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The Washington
Middle School and Garfield High School
orchestras will perform together this Friday in "Sounds of
Harmony," a special benefit concert that crosses the boundaries of
culture, language and musical instruments, at 7:30 p.m. in the
University of Washington's Meany Hall.
Washington Middle School's 72-student orchestra will take a
musical journey through the Chinese love story known as "The
Butterfly Lovers," conducted by Washington music teacher, Taryn
Webber. This violin concerto tells the story of a girl who must
dress as a boy to receive an education. Though the story unfolds
tragically, it ends with the girl and her true love transformed
into butterflies.
This popular Chinese concerto will be a highlight in the "Sounds
of Harmony" program that will feature Chinese music played on
Western instruments and American music played on traditional
Chinese instruments. Washington Middle Schools' Senior Orchestra
will play this violin concerto with distinguished Chinese soloists
Haiying Li and Zhenlun Li. Warren Chang, a distinguished Chinese
conductor and soloist, will perform with his Chinese Youth
Orchestra during the concert on traditional Chinese instruments -
the erhu, yangqing and guozheng.
The award-winning Garfield High School
Orchestra, under the direction of Marcus Tsutakawa, are featured
guests, performing Stravinsky's "Firebird Suite," as well as
joining with Washington's musicians to perform "Night on Bald
Mountain." Both the Washington and Garfield orchestras have been
consistent award-winners regionally and nationally. Washington
recently won first place in the Heritage Music Festival in
Anaheim.
Tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for children and all proceeds
will benefit Washington
Middle School's music programs. To purchase tickets online,
visit Washington's Web site at: http://www.seattleschools/schools/washingtonms/
or call Debbie Erickson of Washington Middle School, at (206)
783-2946.
Background on schools and musicians
Washington
Middle School is a Seattle public school with an award-winning
music program in which more than 400 students participate. There
are many music ensembles singing and playing a range of music from
jazz to classical.
Garfield High
School is also a Seattle public school with award-winning
ensembles in both classical and jazz arenas (most recently the
prestigious Essentially Ellington competition in New York).
Taryn Webber has taught at Washington Middle School since
1997. She has led her orchestra to trophies from regional
competitions and consistently won raves from adjudicators. Her
orchestra recently won a Gold Medal in the Heritage Music Festival
in Anaheim, Calif.
Marcus Tsutakawa has taught music in Seattle since 1979.
He has been director of Garfield's orchestra since 1985. His
orchestra won "Best in Festival" at a regional competition four
separate years. They have performed regularly in Meany Hall,
conquering a very challenging repertoire. He is also conductor of
the Seattle Junior Symphony Orchestra.
Warren Chang has made it his mission to educate young
Chinese-American students in the traditions of Chinese music on
original Chinese instruments. He founded the Chinese Youth
Orchestra about 10 years ago and is the Music Director of both the
youth orchestra and an adult orchestra. He is also President of the
Chinese Arts and Music Association of Seattle, and one of the
best-known Erhu experts in the United States. Warren Chang's Erhu
music was included in the soundtrack of the Japanese movie, "The
Soong Sisters." Also, he was a performer in the recent Silk Road
Project. The Erhu is a traditional stringed instrument of
China.
Haiying Li is a violinist who was formerly director of
The Music School, affiliated with the Shanghai Conservatory of
Music. He received professional training as a soloist and chamber
music performer in both China and the United States. For the past
10 years in Seattle, he has been training young artists. The first
chair first violinists from both Garfield and Washington orchestras
are his students.
Zhenlun Li is a cellist who lives in the San Francisco
Bay area. He was the winner of a national cello competition in
China in 1988, among other awards, has served as principal cellist
with the Beijing Symphony and has taught at the Tianjin Music
Institute. He was principal cellist of the Federal Way Philharmonic
in 1993 and helped create a cultural exchange between Federal Way
and Beijing.
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