wind Symphony, Honors Choir, and Jazz Ensemble, and has participated in regional and state ensembles, recently as tenor sax in the all-VA Jazz Ensemble and principal oboe in the all-VA Orchestra. He has taken piano lessons for 11 years and oboe lessons for four-and-a-half years. In addition, he has participated in the Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir for five years.

Currently, Perry studies oboe with Rhonda Stees and piano with Dr. Pat Brady. After high school, he plans to double major in music and ecology.

Joseph Roth is the son of Ken and Terri Roth. A senior at Harrisonburg High School, Joseph has been active in sports (cross country, track and tennis) and school clubs (French Club president, Gay Straight Alliance
Club). Joseph was chosen by audition for the South Central Regional Orchestra and has performed in musicals at Broadway High School as well as at Harrisonburg High school. He has taken piano lessons for eight years and cello for six years in the Shenandoah Valley Preparatory Music Program at EMU.

Joseph currently studies cello with Lisa Wright and piano with John Fast. Joseph has been active in the youth group at Community Mennonite Church and participated in a service project in Harlan, KY. After graduation,
Joseph plans to study psychology and then attend medical school.

The Shenandoah Valley Youth Orchestra and Junior Strings ensemble are part of ��ݮ����’s Shenandoah Valley Preparatory Music Program.

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

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 ��ݮ����’s Preparatory Music Program.

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

More than 100 young people will take part in a Suzuki violin concert 4 p.m. Sunday, May 13, in Lehman Auditorium at ��ݮ����.

The students, from 3 to 18 years of age, come from all areas of the central Shenandoah Valley, including Augusta, Bath, Page and Shenandoah counties.

The concert will begin with the most advanced pieces, and more students will be added until all are on stage for the grand finale of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” Maria Lorcas, Jessica Trainum and Sharon Miller are the teachers leading the students, along with teaching intern Megan Tiller.

Most of the students are part of EMU’s , a year-round program offering music lessons and ensembles for students of all ages and levels since 1988.

Currently, 320 students are enrolled in various aspects of the program, including Musikgarten (infant – 6 years), the Shenandoah Valley Youth Orchestra and instrumental lessons (violin, viola, cello, piano, guitar, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet and harp).

The concert will also include students from the Garth Newell Suzuki Program, Hot Springs, Va., taught by Cynthia Penne of Lexington, Va.

EMU’s Preparatory Program also has an Outreach Project, an effort to provide string instrument instruction to students who would not otherwise have the opportunity.

Currently, 48 students receive violin instruction at Stone Spring, Waterman and Keister Elementary Schools and at EMU. Outreach students will also play at the concert and come from the city of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

In addition to the partnerships with the city schools, the Outreach Project is supported by the Virginia Commission of the Arts, The Arts Council of the Valley and the Music Gallery.

Sunday’s concert is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Preparatory Music Program at 540-432-4277 or at .

The 25-member orchestra, conducted by Maria Lorcas, will perform “Carmen Suite No. 1” by Georges Bizet and “West Side Story Suite” by Leonard Bernstein. Ashley Wright will be featured soloist on the “Clarinet Concerto” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Jessica Hostetter and Sean Hsu will perform “Concerto for Two Violins” by Johann Sebastian Bach with string orchestra.

Ashley Wright

Ms. Wright, the daughter of Douglas and Kimberly Wright, is a senior at Turner Ashby High School and has played the clarinet since sixth grade. Chosen by audition to perform the evening’s featured solo, Wright has been a member of the Youth Orchestra for four years.

A student of Leslie Nicholas, she was chosen by audition for District Band and the All-Virginia Band and has participated in the George Mason University Honor Band. An active student musician, she served as the TA Marching Knights senior drum major this year, performed in bands that accompanied the school musicals the last four years and is a member of the TA Jazz Ensemble. Wright also serves as secretary of TA’s Tri-M Music Honors Society, and she plans to major in music education in college.

The 17-member Junior Strings ensemble, directed by Sharon M.D. Miller, will perform a variety of music including “Rondeau” from “Masterpiece Theater” by Mouret, a Bach chorale and “Fiddle Fest” by local composer James E. Clemens.

Junior string members are from Rockingham, Augusta, Page and Shenandoah counties and from West Virginia.

