PORTopera’s 15th Anniversary Gala Concert Features Internationally Acclaimed Singers

PORTopera's 15th Anniversary Gala Concert Features Internationally Acclaimed Singers

PORTLAND, Maine – On July 30th, seven nationally and internationally recognized opera singers will take the stage at Merrill Auditorium in celebration of PORTopera's 15th Anniversary season. The Gala's featured singers will present selections from the company's past productions, as well as pieces from operas under consideration for future years, accompanied by a full orchestra.

Directed by PORTopera's Artistic Director Dona D. Vaughn, the concert will be conducted by Robert Moody, celebrated Music Director of the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Featured singers for the concert include PORTopera past guest artists: Pamela Armstrong (soprano), Jeneice Golbourne (mezzo-soprano), Sandra Lopez (soprano), Michael Mayes (baritone), Lauren McNeese (mezzo-soprano), Jan Opalach (bass-baritone), and Gaston Rivero (tenor).

Pamela Armstrong, a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, has appeared in countless productions across the United States, Europe, and has even appeared as the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro with the Vienna State Opera in Beijing, China. Other leading roles include Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, the title role in Susannah, and Mimi in La Bohème. Armstrong made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Pittsburgh Opera and Opera Pacific in the 2001-2002 season, and recently returned to Europe to sing the role of the Countess in Toulouse, France. She appeared in La Bohème for PORTopera in 1999.

Jeniece Golbourne's career highlights include singing the lead role in Carmen and Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, both at the Manhattan School of Music, and Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night's Dream with the Westminster Opera Theater. A graduate of Westminster Choir College and the Manhattan School of Music, Golbourne has a master's degree in Voice Performance. She has performed in the U.S. from California to New York and has even crossed the ocean to appear at concerts in Germany with the Deutsche Kammeracademie Neuss am Rhein Orchestra and Würzberg Orchestra. Golbourne sang Lola in PORTopera's Cavalleria Rusticana in 2004.

Sandra Lopez has captivated audiences across the country, appearing as Catherine in the premier run of A View from the Bridge at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, the title role in Tosca, Mimi in La Bohème, and many other performances in Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Connecticut and Massachusetts. She has been the recipient of numerous prizes, awards and grants, including winning the Metropolitan Opera Competition, receiving a Grand Prize with the Florida Grand Opera Young Patroness Association, receiving a Career Grant from the George London Foundation, and being honored as a World Finalist in the Luciano Pavarotti Competition. She has appeared in several PORTopera productions: Carmen in 2005, Pagliacci and Cavalleria Rusticana in 2004 and Faust in 2002.

Michael Mayes has been recognized by the opera world internationally for his masculine presence and stage command. In companies like the Madison Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Palm Beach Opera and more, Mayes has recently appeared as the title role in Don Giovanni, Marcello in La Bohème and Morales in Carmen. Here in Portland, he took on the role of Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette for PORTopera. Abroad, he has appeared in conjunction with La Fenice in Castel-Franco Veneto, Italy. Past honors he has received include 3rd place at the Metropolitan National Council Auditions in Chicago, and the Entergy Young Texas Artist Competition Vocalist Award among others.

Lauren McNeese, whose voice has been described as "creamy", has appeared in the Los Angeles-staged, Woody Allen production of Gianni Schicchi as La Ciesca. In addition to her appearance at the PORTopera Gala celebration this summer, she will also travel to Italy to reprise this role in the Festival dei Due Mondi. In a 2007 PORTopera production of The Barber of Seville, Lauren played the role of Rosina, and also performed the following season in Roméo et Juliette. A graduate of the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center of Lyric Opera of Chicago, McNeese will make her debut at the Arizona Opera this coming season in addition to returning to the Los Angeles Opera to sing in Das Rheingold and Götterdämmerung.

Jan Opalach has been hailed as one of the most versatile vocalists in the U.S. Playing in both dramatic and comic roles, he has appeared with the Oratorio Society of Washington and New York, the Handel Festival Orchestra, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and Musica Sacra, and the New York City Opera. He has performed in two PORTopera shows: Don Giovanni in 2006 and The Barber of Seville in 2007. Opalach has recorded a number of works, including Igor Stravinsky's Renard/Pulcinella, Wolpe's Quintet with Voice and more. His awards include the 1979 Metropolitan Opera National Auditions, the 1980 Walter M. Naumburg Vocal Competition, and the 1981 International Vocal Competition at s'Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands.

Tenor Gaston Rivero made his debut performance in New York City in Baz Luhrmann's La Boheme on Broadway in 2003 and has since performed a number of roles on the operatic stage. The young Uruguayan-American sang Roméo in PORTopera's 2008 production of Roméo et Juliette. Other roles include Don José in Carmen and B.F. Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly, among others, at Deutsche Oper Berlin, L'Opéra de Lausanne, Opera Carolina and more. Rivero also frequently appears at Carnegie Hall in New York. He has received numerous awards, including the Deutsche Oper Berlin Award in 2009 and the Vidda Award from Opera Orchestra of New York for the 2007-2008 season.

The July 30th PORTopera Anniversary Concert will feature selections from: Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, Verdi's La Traviata, Puccini's La Boheme, Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci, Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana and Bizet 's Carmen. Tickets range from $38 to $100 plus PortTix handling fees, and may be purchased at www.porttix.com, by calling (207) 842-0800, or by visiting the PortTix box office Monday through Saturday from noon to 6:00 p.m.

For more information about the concert and other PORTopera 15th anniversary events, visit www.portopera.org.

Tickets Now On Sale for PORTopera’s 15th Anniversary Gala Concert, July 30

Tickets are now on sale for PORTopera's 15th Anniversary Gala Celebration Concert to be held Thursday, July 30 at 7:30 p.m. PORTopera, Maine's only professional opera company, enjoys its 15th anniversary with special events throughout the summer, including the grand opera concert featuring a full orchestra and singers from past productions. The concert takes place at Merrill Auditorium (20 Myrtle Street, Portland).

Directed by PORTopera's Artistic Director Dona D. Vaughn, the concert will be conducted by Robert Moody, celebrated Music Director of the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Featured singers for the concert include PORTopera past guest artists: Pamela Armstrong (soprano), Heather Johnson (mezzo-soprano), Sandra Lopez (soprano), Michael Mayes (baritone), Lauren McNeese (mezzo-soprano), Jan Opalach (bass-baritone), and Gaston Rivero (tenor).

