"Partnerships in Education" Returns to Select Westchester School Districts

The school districts of Bronxville, Ossining and Sleepy Hollow are the 2015 recipients of the “Partnerships in Education” awards, given annually by Friends of Music Concerts, Inc.

Students in these districts will have the opportunity to listen and learn from excellent young string quartets: the Amphion String Quartet in Bronxville on Monday, February 2, and the PUBLIQuartet in Ossining on Tuesday, February 24, and Sleepy Hollow on Tuesday, April 9. The professional musicians will give lecture/demonstrations for the music students and then will conduct master classes for high school string ensembles.

Violinists Katie Hyun and David Southorn, violist Wei-Yang Andy Lin, and cellist Mihai Marica first performed together at the Yale School of Music in February, 2009. The overwhelmingly positive reception they received inspired them to pursue a career as the Amphion String Quartet. The group was selected by Chamber Music Society at Lincoln Center to join its “prestigious CMS 2” roster starting with the 2013-14 season and are 2011 Concert Artists Guild prize winners. www.amphionquartet.com

Formed in Spring 2010, PUBLIQuartet aims to present the contemporary voices of New York City with a focus on newly composed works by New York City’s emerging as well as established composers. They were selected as the New Music/New Places Fellow and awarded the Sylvia Ann Hewlett Adventurous Artist Prize at the 2013 Concert Artists Guild Competition, presenting compositions by today’s emerging composers as well as original compositions/improvisations developed by PUBLIQuartet. They have performed in a variety of venues from Lincoln Center and 92Y Tribeca to cafes and community spaces and have been presented by such organizations as The American Composers Orchestra, Queens College New Music Collective, Music of Now Marathon at Symphony Space, Hobart William Smith Colleges, Fordham University in Lincoln Center, and the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra. www.publiquartet.com

“Friends of Music considers the Partnerships program an integral part of our mission; namely, furthering the development of future classical music lovers through educational outreach,” said Rosella Ranno, Education Chair for Friends of Music. “It is intended to enrich the already robust music programs in Westchester schools by allowing for performances and workshops with world-renowned young performing artists.”

All public school districts in Westchester are invited each year to apply for this “Partnerships in Education” program, which is intended to supplement the music education their students already receive. From the applications received, districts are selected for residencies by professional ensembles, at no cost to the school district.

Annabel Ibanez, Ossining High School orchestra teacher said, “This program will be beneficial to my students because it will allow direct contact with professional musicians beyond their teacher, who they work with daily. The novelty of working with professionals fortifies lessons learned in class and provides a model of inspiration as the performers are presenting a cohesive work of musical art to the students. These experiences create bridges for our students to the larger musical community.”

A non-profit, volunteer organization that has been bringing world-class chamber music to Westchester County audiences of adults and young people since 1954, Friends of Music Concerts also presents both world renowned artists and rising star musicians in an annual six-concert subscription series.

Three concerts are coming up this spring; Modigliani Quartet will perform at Briarcliff Manor High School, April 18 at 8pm; American Brass Quintet will perform on May 2 and Juilliard Baroque will perform on May 16 at Kusel Auditorium at Sleepy Hollow High School at 8 pm. Single adult tickets are $30 for adults and students are admitted free of charge.

More information about Friends of Music Concerts, Inc. and the “Partnerships in Education” program may be obtained at www.friendsofmusicconcerts.org or by calling 914-861-5080.