Young Artists of America, a new organization based in Montgomery County, has big ambitions: “to provide talented young artists the rare opportunity to learn and perform major works for opera, musical theatre, and dance in concert with full orchestra, performing alongside professional artists.” Their inaugural concert is this Saturday, May 7th at 2pm in the Strathmore Music Center Lobby.
Guest artists are Jonathan Carney, concertmaster of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, tenor William Davenport, and soprano Jocelyn Thomas and Helen Hayes Award winning actress Eleasha Gamble. DCTS columnist Joel Markowitz will be the onstage host.
Among the area young artists featured are three Churchill High School students who Joel has recognized in his Theatre Schmooze column. Michael Mainwaring, who has been named twice as a ‘Scene Stealer’ for his performances of Lefou in Churchill’s production of Beauty and The Beast and for playing Jean Valjean in Les Misérables at Act Two @ Levine, will be a soloist.
Carley Rosefelt, also a two-time Scene Stealer will be singing in the ensemble. Carley’s Scene Stealing performances have been as Millie Dillmont inThoroughly Modern Millie and as Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun – both at Act Two @ Levine.
Composer and musical virtuoso, violinist Joshua Coyne, who has shared the stage with President Obama, and whose composition “Daydream” won him the NAACP Gold medal (see the video below), will be playing in the orchestra.
Tickets are $20 for adults/$5 for children. To reserve, call (240) 242-9850 or send an email to: [email protected].
The Music Center at Strathmore is located at 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD at the Grosvenor Metro on the Red Line. Directions are here.
The concert was awe-inspiring. We did not have a child in the orchestra/chorus, but happened upon the concert by chance. It is unbelievable that kids that age are able to produce such a professional sound! The student singers were also very talented. It was quite moving to hear opera coming from a young student’s vocal chords.
The two directors (the brothers) really brought the absolute best out of those kids, and the result was an extremely professional and moving concert. It is hard to believe that this was Young Artists of America’s first concert! I really look forward to future concerts by YAA. We will definitely be front row for the next one!
We attended this concert.
WOW
They are off to an amazing start!
What a fabulous program.
All involved are to be commended.