WCCC orchestrates concerts for children and music workshop

Special to The Vindicator/Nick Mays

MUSIC STAFF: Members of the Women’s Committee for Children’s Concerts, from left, Carolyn Orsini, Judy Graziano, Carol Fithian, and Janet Vestal are among those arranging a series of concerts to be presented by the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra for area youngsters.

YOUNGSTOWN — Members of the Women’s Committee for Children’s Concerts, an affiliate of the Youngstown Symphony Society, are finalizing plans for several concerts to be presented by the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra for young people of the community and surrounding counties.

The first in the series will be “Symphony Under Construction,” which is scheduled for April 3 and 4 at Powers Auditorium in the DeYor Performing Arts Center. Featured at the performance will be Randall Fleisher, music director of the orchestra, and his wife, Heidi Joyce, who will serve as narrator.

On April 8, the orchestra, Fleisher and Joyce, will present a concert, titled “The Beat Goes on,” at Ford Recital Hall in the center. This is a special concert for youngsters in grades one through three.

Ford Recital Hall will also be the setting April 23, 24 and 25 for concerts performed for the Tiny Tots, a community outreach program, with the music concept demonstrated by Sally Williams and Jeff Bremer. Members also will go to preschools, nurseries and kindergartens to make the program available to Tiny Tots.

The Women’s Committee, in conjunction with the education committee of the symphony society, is also offering a music workshop in June, which will focus on the Young People’s Concerts in 2009. Fleisher, Joyce, and Dr. Stephen Aussman, professor of music at Youngstown State University, will serve as instructors, and those participating in the workshop can earn a graduate credit at YSU.