Music Laboratory

The following release was written by sixth grade students from Broadway Middle School, who are participants in this year's residency of Music Laboratory, presented by the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes. Thank you for your consideration.

There will be a concert on May 13 at 10:45 am and on May 19 at 7:00 pm at Broadway Middle School. The concert will last for 30-45 minutes and will take place at the Broadway Middle School Auditorium, which is located at 1000 Broadway in Elmira, NY. The May 19th performance is free and open to the public. It is a string quartet concert called "The Four Stringateers" and is part of the Music Laboratory program, sponsored by the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes.

This concert was set up by the sixth grade teams at Broadway Middle School. The team names are the Manatees, the Spider Monkeys, and the Cheetahs. The Art, English, and Music teachers were very helpful in the process of producing this concert, which included all of the following important tasks: choosing the music, creating artwork, choosing the title, writing biographies of the musicians and composers, writing program notes, and writing the press release. More than three hundred sixth graders worked together to make this concert a success.

The concert features music of Antonio Vivaldi, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Scott Joplin, performed by violinists David Thurkins and Gary Chollet, violist Nancy Conley-Wheeler, and cellist Eric Johnson; all professional musicians from the Twin Tiers region.

The Composers
Antonio Vivaldi, better known as "The Red Priest," was born to a large family in 1678 and died in 1741. Vivaldi, who wrote for kings and monarchs, helped develop the Baroque Concerto and influenced Johann Sebastian Bach as well as many early symphony composers.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who lived from 1756 to 1791, started composing at age 5 and wrote more than 600 pieces during his life. His fascinating music continues to inspire composers, musicians, and music lovers to this day.

Scott Joplin, a talented and courageous African American composer, was born in Cave Springs, Texas in 1868 and began studying many instruments at an early age. In the late 1880s, Joplin worked at the Maple Leaf Rag Club and published his "Maple Leaf Rag" in 1899. Joplin worked very hard on an opera that was a box office failure, which led up to his death of a mental collapse in 1917.

The Performers
Eric Johnson got interested in music when he was five when his mom bought him recordings of Chopin. At age five, Johnson started playing piano at home. In fourth grade, he started playing in his school band and orchestra, eventually learning three other instruments. When he was older, he went to college and got a degree in acoustical engineering, studying the science of sound. His overall goal in life is to have fun.

Gary Chollet got interested in music when he first saw the NBC Orchestra on television. Although there were no other musicians in his family, he enrolled in Ithaca College, learned every instrument, and became a music teacher. His goal in life is to play music as long as he can.

Nancy Conley-Wheeler was born and raised in Liverpool, New York, and got her first and favorite instrument, a viola, at age 9. She is a very active and talented performer who teaches at Southside High School and formerly at Broadway Elementary and Middle Schools. She received degrees from Ithaca College and Binghamton University and is a positive influence to many young players.

David Thurkins, born in Latrobe, PA, received his first violin as a Christmas gift at age 5. In fourth grade, he started to learn the French Horn. As a child, he hated practicing because he had to practice two different instruments every day. He still has his first violin, which still has tear stains because he cried when he had to practice. His father inspired him to begin music and taught him lessons for many years. He hopes to one day move to Key West and continue playing music as long as he has the ability.

This concert is presented by the sixth-grade classes at Broadway Middle School and is made possible by Music Laboratory, a program of Corning- Elmira Musical Arts. Musicians performing are members of the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes. Proceeds for Music Laboratory are provided by The Community Foundation of the Elmira-Corning Area and the New York State Council on the Arts Local Capacity Building Program, which is administered locally by the ARTS of the Southern Finger Lakes.