A unique youth music experience

The Littleton Youth Symphony, conducted by Rene Knetsch and Sarah Richardson, presents a Sampler Concert at 7:30 p.m., Monday, April 20 at First Presbyterian Church of Littleton, 1609 W. Littleton Blvd., Littleton, Colorado. Admission is free. A reception will follow. This concert offers samples of The Littleton Youth Symphony's unique music education programs which include coached quartets and improv clinicians. Students will present music selections performed by the Chamber Orchestra, the Training Orchestra, a student string quartet, and an improv jam session led by violinist Jeanine Teimeyer.

The program will include: Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Sweet Georgia Brown, a string quartet by Mozart and an improv session. This concert is a special opportunity for all interested string students to come hear our group. LYS coaches and conductors will be on hand to answer questions about the orchestra and provide information on our upcoming auditions for 2009-2010. LYS accepts elementary, middle, high school students of all levels and adult beginning string players. All interested string students are welcome to bring their instruments for an informal "play along."

LYS Artistic Director Sarah Richardson said, "This orchestra is unique because students get to play in coached string quartets, perform a side by side concert with professional musicians and experiment with improvisation. No other orchestra does that. The goal of our varied programs is to show students that music offers them limitless possibilities." Richardson is violist of the Hausmusik Quartet of Colorado Springs, a member of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic and is Principal Violist of the Colorado Chamber Orchestra and the Mercury Ensemble. Sarah has been a member of the Central City Opera Orchestra since 2001. Ms. Richardson also performs with the Colorado Symphony, the Colorado Ballet and Inside the Orchestra. In addition to her performing schedule, she maintains a private studio in Highlands Ranch.

Conductor René Knetsch received his master's degree in violin performance from Wichita State University in 1976 and has since made his living in music, as a performing violinist, teacher and conductor. Before moving to Denver in 1994, he was a violinist with several professional orchestras, including Oklahoma, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Birmingham. Currently, René is the principal 2nd violinist with the Central City Opera Orchestra and the conductor of the orchestra at Arapahoe Community College. He and his wife Lynne are the violinists of the Confluence String Quartet, a group which presents concerts throughout the state. René also maintains a private teaching studio of approximately 30 students.

Improv Clinician Jeanine Tiemeyer earned her Master of Music degree in violin performance and Suzuki pedagogy from The Cleveland Institute of Music, and her Master of Education degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Since moving to Colorado in July of 2005, Jeanine has been performing with various ensembles in Central Colorado as both a classical orchestral musician and tango violinist. She now serves as Program Administrator and violin teacher for Strings Attached, which provides group string classes to children in Englewood, CO. As both a performer and a teacher, she is committed to enriching lives through music

The Littleton Youth Symphony was founded in 2004 to offer a non-competitive educational and community service-minded program for music students. This unique youth orchestra offers a tremendous variety of music programs for string players including chamber orchestra, coached string quartets, training orchestra for beginning string students, annual Side by Side Concert with professional musicians, annual Improvisation Clinic and many opportunities for community service performance.

Call 303-800-4LYS or visit www.littletonyouthsymphony for more information. Please RSVP to the LYS office number if you'd like to participate in the "play along."