Some of the planned arias and duets planned for the Anniversary Concert are: "Si. Mi Chiamano Mimì" from Puccini's La Bohème, "Un bel dì" and the "Flower Duet" from Puccini's Madama Butterfly, the "Habanera" and "Toréador's Song" from Bizet's Carmen, and "Là ci darem la mano" from Mozart's Don Giovanni.

Tickets for the PORTopera Anniversary Concert range from $38 to $100 plus PortTix handling fees, and may be purchased at www.porttix.com, by calling (207) 842-0800, or by visiting the PortTix box office Monday through Saturday from noon to 6:00 p.m.

For more information about the concert and other PORTopera 15th anniversary events, visit www.portopera.org .

PSO Holds Series of Community Events for 2008-09 Season Finale

To celebrate the close of Robert Moody's inaugural season, the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) showcases Rites and Rhythms, the season finale concert event, with a series of community events June 6 through 9. Saturday, June 6 – 4:30-6:00 p.m. Musically Speaking – Museum of African Culture, Portland The PSO will present a Musically Speaking event at the Museum of African Culture located at 13 Brown Street in Portland. Maestro Moody will speak about the Symphony's June 9 concert and why he chose that program to end the season. One of the PSO guest drummers for that concert, Mark Sunkett, will offer instrument demonstrations and speak about Senegalese drumming. Chief Oscar Mokeme, founder and director of the Museum of African Culture, will discuss the country and culture of Senegal. Musically Speaking is a series of insightful discussions with PSO artists in various venues throughout the community for all ages. The Museum of African Culture is a not-for-profit organization created to educate through the use of art, music, storytelling, films, poetry, literature, healing ceremonies and other Sub-Saharan African cultural traditions; to interpret and preserve a unique collection of African art and artifacts; and to enrich the communities of Maine and beyond through the celebration of diversity. This event is open to the public with a $5 suggested donation to the museum. Monday, June 8 – 10:00-11:00 a.m. Meet the Maestro/Meet the Musicians – King Middle School, Portland The PSO presents Meet the Maestro/Meet the Musicians at King Middle School, 92 Deering Avenue in Portland. Robert Moody and guest artists Mark Sunkett and Sonja Branch will give an in-school performance with instrument demonstrations and answer student questions. Maestro Moody will speak about the artists and the piece they, along with the PSO, will play at the open dress rehearsal that evening. King Middle School serves the most racially, ethnically, and economically diverse neighborhoods in the state of Maine. More than 120 of King's approximately 500 students speak 28 languages and come from 17 countries. Monday, June 8 – 7:30 p.m. Open Dress Rehearsal – Merrill Auditorium, Portland Students of all ages are invited to attend an open dress rehearsal for the Tuesday, June 9 season finale concert. For reservations, which are required, call (207) 773-6128 ext. 308 or email hklenow@portlandsymphony.com. Tuesday, June 9 – 7:30 p.m. PSO Season Finale Concert, "Rites and Rhythms" – Merrill Auditorium, Portland The PSO Rites and Rhythms concert will feature the virtuosity of the Portland Symphony Orchestra's members and a unique "sonic travelogue" uniting symphony orchestra with African drumming and dancing. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9 at Merrill Auditorium (20 Myrtle St.) with a Concert Conversation led by Maestro Moody, Mark Sunkett and Oscar Mokeme at 6:15 p.m. A brief post-concert Q & A with Moody and Sunkett will immediately follow the concert. A radio broadcast of the performance can be heard on Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPBN) on July 29 at 8:00 p.m. Rites and Rhythms is sponsored by JetBlue Airways and generously underwritten by Mr. and Mrs. Albert B. Glickman. The PSO's performance of Sabar is also supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Tickets for the PSO Season Finale Concert range from $17-$65 and are sold through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com. Phone and internet orders are subject to $5-per-ticket handling fees. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. For complete season information, including artist biographies and program notes, visit www.portlandsymphony.com

PSO Closes Robert Moody’s Inaugural Season at Season Finale Concert, June 9

PSO Closes Robert Moody's Inaugural Season at Season Finale Concert, June 9

PORTLAND, Maine – For a thrilling finale to his inaugural season, Music Director Robert Moody leads Rites and Rhythms featuring the virtuosity of the Portland Symphony Orchestra's members, and a unique "sonic travelogue" uniting symphony orchestra with African drumming and dancing. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9 at Merrill Auditorium.

Rites and Rhythms opens with Béla Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra. Widely considered one of the greatest composers of the 20th century, Bartók was an accomplished pianist from a very young age. Concerto for Orchestra was the composer's final completed work and combines elements of Western classical and Europeam folk music. The piece is called a concerto rather than a symphony because each section of instruments is treated in a soloistic and virtuosic way.

The headlining piece of the evening, James DeMars' Sabar: Concerto for Senegalese Drums & Orchestra was composed in 2000 on a commission from the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, and was first performed by that orchestra under the direction of Robert Moody in 2001. American composer DeMars wrote Sabar "for the purpose of creating a work that would integrate the musicians of two cultures to celebrate a new millennium." The Arizona Republic called the piece, "…a sonic travelogue, that was stunningly entertaining as well as culturally engaging." Guest drummers Mark Sunkett, Sonya Branch, Medoune Gueye and Abdou Kounta, as well as an ensemble of traditional Senegalese dancers, will join the symphony for this unique season finale.

Sponsored by JetBlue Airways and generously underwritten by Mr. and Mrs. Albert B. Glickman, the PSO's performance of Sabar is also supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. with a Concert Conversation led by Maestro Moody at 6:15 p.m. in the Rehearsal Hall. A radio broadcast of the performance can be heard on Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPBN) on July 29 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets range from $17-$65 and are sold through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com, and new this year, the website offers real-time online seat selection. Phone and internet orders are subject to $5-per-ticket handling fees. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. For complete season information, including artist biographies and program notes, visit www.portlandsymphony.com.

PSO Percussion Kinderkonzert Series, Beginning May 18

Portland Symphony Orchestra Presents Kinderkonzert Series on Percussion Instruments Beginning May 18
Introducing young children to instrument families and musical concepts

PORTLAND, Maine – The Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) begins its last Kinderkonzert series of the 2008-09 season with "Percussion: Wood, Metal, Skins!" The programs will travel to six Southern Maine locations May 18 through May 29.