The Shenandoah Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra is part of EMU’s Preparatory Music Program. The program also includes instrumental music instruction (violin, viola, cello, guitar, flute, clarinet, harp, piano) and Musikgarten (ages birth through 6). Sharon Miller is administrative director for the program that enrolls over 325 students from 6 Virginia counties and West Virginia.

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

Information about the Preparatory Music Program may be obtain from EMU’s web site ()or by calling 540-432-4277.

The Children’s Choir, celebrating its 15th season, will present a program of classical songs, folk songs from several countries and seasonal songs.

The Treble Choir, SVCC’s intermediate choir with 40 children grades 4-7, will sing the baroque work, “The Heavens Declare Thy Glory,” accompanied by trumpet player Daniel Galyen, band director at Bridgewater College. The Austrian Christmas song “The Dark Softly Falling,” and the American Folksong “Jim Along Josie” will also be part of the Treble Choir’s set.

The Concert Choir, with 72 children in grades 6-11, will present a set of music that includes Purcell’s “Sound the Trumpet,” Mozart’s “Laudate Dominum” with soloist Sarah Wingard, the Finnish folksong “Who Can Sail?,” the Serbian gypsy dance “Niska Banja,” and the spiritual “This Train is Bound For Glory” featuring soloist Betsy Barrett.

Choirs Combine

The two choirs will join to present a combined song “Sahayta,” which means “helpfulness” in Sanskrit. “Sahayta” will include 10 languages emphasizing concepts of peace, greetings, cooperation, music, and dance, and soloists from both choirs; guest percussionist Andrew Richardson from James Madison University will be featured.

The 30-member Youth Symphony, conducted by Maria Lorcas, will perform excerpts from Handel’s “Music for the Royal Fireworks”, an arrangement of “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring” by Bach and Brahms’ “Hungarian Dances Nos. 5 and 6.:

Orchestra members are from the city of Harrisonburg, Rockingham, Augusta, Shenandoah and Page counties and from Franklin, W.Va.

Local Student Featured

Molly Schick, Youth Symphony soloist

Molly Schick, a senior at Harrisonburg High School, will be featured in the “Bassoon Concerto” by von Weber. She was chosen to perform by audition.

Ms. Schick is in her fourth year in the orchestra. She has been a member of the HHS symphonic and marching band for four years and is woodwind field commander in the marching band. She is also president of the Tri-M music honor society at HHS, an officer of the HHS InterAct Club and a tutor for Project Rescue, a tutoring program at the school.

Schick is a student of Dr. Sue Barber, bassoon professor at James Madison University. She has been a member of the HHS Jazz Ensemble, the EMU Wind Ensemble and the Emmanuel Episcopal Church Parish Choir and has played in numerous honors ensembles.

She is the daughter of Kurt and Lisa Schick of Harrisonburg.

A suggested $5 donation at the door will benefit the Preparatory Music and Shenandoah Valley Children’ Choirs’ scholarship funds.

The compact disc, representing some gentler selections of the holiday season, features the Concert Choir (ages 11-17) with additional selections by the Treble Choir (ages 10-14) and the combined Treble and Preparatory (ages 8-11) Choirs. The songs are from the 2004-05 and 2005-06 Christmas seasons.

Featured soloists include Sarah Wingard on “Gesu Bambino,” Kelsey Landes and Andrea Freeburg on “Panis Angelicus,” and Lauren Byrd on “Behold that Star.” Other selections include “The Angels

The 30-member ensemble, conducted by Maria Lorcas, will perform excerpts from Handel’s “Music for the Royal Fireworks” and Brahms’ “Hungarian Dances.” In addition, orchestra members will play short solos to demonstrate their instruments.

Orchestra members are from the city of Harrisonburg, Rockingham, Augusta, Shenandoah and Page counties and from Franklin, W.Va.

The program is designed for families with children of all ages. Persons are invited to come in costume and expect a variety of treats.

Admission to the concert is free.

A Suzuki violin concert featuring more than 100 performers will be held 4 p.m. Sunday, May 14 in Lehman Auditorium.

The students, ranging in age from 3 to 18 years, will come from all parts of the central Shenandoah Valley, including Augusta, Bath, Page and Shenandoah counties.

The concert will begin with the most advanced pieces and more students will be added until all are on stage for the grand finale of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”

Teaching Interns to Assist

Instructors Maria Lorcas, Jessica Trainum and Sharon Miller will lead the students, along with teaching interns Bethany Freesen and Julia Long.

