Orchestra Concert Unites City Monday, April 27

The Combined College Orchestra will present its Spring Concert at the Martinez Fine Arts Center, Laredo Community College on Monday, April 27, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. Performing in this ensemble are students from Laredo Community College, Texas A&M International University and guests from Laredo and United independent school district schools.

The concert starts promptly at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.

“The Combined College Orchestra brings together the best of the best young musicians from across the community,” said conductor Brendan Townsend, “The students are registered in orchestra classes offered by both LCC and TAMIU and rehearse weekly in preparation for four annual performances—“Orchestra Spooktacular” in October, Laredo Philharmonic Chorale’s “Messiah,” March performance of Beethoven’s 5th symphony and 5th Piano Concerto and the Spring Concert.

“Playing in this orchestra has prepared me to play with the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra and other professional level ensembles,” said concertmaster Daniel Arambula, “We perform orchestral music that any professional group would play and we are learning the repertoire while developing our skills here.”

For Townsend, whose faculty appointment is shared between LCC and TAMIU, the Combined College Orchestra represents the great strides that been made in orchestra education in this community.

“When we started this orchestra six years ago, we couldn’t even begin to think about playing standard orchestral repertoire. Now we are tackling Beethoven and Tchaikovsky and others,” Townsend said.

The Combined College Orchestra has become somewhat of a family affair with five members of the Balli family and pairs of Arambulas and Arias. Bea and Nick Balli are both music educators in LISD schools.

“What has happened here with this orchestra is such a reward to us as a family and as educators,” said Nick Balli, who also performs with the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra.

On the program for the Spring Concert are Delius’ “Summer Evening,” “Siegfried Idyll” by Richard Wagner and the “Serenade for Strings” by Tchaikovsky.

“This is wonderful orchestral music and so very powerful,” said Townsend, “I hope that the community will come out and support these wonderful young musicians who are doing such magnificent work.”

For more information, contact Townsend at btownsend@tamiu.edu or call 326.3039.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu