Student musicians from as close as Morgantown and as far away as Corfu will take the spotlight in the upcoming Young Artist Concert by the West Virginia University Symphony Orchestra. Six students in WVU’s School of Music have been chosen as featured performances in the annual event.
The concert, set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 16, in the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre of the Creative Arts Center, is free and open to the public.
“This concert gives outstanding students the chance to appear in a featured performance with our Symphony Orchestra, which is a rare and wonderful opportunity for a young musician,” said Mitch Arnold, director of orchestral activities at WVU. The students were chosen in a competitive audition held in January.
The program features five pieces:
• Flutist Eftihia Victoria Arkoudis, of Corfu, Greeze, a Master of Music candidate, will perform Georges H�e’s “Fantasie.”
• Violinist Sean Elliott, Morgantown, who is pursuing dual bachelor’s degrees in music and mathematics, will perform Henri Vieuxtemps’ “Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major.”
• Soprano Jenna Weaver, Knoxville, Tenn., a Master of Music candidate, will singe Leonard Bernstein’s “Glittler and Be Gay” from “Candide.”
• Percussionist Ronnie Ziccardi, a music education major from Pittsburgh, will perform “Toshiro Mayuzumi’s “Concertino for Xylophone and Orchestra.”
• Violinist Diego Gabete-Rodriguez of Zaragoza, Spain, and violist Ignacio Cuello of Monzon, Spain, both Doctor of Musical Arts candidates, will perform Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante in E0-flat Major.”
“I feel very honored and privileged for the opportunity to share the stage with such a talented group of musicians,” said Weaver. “I hope the evening fills the hearts of everyone, bringing joy, laughter and healing.”
Elliot admitted that “words can’t express the excitement I have for the chance to perform with our very own WVU Symphony Orchestra. I’m grateful for all of the hard work my fellow musicians have put into learning this music, and I believe that our combined efforts will create a thrilling performance.”
Ziccardi thinks the concert is “a fantastic opportunity, as I get to represent and showcase the high musical standards that the WVU School of Music has established.”
“Performing as a soloist is one of the most exciting moments in a musician’s life,” said Arkoudis. “It’s like the first time you fall in love, and I’m thrilled to experience this moment with the WVU Symphony Orchestra. I’m already counting backwards to a great night of music-making.”
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CONTACT: David Welsh, WVU College of Creative Arts
304.293.3397; David.Welsh@mail.wvu.edu
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