The concert will also include students from the Garth Newell Suzuki Program in Hot Springs, Va., taught by Cynthia Penne of Lexington, Va.

Most students are part of EMU’s , offering year-round music lessons and ensembles for students of all ages and levels since 1988.

Currently, 350 students are enrolled in various aspects of the program including (ages 18 months – 6 years), the Shenandoah Valley Youth Orchestra and instrumental Lessons (violin, viola, cello, piano, guitar, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet and harp).

Outreach Project

EMU’s Preparatory Program also has an Outreach Project, an effort to provide string instrument instruction to students who would not otherwise have the opportunity. Currently 36 students receive violin instruction at Stone Spring and Keister Elementary Schools and at EMU.

Outreach students will be playing in the Suzuki Violin concert and come from the city of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. In addition to the partnerships with the city schools, the project receives support from the Virginia Commission of the Arts, The Arts Council of the Valley and the Music Gallery.

Sunday’s concert is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Preparatory Music Program at 540-432-4277.

Teddy Bears will be invited guests when the (SVCC) presents its 12th annual Christmas concerts 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3 and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, in Lehman Auditorium at ��ݮ����.

All audience and choir members are asked to bring a new teddy bear to be sent to Long Beach, Miss., Harrisonburg’s adopted city that was demolished by Hurricane Katrina.

The Christmas concerts will feature 150 children in three choirs including the Preparatory Choir (ages 8-11), directed by Joy Anderson; the Treble Choir (ages 10-15) and the Concert Choir (ages 11-17), directed by .

The Preparatory Choir will sing "Christmas Comin’" and "The Cuckoo Carol." The combined Preparatory and Treble Choirs will sing "Sans Day Carol" and "Shalom, Friends," a Chanukah song.

The Treble Choir alone will sing a new arrangement of "Deck the Hall" and the familiar carol, "In the Bleak Midwinter."

The Concert Choir, the SVCC’s touring choir, will sing a variety of holiday songs, including Britten’s "This Little Babe" from "A Ceremony of Carols" and "Cuncti Simus," a Spanish medieval song with processional. Familiar holiday songs include "Gesu Bambino" and "The Christmas Song" (Chestnuts roasting. . .), both with soloists. Randall Thompson’s "Solstice" and Bach’s "Duet No. 15 Laughing and Shouting for Joy" will be included in the program.

The traditional Jewish folk song, "S’vivon" (Spinning Top), will be sung in Hebrew and will include violin accompaniment. A variety of child soloists will be featured in the literature as well as audience sing-alongs.

Guest instrumentalists will include EMU faculty members and Maria Lorcas on violin, who will accompany the choir and present solo works for violin. , organist and long-time friend of the SVCC, will accompany the violinists and lead the audience in familiar carols.

Tickets are available through the EMU box office at 540-432-4582. The box office is open 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday but will be closed November 24 and 25 for Thanksgiving. Reserved section seats are $12, general adult admission, $10, seniors and students $8, and children under 12, $5.

For more information contact Judy Leaman, choir manager, at 540-432-4650.

Ms. Lorcas will be joined by Lori Piitz, piano; Ed Gant, cello; and Pedro Aponte, cuatro, in performing Sonata No. 5 “Spring” for piano and violin by Ludwig von Beethoven, Havanaise by Camille Saint-Saens, three short pieces by Fritz Kreisler and two pieces from Lorcas’ native country, Venezuela.

Maria Lorcas instructs student

Maria Lorcas is in her fourth year as violin instructor in EMU’s Preparatory Music Program. She began her undergraduate studies in Venezuela, later receiving her bachelors and masters degrees in violin performance from Duquesne and Carnegie Mellon universities, respectively.

Ms. Lorcas has performed extensively in both Venezuela and the United States. She has been concertmaster of Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho Symphony, Venezuela, first violinist in the Simon Bolivar Symphony, Venezuela, and with the Wheeling, Westmoreland and Altoona (PA) Symphonies. More recently she has performed with the Shenandoah Bach Festival and in orchestras in Charlottesville and Lexington.

Lorcas is a trained Suzuki violin teacher and has been teaching privately and coaching orchestra strings since 1993.

Admission to the recital is free. Donations are welcome for the Shenandoah Valley Preparatory Music program.

Sixty violin students, ages 4 to 18, will make beautiful music together 4 p.m. Sunday, May 15, in Lehman Auditorium at ��ݮ����.

These students study the Suzuki violin approach through EMU