The PSO Percussion trio will introduce kids aged three to seven to their fascinating array of both standard and unusual percussion instruments. They'll see and hear how wood, metal and "skins" are used to create rhythms and melodies. The "Percussion: Wood, Metal, Skins!" program opens on May 18 at the South Hiram Elementary School and then travels to five other locations for a total of 15 performances.

Kinderkonzerts are entertaining, interactive programs with Portland Symphony musicians where kids ages 3 - 7 can sing, dance, wiggle, clap, and have fun listening and learning about music and instruments. School systems can coordinate the Kinderkonzert visit with Science and English Language Arts instruction in addition to Visual and Performing Arts. Specially prepared worksheets designed to support Maine's Learning Results are available online or by contacting the PSO.

Sponsored by Time Warner Cable, all Portland Symphony Orchestra Kinderkonzert tickets are $3 per person with advance reservation, $4 at the door (adult or child). For additional information, reservations and ticketing information visit www.portlandsymphony.com or call (207) 773-6128.

# # #

PSO Kinderkonzert Schedule for Percussion: Wood, Metal, Skins!:

May 18, 2009 | 9:30, 10:30 AM
South Hiram Elementary School
213 South Hiram Road, South Hiram

May 19, 2009 | 9:30, 10:30 AM
South Portland High School Auditorium
637 Highland Avenue, South Portland

May 21, 2009 | 9:30, 10:30 AM, 1:00 PM
Brunswick High School's Crooker Theater
116 Maquoit Road, Brunswick

May 27, 2009 | 9:30, 10:30 AM
Reiche Community School
166 Brackett Street, Portland

May 28, 2009 | 9:00, 10:00, 11:00 AM
Olin Arts Center, Bates College
75 Russell Street, Lewiston

May 29, 2009 | 9:30, 10:30* AM, 1:00 PM
C.K. Burns Elementary School
135 Middle Street, Saco

* SOLD OUT

Local Composer and Professor to Present Pre-Concert Lecture at Elijah, March 31

Composer and Bowdoin Music Professor Elliott Schwartz to Present Pre-Concert Lecture on Mendelssohn's Elijah, March 31

PORTLAND, Maine – In celebration of the 200th anniversary of Felix Mendelssohn's birth, Portland's Choral Art Society will perform Mendelssohn's oratorio Elijah in its full splendor on Tuesday, March 31, at Merrill Auditorium. Local composer and Bowdoin Professor of Music Elliott Schwartz will present a lecture in the auditorium before the concert, at 6:30 p.m.

Born and raised in New York City, Elliott Schwartz studied composition at Columbia University. In 1964 he began teaching at Bowdoin College, where he chaired the Music department for twelve 12 years, and is now the Robert K. Beckwith Professor of Music. A prolific composer, lecturer and author, Schwartz's works have been performed by orchestras around the world.

A hallmark among 19th century oratorios, Elijah depicts the dramatic story of the Old Testament prophet Elijah, who, according to the Book of Kings, raised the dead, brought fire down from the sky, and ascended to Heaven in a whirlwind. Mendelssohn evokes the full power of this dramatic story in his setting for orchestra and chorus.

The Choral Art Society will perform Elijah under the baton of music director Robert Russell, with the 120 voice Masterworks Chorus, members of the Portland Symphony Orchestra, and guest soloists Lisa Saffer (soprano), Jennifer DeDominici (mezzo-soprano), John McVeigh (tenor) and Philip Cutlip (bass). Cutlip returns to Portland following his memorable performance in Brahms's Requiem in 2008. Portland resident Lisa Saffer is well known for her performances in the operas of Handel, many of which have been released on the Harmonia Mundi label.

Elijah will be performed at Portland's Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle Street, Tuesday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m., with the lecture starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets range from $15-$47 and are sold through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or http://www.porttix.com/. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle Street, Monday through Saturday, from noon to 6 p.m.

About The Choral Art Society:
The Choral Art Society is comprised of more than 150 members who perform in three distinct ensembles: the symphonic Masterworks Chorus; the mid-sized Choral Art Singers; and the intimate a cappella Camerata. All singers are skilled amateurs, selected by audition. The Society offers an annual concert series and appears regularly as guests of the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Robert Russell, professor of music at the University of Southern Maine, is the conductor and artistic director of The Choral Art Society.

For more information about The Choral Art Society and the 2008-09 performances visit http://www.choralart.org/ or call (207) 828-0043.

PSO Presents a Tribute to Dance, April 4-5

PSO Pops! Presents Dance! Dance! Dance! April 4-5

Concert is part of the first national food drive sponsored by America's symphony orchestras

PORTLAND, Maine – Music Director Robert Moody leads the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO), guest ensemble Neos Dance Theatre and tap dancer Fred Strickler in a dynamic PSO POPS! tribute to dance and dancers through the ages. Two performances of Dance! Dance! Dance! will be staged at Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle Street in Portland, Saturday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoon, April 5 at 2:30 p.m.

Dance! Dance! Dance! leads audiences through a tribute to dance and dancers throughout the ages, from the charlestons and foxtrots of Twentiana, to the razzle-dazzle of A Chorus Line. Along the way there will be a Tap Dance Concerto, showcasing the musicianship of the art of tap (composer Morton Gould notated all the rhythms for the dancer in the same way he would for a drummer), the "Hoe-Down" from Aaron Copland's classic American ballet Rodeo, music from Babes in Arms and My Fair Lady, plus plenty of fancy footwork, leaps, lifts, and more.

Led by Artistic Director Robert Wesner, the dancers of Neos Dance Theatre have performed all over the United States and abroad. Firmly centered in classical ballet technique, the Neos dancers have a modern versatility and sense of the eclectic in dance that allows them to move easily through the ages and styles of dance in a single show. Referring to the Neos dancers as "young and energetic," the Cleveland Plain Dealer said, "…they pull the audience into their performance with bright personalities, warm rapport and a palpable love of dance." Neos Dance Theatre has collaborated for over a decade with maestro Robert Moody for various symphony orchestra programs.

Having danced and choreographed since 1961 for film, television, musical theatre and the concert stage, Fred Strickler is a virtuoso tap dance artist acclaimed by audiences and critics for his originality and musicality. Equally at home in classical, jazz and modern styles, in his tap dances he revels in the complex interactions of rhythm, sound and movement. Mr. Strickler is the Artistic Director for Fred Strickler & Friends – New Ideas on Tap, which focuses on innovations in tap dance choreography and often includes nationally known guest dancers and musicians. In addition to his own dancing and choreography career, he is also a Professor of Dance at the University of California, Riverside, where he has taught since 1967.

