The SummerStrings! RockFest This Friday Night

With one official weekend left of the season, the SummerStrings! RockFest will rock the stage at North Shore High School in Glen Head on Friday, September 20 at 7:30 PM. The annual festival, which typically takes place at the end of July, was rescheduled this year because of a severe lightning storm that caused power outages and safety concerns at the high school. The rescheduled concert is a benefit for Hurricane Dorian relief.

“We were all disappointed to postpone our concert. However, we’ve just witnessed that storms cause far greater damage and destruction,” says Sea Cliff musician Matthew Schneider, who founded and runs the festival. “With this thought in mind, we’ve turned the concert into a benefit for Hurricane Dorian relief. We hope that the kids and teens playing in the concert will help spread the word and are empowered by making a difference in people’s lives.”

SummerStrings! RockFest kids and teens rehearse two evenings a week for five weeks in the summer. They explore several music styles, from fiddling and rock to blues and improvisation. This year’s concert includes music by Queen, U2, Toto and John Denver. The festival pairs kids with professional musicians.

“I love the collaborative nature of getting kids together with a professional rock band and professional string players all working together to present a truly entertaining and amazing show,” says Schneider.

The SummerStrings! RockFest concert starts at 7:30 PM in the North Shore High School auditorium. The school is located at 450 Glen Cove Avenue in Glen Head. Admission is free. Donations to the Red Cross Hurricane Dorian relief fund can be made at www.seacliffmusic.com/summerstringsrockfest. The Long Island Chapter of the American Red Cross plans to attend the concert.

For more information about the festival, visit www.seacliffmusic.com/summerstringsrockfest.