H.S. senior musicians to be honored at Scholarship Concert

High school seniors will be in the spotlight and all the area’s youth participants will have a chance to shine when the Springfield Youth Orchestras and Children’s Chorus take center stage.

The annual John Smarelli Scholarship Concert, 7 p.m. Monday, March 20, at the Clark State Performing Arts Center, will honor eight seniors in their final season in the program and showcase the hard work of young musicians from more than 30 schools and homeschools in a six-county area.

“This is a chance to give our seniors a last hurrah and gives us the opportunity to honor John Smarelli by giving a scholarship in his name to one of our seniors,” said Alek Peugh, Springfield Symphony Orchestra director of operations and education.

Performing will be the Springfield Youth Symphony, the Youth Chamber Orchestra and the Youth String Ensemble taking on selections by Handel, Brahms, Saint-Saens and others.

The Children’s Chorus will perform “How Can I Keep From Singing?,” “Hine ma Tov” and “Harmonia Mundi.”

This season’s Concerto Competition winner, Youth Symphony bassoonist Evan Duffey a Centerville High School senior, will also perform the first movement from Weber’s “Bassoon Concerto in F.”

Other seniors to be recognized include Aunya Stevens of Springfield High School; Alex Harter of Northwestern; Elizabeth Craft of Graham; Carolyn Russo of Legacy Christian Academy; Nathan Adkins of London High School; and homeschool students Elizabeth Dunkel and Adina Taylor.

The John Smarelli Scholarship will be awarded to one of the young musicians who plans to continue their music education in college. He was a longtime concert master and educator for generations of aspiring young area musicians.

“Just about anybody in Springfield involved with music was taught by Smarelli or was instructed or influenced by someone he taught,” said Peugh.

Contact this contributing writer at bturner004@woh.rr.com.


How to go

What: The John Smarelli Scholarship Concert

Where: Clark State Performing Arts Center, 300 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield

When: 7 p.m. Monday, March 20

Admission: $10 adults, $5 students and seniors

More info: 937-325-8100 or go to www.springfieldsym.org

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