During the Dance! Dance! Dance! performances, volunteers will be in the lobby of Merrill Auditorium collecting non-perishable food donations through the PSO's participation in Orchestras Feeding America, the first national food drive sponsored by America's symphony orchestras, inspired by the soon-to-be-released film The Soloist. All food collected will be donated to Preble Street. For more information, visit portlandsymphony.com.

Sponsored by MPX/Maine Printing Company and The Portland Press Herald, the Saturday evening concert begins at 7:30 p.m. with a Sunday matinee at 2:30 p.m. Tickets range from $17-$62 and are sold through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com. New this year, the website offers real-time online seat selection. Phone and internet orders are subject to $5-per-ticket handling fees. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. For complete season information, including artist biographies and program notes, visit www.portlandsymphony.com.

Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” at Merrill Auditorium, March 31

Portland's Choral Art Society Presents a Special Production of Mendelssohn's Elijah with Special Guests and Full Orchestra, March 31

PORTLAND, Maine – Almost exactly 200 years after the composer's birth, Portland's Choral Art Society will present Felix Mendelssohn's dramatic, moving oratorio Elijah in its full splendor on Tuesday, March 31 at Merrill Auditorium. Full of beatiful solos, Elijah depicts various events in the life of the Old Testament prophet Elijah. This production will include the Choral Art Society Masterworks Chorus, live orchestra and special guest soloists Lisa Saffer (soprano), Jennifer DeDominici (mezzo-soprano), John McVeigh (tenor) and Philip Cutlip (bass). The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.

An oratorio is an elaborate musical presentation composed of an orchestra, choir and soloists. A sacred response to the secular, oratorio was popularized in response to the birth of opera in the early 1600s, but in a manner appropriate for church performance. The oratorio is similar to opera in the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters and arias; however, as opera is musical theater, an oratorio is strictly a concert piece, often dealing with sacred topics, with little or no interaction between characters and no props or elaborate costumes.

Widely known as the best oratorio of the 19th century, Mendelssohn did not shrink from the harshness of the Old Testament plots, and his music for Elijah is powerfully full of compelling scene-setting. Composed in the spirit of Mendelssohn's Baroque predecessors Bach and Handel, whose music he greatly admired, the style clearly reflects Mendelssohn's own genius as an early Romantic composer.

Scored for a full orchestra, a large chorus, and four vocal soloists, the part of Elijah is sung by the Philip Cutlip and is a major role. The soloists include:

• Lisa Saffer (soprano) – An internationally acclaimed operatic soprano based in Maine, Saffer has performed on concert stages with virtually all leading American orchestras and regularly throughout Europe. Particularly well known for her performances in the operas of Handel, she is a recipient of the Royal Philharmonic Society Award and was nominated for an Olivier Award, London's equivalent of New York's Tony Award. She has thrilled local audiences in past performances with PORTopera and the Portland Symphony Orchestra.

• Jennifer DeDominici (mezzo-soprano) – A 2000 graduate of the USM School of Music, DeDominici is a resident of Denver and a mainstay in the performances offered by Opera Theatre of the Rockies. She performed the starring role in their production of Carmen in 2008. She has also performed for Opera Colorado, Central City Opera and the Santa Fe Opera, and was awarded first prize in the 2007 Denver Lyric Opera Guild Competition.

• John McVeigh (tenor) – A resident of Portland, McVeigh has been a full-time professional opera singer since 1995. He has performed with countless symphonies and opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Houston Grand Opera, NYC Opera and Los Angeles Opera, as well as concert stages around the globe. Locally he has performed on multiple occasions with the Portland Symphony Orchestra and played the role of Tybalt in last summer's PORTopera mainstage production of Roméo et Juliette.

• Philip Cutlip (bass-baritone) – Established on both the concert and opera stage, Cutlip has performed with nearly every major North American orchestra, and his performances have been called "moving beyond words." A distinctive element in Cutlip's career is his ongoing collaboration with both well-established dance companies and avant-garde ensembles. He performed in the 2002 PORTopera mainstage production of Gounod's Faust, and was a tremendous sensation when he performed with the Portland Symphony Orchestra at their March 2008 "German Requiem" concert.

The Choral Art Society's presentation of Elijah will be performed at Portland's Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle Street, Tuesday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $15-$47 and are sold through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com. (Phone and internet orders subject to $5 per ticket handling fee.) Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle Street, Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m.

About The Choral Art Society:
The Society has more than 150 members who perform in three distinct ensembles: the symphonic Masterworks Chorus, the mid-sized Choral Art Singers, and the intimate a cappella Camerata. All singers are skilled amateurs, selected by audition. The Society offers an annual concert series and appears regularly as guests of the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Robert Russell, professor of music at the University of Southern Maine, is the conductor and artistic director of The Choral Art Society.
For more information about The Choral Art Society and the 2008-09 performances visit www.choralart.org or call (207) 828-0043.

PSO Welcomes Grammy Award-Winning Guest Conductor JoAnn Falletta, March 24

PSO Welcomes Grammy Award-Winning Guest Conductor JoAnn Falletta, March 24

PORTLAND, Maine – For a concert featuring Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6, "Pathetique," and other celebrated works, the Portland Symphony Orchestra welcomes guest conductor JoAnn Falletta, winner of two 2009 Grammy Awards, and guest violinist Michael Ludwig. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24 at Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle Street in Portland.

The PSO's Symphony 'Pathetique' concert opens with Robert Schumann's Overture to Manfred, Op. 115. Guest soloist Michael Ludwig joins the PSO for Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61, one of the most celebrated works of the violin concerto repertoire.

The program closes with the Symphony No. 6, "Pathetique," by Tchaikovsky. Exquisitely passionate and intensely emotional, with some of the most beautiful music ever written, the composer considered it "the best and most open-hearted" of his works.

Guest conductor JoAnn Falletta, acclaimed by The New York Times as "one of the finest conductors of her generation," serves as the Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. This season, her 10th with the BPO, a recording by the Orchestra received a double Grammy Award for the first time in its history. The world premiere recording of John Corigliano's Mr. Tambourine Man was honored for Best Classical Vocal Performance and Best Classical Contemporary Composition. Both on and off the podium, Maestro Falletta is a vibrant ambassador for music and an inspiring artistic leader.

Violinist Michael Ludwig has been hailed by Strad Magazine for his "effortless, envy-provoking technique… sweet tone, brilliant expression, and grand style." Ludwig enjoys a multi-faceted career as a recording artist, chamber musician, and as a highly sought-after soloist he has performed on four continents with the likes of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Pops, and Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra. He is Concertmaster of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, under Ms. Falletta.

Sponsored by Gorham Savings Bank, the concert begins at 7:30 p.m. with a Concert Conversation led by Maestra Falletta at 6:15 p.m. in the Rehearsal Hall. A radio broadcast of the performance can be heard on Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPBN) on April 29 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets range from $17-$65 and are sold through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com, and new this year, the website offers real-time online seat selection. Phone and internet orders are subject to $5-per-ticket handling fees. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. For complete season information, including artist biographies and program notes, visit www.portlandsymphony.com.

PSO Annual Wine Challenge & Auction, March 30

Portland Symphony Orchestra's Annual Wine Dinner Benefit Features Australian Wines and an Unusual Challenge for Chefs, March 30

FREEPORT, Maine – The Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO)'s eagerly awaited annual Wine Challenge and Auction turns the traditional standard of pairing wines with a particular menu on its head – instead of matching wines to the food, chefs prepare each course to complement the wine selections. Held March 30 at the Harraseeket Inn in Freeport beginning at 5:00 p.m., this year's benefit will feature Australian wines, world-class Maine chefs and live and silent auctions.

Presented by Acadia Trust, N.A. the Australian Wine Challenge features Peter Lehmann Wines from the Hess Fine Wine Estates. The festive evening begins with wine and hors d'oeuvres during the silent auction at 5:00 p.m. Following the silent auction, guests will begin a carefully-crafted multi-course meal representing Maine finest culinary talents including:

• Jonathan Cartwright: Executive Chef, White Barn Inn, Kennebunkport
• Steve Corry: Proprietor & Executive Chef, Five Fifty-Five, Portland
• Mitchell Kaldrovich: Executive Chef, Inn By the Sea, Cape Elizabeth
• Gallit Sammon: Chef de Cuisine, Harraseeket Inn, Freeport
• Melody Wolfertz: Proprietor & Executive Chef, In Good Company, Rockland

Dinner is followed by the live auction and dessert beginning at 8:30 p.m. The live and silent auctions feature diverse and unusual items donated by Maine artists and businesses in support of the PSO. Items include exciting getaways, event tickets, fine dining, unique gifts, accommodations, services, jewelry and more. A highlight of the live auction offerings is a tour of Australian wine country.

All proceeds from the Australian Wine Challenge & Auction benefit the Portland Symphony Orchestra and its education and community outreach programs.

The Wine Challenge sells out quickly, but reservations can be made now by calling (207) 773-6128 x309 or emailing events@portlandsymphony.com. Tickets to the dinner are $150 each. Tables of ten guests may be hosted for $1,500.

For more information about the Portland Symphony Orchestra, its events and activities, visit www.portlandsymphony.com.

PSO Presents Tribute to Bygone Radio Days of the '40s, February 21-22

PORTLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS A TRIBUTE TO VOCAL GROUPS AND BIG BAND MUSIC OF THE 1940s, FEBRUARY 21-22 PORTLAND, Maine – For a musical time capsule tribute to the bygone radio days of the 1940s, guest conductor Charlaes Latshaw leads the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) and special guest ensemble "Five By Design" in a PSO POPS! retro concert production, "Radio Days." The concerts will be held at Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle Street in Portland, Saturday, February 21 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, February 22 at 2:30 p.m. Paying tribute to the vocal groups and big bands of the 1940s, the PSO will be joined by "Five By Design," one of the nation's leading symphony pops artists and interpreters of the American popular song. The Minneapolis-based international touring artists' Kennedy Center debut with the National Symphony was heralded by the Washington Post as "one of the best pops programs of the season." Combining their signature harmonies with vintage fashions, stage and lighting design, and a captivating storyline, they'll perform music by the likes of Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey with segments from vintage serials, comedies, and quiz shows. The PSO and Five By Design will be led by Guest Conductor Charles Latshaw, a vibrant and versatile young artist currently serving as Music Director of the Bloomington (Indiana) Symphony Orchestra, Assistant Conductor of the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, and Music Director of the Columbus Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. Maestro Latshaw made his debut with the Indianapolis Symphony in March 2008, and will be making guest-conducting appearances in several cities across the United States during the 2008-09 season. The Saturday evening concert begins at 7:30 p.m. with a Sunday matinee at 2:30 p.m. Tickets range from $17-$62 and are sold through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com. New this year, the website offers real-time online seat selection. Phone and internet orders are subject to $5-per-ticket handling fees. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. For complete season information, including artist biographies and program notes, visit www.portlandsymphony.com.

PSO's First 2009 Concert Features Returning Soloist, Orion Weiss

PSO'S FIRST CONCERT OF THE NEW YEAR FEATURES PIANIST ORION WEISS, JANUARY 13

PORTLAND, Maine – For their first concert of the new year, Music Director Robert Moody leads the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) in a program of Gershwin and Shostakovich at 7:30 PM on Tuesday, January 13 at Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle Street in Portland.

The Tuesday Classical concert opens with George Gershwin's jazz orchestral piece Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra with soloist Orion Weiss. Full of Gershwin's distinctively American energy and self-assured orchestration, the first movement brims with melodic ideas, the second is a sultry blues, and the third turns into a barrelhouse frenzy. To close the concert, the PSO takes on Dmitri Shostakovich's famously explosive condemnation of Russia's Stalin era, Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93, written by Shostakovich shortly after Stalin's demise and filled with unstoppable fury and passion. It is a musical summary of that bleak and terrifying era; hearing it performed live is a tremendously exciting and moving experience.

Pianist Orion Weiss is one of the most sought-after soloists and collaborators in his generation of young American musicians. He returns to Portland after his acclaimed substitute performance with Robert Moody and the PSO in November 2007; the Portland Press Herald called Weiss "a technically flawless pianist..." and referred to his performance as seeming "…both improvised on the spur of the moment and well thought-out, as if the composer himself were at the piano."

Sponsored by Verrill Dana, the concert begins at 7:30 p.m. with a Concert Conversation at 6:15 p.m. in the Rehearsal Hall. A radio broadcast of the performance can be heard on Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPBN) on January 28 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets range from $17-$65 and are sold through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com, and new this year, the website offers real-time online seat selection. Phone and internet orders are subject to $5-per-ticket handling fees. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. For complete season information, including artist biographies and program notes, visit www.portlandsymphony.com.

