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Classical Music Concert A benefit concert by youth for special-needs youth in Central Eurasia with Special Guest Artist Martin Berkofsky Sunday May 31st at 2 PM Gainesville United Methodist Church. Award winning young classical players will join their talents to raise funds for Possibilities Unlimited. This will aid in the construction of a residential Transition Home for special-needs youth in Central Eurasia. Photos and update on results coming soon!! |
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Members List:
Links Section
Honorary Chairman:
Doug Wead
Honorary Board Members:
Hugh Sung
Martin Berkofsky
David Hardy
Patrick Kavanaugh
Lisa Beth Lambert
Michael W. Wilder
Artistic Director and Founder:
Donna Tavani
Co-founder:
Stephen Tavani
Webmaster:
Tom Bohacek
CREEDEN PHOTOGRAPHY HOME PAGE PRINCE WILLIAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MARTIN BERKOFSKY STUDIO
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Award-Winning Classical Musicians Raise $10,185 to Help Special-Needs Eurasian YouthThe May 31st Benefit Concert for special needs youth in Central Eurasia was a spectacular success. Award-winning young classical musicians performed to a packed audience, who gave the performers a standing ovation. The generous offering totalled $10,185. Jewelry made by the orphans was sold as well, of which all the $2000 profit went towards this project. Photos of this event may be viewed at the Creeden Photography website link listed at left. Due to technical difficulties with our website, we are currently unable to post the photographs. The roster of talented soloists included violinists Nicholas Tavani, Stephen Tavani, Samantha Kline; and cellists Phillip Munck and Daniel Tavani. Also featured was the YOPW Woodwind Trio, with Youth Symphony Orchestra principal clarinet Caitlin Beare, principal oboe Emily Beare and principal flute Colleen James. Violinists Cory Rivera, Andrew Stump, Taylor and Emma Roberts participated in the performance of the Double Violin Concerto by J. S. Bach. Stonewall Jackson High School's choral director Wandelyn Boley, whose choirs have sung in such prestigious venues as the Vatican in Italy, brought her Concert Choir and Vocal Ensemble. Special guest artist Martin Berkofsky,a concert pianist and recording artist who has performed extensively throughout Europe, Turkey and Armenia, performed a Liszt showpiece to the delight of all attending.
Eurasian Special-Needs Youth at Transition Home Under Construction
Mike and Cindy Edson express their heartfelt thanks for the offering on behalf of the Transition Home. Funds donated were used to purchase and install the rest of the interior doors, and purchase and install more windows for the Transition Home. For background about the Transition Home, read on. Since the mid-90's, Christian humanitarian workers Mike and Cindy Edson's efforts have transformed a 400 bed special-needs orphanage in Central Eurasia. What was once described as a "place of death" became known as a "place of life." Sadly, however, at age 17, these youth are transferred to a Soviet-era institution where conditions are very grim. Mike and Cindy's government-approved 150,000 square foot Transition Home will provide better care, vocational training and a future for these youth. Now all they need is the $400,000 to complete it. If you or other individuals you know are interested in further contributing to this effort, please contact artistic director Donna Tavani through this website.
Nicholas Tavani Performs Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Prince William Symphony Orchestra Saturday, October 17th, 2009.
As winner of the Senior Division of the Prince William Symphony Concerto Competition, Nicholas Tavani will perform the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Prince William Symphony Orchestra in their opening concert of the 2009-2010 Season, on October 17th, 2009. For tickets and information, please visit the Prince William Symphony Orchestra at the website link listed on the left-hand bar. The PWSO website will soon be updated for the 2009-2010 season. Lauded by the Washington Post for his "brilliant musicianship," violinist Nicholas Tavani debuted in Washington, D.C.’s Gaston Hall at the age of eight. Since then, he has performed extensively in the D.C. area and around the world, including at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Constitution Hall, Strathmore Hall, the State Department, and the National Gallery of Art, given concerts in London, Germany, Italy, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Denver, Austin, and Albuquerque, and toured Bolivia, Peru, Austria, and Hungary. Performances with orchestra include the National Symphony Orchestra, Prince William Symphony, Little River Symphony, Masterworks Festival Orchestra, and many others. Nicholas is an alumnus of the Encore School for Strings, the New York String Orchestra Seminar, and the MasterWorks Festival. He is laureate of several major competitions, including the Kingsville International Competition for Strings and the Postacchini International Violin Competition and finalist in the Fischoff International Chamber Music Competition. As 1st violinist in the Aeolus String Quartet, he and his quartet were awarded the string prize in the 2009 Coleman International Chamber Music Competition. Nicholas is a May, 2009 graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with William Preucil, concert master of the Cleveland Orchestra. He will pursue graduate studies in chamber music this fall at the University of Texas with the Aeolus Quartet, for which they have received a fellowship grant. Currently, the Aelous Quartet is studying with a fellowship grant at the Aspen Music Festival. They will compete as finalists at the Trondheim International Chamber Music Festival this September in Norway.
