Skylands Youth Symphony Winter Concert set for Jan. 15

Vernon - The Skylands Youth Symphony will begin its 2006 performing season with its eighth annual Winter Concert starting at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 15, at the Church of St. Jude the Apostle in Hardyston. Tickets are $10 for adults; $8 for students and seniors. Children under 10 are free. Tickets will be available at the door. If inclement weather forces a postponement, the concert will be rescheduled for Sunday, Jan. 22. The young musicians will perform a repertoire of traditional folk songs and classics by Vivaldi, interspersed with modern works by Engelbert Humperdinck and Mark Williams. The group’s chamber ensemble performance will include classical pieces by Vivaldi and Bartok along with a variety of contemporary works. The Church of St. Jude the Apostle is located on Beaver Run Rd. in Hardyston. For concert information, call 973-875-2560. The symphony and chamber are directed by Keely Gould, who is entering her fourth season with the Skylands Youth Symphony. A graduate of the College of St. Rose, Gould earned a master’s degree in music education from Central Connecticut State University. She has performed with the Orange County Music Educators Orchestra, the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra and numerous freelance groups. She is also a private violin teacher and music educator in Warwick, N.Y. Gould is a recent recipient of the distinguished music teacher award from Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. The Skylands Youth Symphony is made up of musicians from age nine to 18 years. The group is open to young musicians in Sussex County and Orange County, N.Y. To be eligible to join, one must have studied music for at least two years on their instrument, must be able to read music, and must audition. In addition to performing concerts, the group offers music theory classes, music workshops, symphony trips and scholarships. The non-profit corporation was organized in the spring of 1997 and is dedicated to providing “a forum for young musicians, primarily but not exclusively strings, to learn and perform a classical string orchestra repertoire in a supportive and musically competent environment.” The Skylands Youth Symphony holds rehearsals at the Glen Meadow Middle School in Vernon at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday evenings. For information, call 973-875-2560.