PSO POPS! to Perform with Beatles Tribute Band, November 15-16

PORTLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA POPS! WELCOMES BEATLES TRIBUTE GROUP, NOVEMBER 15-16
Featuring original members of the Broadway sensation BEATLEMANIA performing live in concert with the Portland Symphony Orchestra

Imagine The Beatles playing in concert with a symphony orchestra. What would that have sounded like? Find out for yourself at Classical Mystery Tour - a tribute to The Beatles featuring original members of the Broadway sensation "BEATLEMANIA" performing live in concert with the Portland Symphony Orchestra at Merrill Auditorium on Saturday, November 15 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, November 16 at 2:30 p.m.

The four musicians in Classical Mystery Tour look and sound just like The Beatles, but Classical Mystery Tour is more than just a rock concert. The show presents some 20 Beatles tunes sung, played, and performed exactly as they were written. Hear "Penny Lane" with a live trumpet section; experience the beauty of "Yesterday" with an acoustic guitar and string quartet; enjoy the rock/classical blend on the hard edged "I Am the Walrus." From early Beatles music on through the solo years, Classical Mystery Tour is the best of The Beatles like you've never heard them: totally live.

Classical Mystery Tour features Jim Owen (John Lennon) on rhythm guitar, piano, and vocals; Tony Kishman (Paul McCartney) on bass guitar, piano, and vocals; Tom Teeley (George Harrison) on lead guitar and vocals; and Chris Camilleri (Ringo Starr) on drums and vocals. Music Director Robert Moody conducts.

Classical Mystery Tour is sponsored by New England Coffee and Holiday Inn by the Bay. Ticket prices range from $17 to $62, with special pricing available for students, seniors and groups. All Portland Symphony Orchestra tickets are sold through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com, and new this year, the website offers real-time online seat selection. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. For complete season information, including artist biographies and program notes, visit www.portlandsymphony.com.

PORTopera's Romeo et Juliette Cast

CAST ANNOUNCED FOR PORTOPERA'S "Roméo et Juliette" JULY 24 AND 26 AT MERRILL AUDITORIUM

PORTLAND, Maine – Roméo et Juliette, the renowned French composer Charles Gounod's operatic interpretation of the legendary Shakespearean tragedy, has long remained one of France's most prized operas. PORTopera will present this classic opera on July 24 and 26 at Portland's Merrill Auditorium. The roles of the famed star-crossed lovers in PORTopera's production will be played by Gaston Rivero (Roméo) and Jennifer Black (Juliette).

Uruguay-born tenor Gaston Rivero, finalist and prizewinner at the 2007 Montserrat Caballé International Singing Contest, was described by The New York Sun as a "true Italianate tenor" with a "beautiful, arresting voice." Rivero made his professional opera debut in 2004 with Opera Orchestra of New York, and has recently performed the roles of Don José in Carmen with the Knoxville Opera and Alfredo in La Traviata with Palm Beach Opera among many others. He sang as Romeo earlier this year for Opera Carolina.

American lyric soprano Jennifer Black, who completed the Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program in 2008, will play Juliette. A native of Houston, Texas, Black was recently awarded a 2008 Opera Index Award. She made her Santa Fe Opera debut as Micäela in Carmen during the 2006 summer season and returned there for her role debut as Mimi in La Bohème in the summer of 2007. The Santa Fe New-Mexican called her performance as Mimi, "gleaming and glorious, with wonderful nuances of light and shade and complete dynamic control" and referred to her arias as "meltingly sung." The Denver Post wrote, "The evening's revelation was soprano Jennifer Black …. She lit up the stage as Micaëla, with her pleasingly dulcet voice highlighted by nice, rounded tones and an adroit sense of phrasing."

The other roles in Roméo et Juliette will be performed by:

• Mezzo-soprano Lauren McNeese: Romeo's page, Stéphano.
  McNeese's voice has been described by critics as "creamy," "with bright shimmer like ripples in clear water." She is a graduate of the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center of Lyric Opera of Chicago. McNeese is well known to PORTopera fans, having appeared as Rosina in the 2007 production of Barber of Seville. Engagements for 2008 and beyond include performances with Los Angeles Opera as La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi conducted by James Conlon and directed by Woody Allen, the Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte and Wellgunde in Das Rheingold both conducted by James Conlon. She will be making her Philadelphia Opera debut as L'enfant in L'enfant et les sortilèges and as La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi conducted by Corrado Rovaris and directed by Robert B. Driver. In the 2009-2010 seasons McNeese looks forward to being a part of the Los Angeles Ring Cycle under the baton of James Conlon as Wellgunde in Das Rheingold and Götterdämmerung.
• Baritone Michael Mayes: Mercutio.
  His operatic roles include Wagner in Faust, Sciarrone in Tosca, and Marullo in Rigoletto, Escamillo in Carmen, and Malatesta in Don Pasquale. He has appeared internationally in conjunction with La Fenice in Castelfranco Veneto, Italy. Mayes' honors include 3rd place winner at the Metropolitan National Council Auditions in Chicago, the Entergy Young Texas Artist Competition Vocalist Award, John Alexander Award, the John Moriarty Award, and an advanced division winner at the Anton Guadagno Vocal Competition.
• American bass-baritone Jeffrey Wells: Count Capulet.
  Wells entered the opera world in his late-20s after a background in Broadway musical theater, and has now appeared with every major opera company in the United States. He is a regular performer with the Metropolitan Opera, where he has sung roles including the role he will sing for PORTopera, Capulet in Roméo et Juliette. Past roles at the Met include Colline in La Boheme, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Timur in Turandot, Escamillo in Carmen, and The King in Aida. Wells sang in PORTopera's 2005 production of Carmen. He will return to the Metropolitan Opera for the 2008-09 season.
• Tenor John McVeigh: Tybalt.
  A resident of Portland, McVeigh has been acclaimed for his "fresh-toned and touching" performance by Opera News and lauded by the New Orleans Times-Picayune for his "rich lyrical tenor, fabulous top notes, and striking good looks." He frequently performs works of the classical and baroque repertoire, and is an accomplished presence on the concert stage as well as in opera houses worldwide. McVeigh has become renowned for his performances of the Novice in Benjamin Britten's Billy Budd, having sung the role in his debuts with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Los Angeles Opera, Washington National Opera, Genoa's Teatro Carlo Felice, as well as in a return to Houston Grand Opera. He has sung Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream in his debut at the Teatro Real, Central City Opera, and Utah Opera as well as Johnny Inkslinger in Paul Bunyan, also with Central City Opera and Hot Biscuit Slim in the same opera in performances at New York City Opera that were broadcast on Live from Lincoln Center on PBS. He sang Tybalt in Roméo et Juliette with the Houston Grand Opera Studio and is a familiar face to Portland audiences, having sung with the Portland Symphony Orchestra.
• Jordan Bisch: Frére Laurent.
  A native of Vancouver, WA, Bisch is a Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Grand Finals winner and joined the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program during the 2005–06 season. This season, as a guest performer, Bisch performed Sarastro in Juilliard Opera Theater's production of The Magic Flute. Last season he returned to the Met stage as a Trojan in Idomeneo, conducted by Maestro Levine. Bisch is a recipient of a 2005 Sara Tucker Study Grant and 2006 Richard Tucker Career Grant.
• Standish, Maine native Sara Sturdivant: Gertrude.
  Sturdivant holds both a Bachelors Degree and Masters Degree in voice performance from the University of Southern Maine, and most recently acquired a Professional Studies Diploma in voice from the Mannes College of Music in New York City. She is currently a teaching artist in New York City with the Metropolitan Opera Guild, where she teaches 1^st, 3^rd, 6^th, and 8^th grades in the Urban Voices and Speak, Play, Sing! Programs. Sturdivant is a former member of PORTopera's Maine's Emerging Artists Program; this is her first main stage role for PORTopera.
• Malcolm Smith: The Duke (Duc de Verone).
  One of America's leading basses, Smith has appeared with the world's major operatic and symphonic organizations. Smith sang the role of Duc de Verone in Roméo et Juliette at the Spoleto Festival USA. He has performed with such renowned companies as the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Hamburg Opera Munich Opera Vienna State Opera, and the Paris Opera Bastille, among many others. In 1996, the honorary title of "Kammersaenger" (awarded for exceptional achievements in opera) was bestowed on Smith by the Opera in Düsseldorf, where he had been Principal Bass since 1971. He is a resident of Cape Elizabeth and a member of the USM School of Music faculty. Smith sang in PORTopera's production of Don Giovanni in 2006.