We are pleased to announce that international concert pianist Martin Berkofsky, special guest artist for the May 31st concert, has limited openings in his private teaching studio for summer and fall. In addition to his extensive performances throughout Europe, Turkey and Armenia, Mr. Berkofsky has also maintained a private teaching studio in Casanova, VA, and taught master classes both in the United States and around the world. His gifts as a teacher are remarkable and versatile, having trained and inspired students from the youngest beginner to the most advanced college level, both here and in master classes abroad. Contact: berkofskymusic@peoplepc.com, or at the website link listed on the left-hand bar. As a performer, Mr. Berkofsky is best known for his interpretations of music by Franz Liszt and Alan Hovhanness. Since recovering from a serious motorcycle accident which took place in Iceland in 1982, Berkofsky has donated proceeds from his performances to various charitable causes. He later founded the Cristofori Foundation to facilitate this purpose. To celebrate his 60th birthday and his successful recovery from cancer, Berkofsky embarked on a marathon concert tour, "Celebrate Life Run," running 880 miles across America's heartland , raising over US$80,000 for cancer research. Recently, his memorial run and concert raised funds for erection of a memorial to Alan Hovhannes in Hovhannes' home town of Arlington, Massachusetts.
Stephen Tavani (top photo) is the 2009 Winner of the U.S. Army Band Young Soloist Competition, 2008 and 2009 National Symphony Orchestra Young Soloist Competition finalist, winner of the 2008 Friday Morning Music Club Soloist Competition, 2008 Fairfax Symphony Orchestra Feuer Memorial String Competition, 2007 Prince William Symphony Young Artist Competition and 2007 Virginia Lions Club Bland Scholarship Competition. He has performed on the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall and Constitution Hall stages, and as a soloist with the Prince William Symphony Orchestra, PWSO Chamber Musicians, and will perform on May 3rd as a soloist with the US Army Band Orchestra. As 2-time winner of the National Fine Arts Festival string solo category of the Assemblies of God, he has performed his original hymn arrangements at the Orlando Convention Center and the Indianapolis RCA Dome. He is the Concert Master for the Youth Symphony Orchestra of the YOPW, and 1st violinist in the Prince William Symphony. He currently studies with Aaron Rosand, of the Curtis Institute of Music. He is currently attending Aspen Music Festival, in Aspen, Colorado. In July and August, he will study at Summit Music Festival in New York State.
To Receive Future E-Mail Newsletters please go to the "contact us" box at the bottom right of this web page. Fill in your contact information, and check the box under your name.
DVD’s: Please contact Youth to Youth Concerts at the "contact us" box at the bottom right of this web page, indicating the number of DVD’s you are requesting. The estimated cost will be $10 plus shipping and handling. Please do not send any funds at this time, and thank you in advance for your prompt response. Once we have received the minimum number of orders necessary to fund production, we will contact you regarding payment.
Photographs: Due to technical difficulties on our website, we are currently unable to post photographs of the May 31st benefit concert. You may view or order photos at the Creeden Photography website link listed on the left-hand bar. Go to Online Ordering and click on the event "Save the Orphans Benefit Concert." Please e-mail the photographer Christina Creeden with any questions, at christina@creedenphotography.com
Honorary Chairman and Board Members
Honorary Chairman Doug Wead is a presidential historian and New York Times bestselling author. He has been an advisor to two presidents and served on the White House senior staff to President George H. W. Bush. Honorary Board Members include David Hardy, Principal Cello, National Symphony Orchestra; Hugh Sung , concert pianist and faculty, Curtis Institute of Music; Lisa Beth Lambert, 1st violin, Philadelphia Orchestra; Martin Berkofsky, concert pianist, American Director Alan Hovhannes Museum, Armenia; Michael D. Wilder, Dean, Conservatory of Music, Arts and Communication, Wheaton; Patrick Kavanaugh, Artistic Director, Masterworks Festival.
