Friday, July 07, 2006

Music Festival Continues With Great Success

Your 'Blog writer has been too lax this week and apologizes to all of our loyal readers.
The Northern Lights Music Festival continues to enchant and entertain the folks in our communities. The faculty and students have provided six concerts already with six more to go. Some of us are already starting to remember from previous summers the "concert/culture withdrawal" we will soon be suffering when they leave. We must enjoy the concerts while they last and to continue to be enthralled by the young people who are bringing us all of these wonderful performances and to be grateful to Veda for wanting to host the Festival in her home town.
Meet Khristian Erich, age 15, who was born in Puerto Rico. He lives in Stamford, CT, and will be a sophomore at Iona Preparatory School in New Rochelle, NY. He participates in the Superior Talent Educational Program at school and is a member of the speech and debate team, the varsity tennis team, and the Music Ministry Group. He also sings with his church choir and volunteers at a senior citizen residence. His piano teacher is Mitsuko Ichimura. His recital circuit includes halls like the Greenwich Arts Center, Steinway Hall and Carnegie Hall. Last summer he performed in Budapest, Hungary. Khristian is participating for the second year at the Northern Lights Music Festival. In his spare time, he enjoys astronomy and reading mystery novels. After the Festival, he will be taking a course in neurophsychology at Brown University.
Khristian has performed in several of the concerts so far: Mozart's Sonata in C Major, K.330 onJuly 6th and Ravel's Sonatine on June 30th.

Meet Magadalena, age 15. She began her piano study at age five and flute study at age seven. She currently studies the flute with Loren Lind of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the piano with Veda Zuponcic. She is an accompanist at her church and also in various other churches and schools throughout New Jersey. She has received numerous honors in many areas and was accepted into the All South Jersey Junior High Bands on flute and piccolo for several years, and the Symphonic Band also. She ws invited to travel to Prague this summer to take part in an international music camp/festival. She is active in her high school orchestra and church. In addition to music, Magdalena enjoys quilting, writing, scrapbooking and spending time with her family.

Magdalena performed Franck's Sonata in A Major on July 2nd and was part of a trio that performed Beethoven's Trio in B flat Major, Op 11 on July 6th.


Meet Armine, age 23, who was born in Armenia, has studied and performed in Europe. She is currently in her fourth year of study at the Yerevan Conservatory. She performed Komitas Armenian Folk Dances at the concert on July 2nd.

Meet Wolfgang (Wolfie), age 9, and just finished third grade at Park Spanish Immersion School in Minneapolis. He stated playing piano at age 4 and cello at age 5. He has performed a soloist with the St. Paul Chamber orchestra. He was a semifinalist at the MN State Fair Talent Show in 2004. He enjoys sharing his music with audiences. He is a member of the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies. He has many other loves, including a twelve-year-old sister, a goldfish, camping, iPOD, soccer, tennis, books and gadgets. He loves to travel and loves to read the Sunday flyers!

Wolfie performed Gabriel Faure's Elegie at the concert onJuly 2nd.