Roméo et Juliette has a large chorus of 40 singers, will be accompanied by a full orchestra and will feature dancers from Portland Ballet in a newly choreographed prelude. The opera will be sung in French, with translation provided in English supertitles, appearing above the stage.

Artistic Director Dona D. Vaughn has been with PORTopera since its premiere production of Carmen in 1995. Now in its 14^th season of performances, this will be Vaughn's 6^th as Artistic Director. Her extensive directing credits include international and national productions for New York City Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Michigan Opera Theater, Berkshire Opera, Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, New York Shakespeare Festival, and New York Repertory Theater.

New to PORTopera, conductor Israel Gursky has been an assistant conductor under Placido Domingo for the Washington National Opera since 2001 and has also been principal coach and chorus master at Wolf Trap Opera for seven seasons. He is currently in Paris with Placido Domingo, preparing for the world premiere of The Fly, an opera adaptation of the horror film. The Fly will open in Paris on July 1 and will have its US premiere in Los Angeles in September. Recent performances include a critically acclaimed Don Giovanni with the Washington National Opera, Werther at the University of Maryland, Transformations at Manhattan School of Music as well as a tour of China and Singapore, conducting the Shanghai Opera Orchestra. Gursky serves on the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music and Mannes College of Music in New York and recently won a conducting award from the George Solti Foundation.

For more information about PORTopera's presentations of Roméo et Juliette visit www.portopera.org. Tickets for the July 24 and 26 performances are available online at www.porttix.com, by phone, (207) 842-0800, or in person at the 20 Myrtle Street box office in Portland, Maine between noon and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

PORTopera and Osher Sponsor Romeo and Juliet Film Series

PORTLAND, Maine – PORTopera and the Osher Lifetime Learning Institute are sponsoring a four-week film festival to coincide with PORTopera's presentation of the opera Romeo et Juliette on July 24 and 26. The films will all be shown at 7 p.m. in the Luther Bonney Auditorium located on Bedford Street on the USM Portland campus. A rare work by Charles Gounod will be featured during the fourth week of the festival.

The Romeo and Juliet Film Festival Schedule

• Thursday, June 26 – 7p.m. – "I Capuleti e i Montecchi"
  Vincenzo Bellini's bel canto work written in 1830, in a production from the Ravenna Festival in 2005.

• Thursday, July 3 – 7p.m. – "Village Romeo and Juliet"
  Written in 1900 by Frederick Delius in the English Impressionistic style, this 1990 film is by Peter Weigl. A brief video on the life of Delius will be shown first.

• Thursday, July 10 – 7p.m. – "West Side Story"
  Written by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. The classic 1960's musical features Romeo and Juliet in a 20^th century setting. The film, directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, won ten Oscars.

• Thursday, July 17 – 7p.m. – "Mireille"
  Written by Charles Gounod in 1864, produced by Canadian Television, and aired in 1957. This production features Pierrette Alarie and Leopold Simoneau singing Gounod's most romantic music.

Tickets are $5 each and available at the door. Call 207-879-7678 for additional information.

PORTopera will present two performances of Gounod's Roméo et Juliette on July 24 and 26 at the Merrill Auditorium in Portland. Visit www.portopera.org for more information. Tickets for the opera performances are available online at www.porttix.com, by phone, (207) 842-0800, or in person at the 20 Myrtle Street box office in Portland, Maine between noon and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

About PORTopera:
PORTopera is Maine's only opera company performing fully staged operas with nationally and internationally acclaimed singers. PORTopera will be celebrating its 14th season in 2008.

Romeo et Juliette July 24 and 26 at Merrill Auditorium

PORTLAND, Maine – PORTopera will present Charles Gounod's Roméo et Juliette at Portland's Merrill Auditorium on Thursday, July 24 and Saturday, July 26, under the direction of Dona D. Vaughn, Artistic and Stage Director, with guest conductor Israel Gursky. Tickets for this romantic opera, based on Shakespeare's classic tragic drama Romeo and Juliet, are on sale now through PortTix, 207-842-0800. For more information about Roméo et Juliette visit www.portopera.org. Tickets are available online at www.porttix.com, by phone, 207-842-0800 or in person at the 20 Myrtle St. box office in Portland, Maine between noon and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. About PORTopera: PORTopera is Maine's only opera company performing fully staged operas with nationally and internationally acclaimed singers. PORTopera will be celebrating its 14th season in 2008 with two performances of Gounod's Romeo et Juliette in late July.

Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ Announce Scholarship Recipients

PORTLAND, Maine – The Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ, administrators of the Kotzschmar Memorial Trust Scholarship Fund, recently named this year's scholarship recipients. The four scholarships will be officially awarded at the Legacy of Hermann Kotzschmar concert on Tuesday, April 15th, 7:30 p.m. at Merrill Auditorium.

Any student of the organ, orchestral instruments or voice who is a resident of greater Portland, including Portland, South Portland, Scarborough, Westbrook, Cape Elizabeth, Falmouth, Gorham and Cumberland, and who is between the ages of 10-18 (grades 4-12) or 19-25 is eligible for the scholarship. There are four recipients for 2008, receiving $100-$1,000 each, for additional music education. In addition, there are two Honorable Mentions:

• Nell Britton, a sophomore at Cape Elizabeth High School, received a scholarship. She has studied piano for 6 years and is a student of Robert Glover.
• Henry Kramer is a graduate of Cape Elizabeth High School (class of '05) and is currently a third year student at The Juilliard School in New York City. Henry has studied piano for 8 years and was awarded a scholarship. He currently studies with Julian Martin.
• Jiyeon Kim is a Junior at Deering High School is Portland. Jiyeon received a scholarship. She has studied piano for 6 years and currently studies under Barbara Payson.
• Benjamin Jones is a ninth grade student at Yarmouth High School. Ben was awarded a scholarship. He has studied violin for 8½ years and is taught by Ronald Lantz.
• Aaron Dobieski received an Honorable Mention. Aaron is a 5^th-grader at Cape Elizabeth Middle School. He studies piano with Elizabeth Manduca and has been playing for 5 years.
• Evan Moore also received an Honorable Mention. He is a 6^th-grader at Lincoln Middle School. His piano teacher is Liz Manduca. Evan has been studying piano for 4½ years.

The Kotzschmar Memorial Trust Scholarship was established in 1911 by Mrs. Herman Kotzschmar to "aid in the musical education of such pupil or pupils, of marked ability." FOKO administers the auditions and presents the awards.

Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ was founded in 1981 as a result of the city of Portland's need to withdraw funding for the organ due to financial limitations. Dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Kotzschmar, FOKO's responsibilities include raising funds, presenting concerts and engaging the services of a Municipal Organist.

Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ Celebrate the Legacy of Hermann Kotzschmar - April 15

PORTLAND, Maine – The Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ will celebrate the Legacy of Hermann Kotzschmar, Portland's pre-eminent musician of the late 19th century and the organ's namesake, on Tuesday, April 15, 2008. This marks the 100^th anniversary of Hermann Kotzschmar's death.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in Portland's Merrill Auditorium. Organists/choir directors Harold Stover, Albert Melton and Chip Kaufman will join Portland Municipal Organist Ray Cornils in a concert featuring works of J. S. Bach, Franz Joseph Haydn, Will Macfarlane, John Knowles Paine, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy and Mr. Kotzschmar. Highlights of the program include Haydn's "The Heavens Are Telling" (from The Creation), Bach's "Fugue in Eb Major" (St. Anne), Macfarlane's "Evening Bells and Cradle Song," and Kotzschmar's "Rejoice in the Lord" and "Commercial Street Polka."

Choirs from First Parish Church UU, Portland; First Parish Church, UCC, Brunswick; St. Luke's Cathedral, Portland and Woodfords Congregational Church will join the Organists and Directors for this special celebration.

Hermann Kotzschmar, a German native, moved to Portland in 1849, where he worked as organist at First Parish Church Unitarian Universalist for 47 years, and as a choral conductor in Portland. Kotzschmar was a talented musician, composing music as well as instructing hundreds of students at the "Kotzschmar Piano School" for more than 50 years. His great friend, Cyrus H. Curtis, donated the Kotzschmar Organ to the City of Portland as a permanent fixture of City Hall in memory of Hermann Kotzschmar.

Admission is a suggested $12 at the door; under 21 free.

About the Kotzschmar Organ
The Kotzschmar Memorial Organ, built in 1912 by the Austin Organ Company of Hartford Connecticut, is this nation's oldest working municipal organ. With 5 manuals for the hands, a 32-note pedal board, 6857 pipes from ½ inch to 32 feet in length, 87 stops, 101 ranks, it is truly one of this nation's musical treasures.

About Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ
Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ was founded in 1981 as a result of the city of Portland's need to withdraw funding for the organ due to financial limitations. Today, dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Kotzschmar Organ, the Friend's responsibilities include raising funds, presenting concerts and educational programs and engaging the services of a Municipal Organist.

For more information on any of the concerts contact Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ Executive Director Kathleen Grammer, 207-883-4234 or visit www.foko.org.

###

The Legacy of Hermann Kotzschmar

July 4, 1829- April 15, 1908

Homeland Traditions

The Heavens Are Telling (from The Creation) Franz Joseph Haydn

Chorus 1732-1809

Ray Cornils, conductor, Harold Stover, organ

Fugue in Eb Major (St. Anne) Johann Sebastian Bach

Albert Melton, organ 1685-1750

Happy and Blest Are They (from St. Paul) Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy

Chorus 1809-1847

Albert Melton, conductor, Ray Cornils, organ

When Will Ye Think of Me? Hermann Kotzschmar

Soloist TBA

Hermann Kotzschmar in Portland

Rejoice in the Lord Hermann Kotzschmar

Chorus

Chip Kaufmann, conductor, Ray Cornils, organ

The Leviathan March Hermann Kotzschmar

Ray Cornils, organ

Commercial Street Polka Hermann Kotzschmar

Henry Kramer, piano

Variations on the Austrian Hymn John Knowles Paine

Ray Cornils, organ 1839-1906

The Kotzschmar Hymn Hermann Kotzschmar

Chorus and audience

Hermann Kotzschmar's Legacy

Malaga Isaac Albeniz

Henry Kramer, piano

Evening Bells and Cradle Song Will C. Macfarlane

Harold Stover, organ 1870-1945

I Was Glad C. Hubert H. Parry

Chorus 1848-1918

Harold Stover, conductor, Albert Melton, organ

America, The Beautiful Will C. Macfarlane

Chorus and audience

Harold Stover, conductor, Ray Cornils, organ