Released on: April 24, 2008, 8:58 am

Press Release Author: Amy Kench/New England String Ensemble

Industry: Non Profit

Press Release Summary: New England String Ensemble's Spring Benefit and Auction
celebrating 15-Years of Support for String

Press Release Body: New England String Ensemble, a non-profit professional orchestra
dedicated to performance and education, is hosting "Weill On The Way", a benefit
celebration to support the orchestra's upcoming 15th season and K-12 educational
programs. The event will feature cabaret-style music performed by Soprano, Ute
Gfrerer, Hors d'oeuvres, a buffet dinner and a live and silent auction. An auction
coinciding with the event will include international travel destination, exotic
vacations, fine art, concert tickets and much more.
Ute Gfrerer, the Austrian soprano now living in the Boston area just returned from a
concert tour in Germany where she performed The Seven Deadly Sins by Kurt Weill. Of
her performance Peter Bilsing of \"der Opernfreund\" magazine wrote\" this allround
talent, is well on her way to be one of the best Weill Interpreters of the world.
She enchanted her audience on a Broadway level! We are looking forward to hearing
more from her soon, so - remember this name!\"
\"I\'m often asked whether we\'re more proud of our great musicians, such as
concertmaster Gregory Vitale and principal cello Joshua Gordon, or our work in
string education,\" says executive director and co-founder Peter Stickel. \"Each has
its own reason for being: we\'re told our concerts are powerful and sometimes
transformative; in the schools we have a specific objective to give string students
a boost at various levels of study and we reach approximately 5,000 students each
year. It\'s a great feeling to know that you can make a difference in so many lives.
But neither side of our mission can survive by ticket sales alone.\"

Proceeds from the event, which will be held May 15, 2008 on Beacon Hill, will help
NESE continue in its mission to "Engage, Educate and Inspire with Passionate
Performances and Innovative Community Programs." Each year the orchestra holds Youth
String and Flute Competitions with the first place winners performing as soloists
with NESE in concert. The orchestra supports music in the schools with "String
Fever" an interactive program at the elementary level, the "New England Musical
Heritage Initiative" weaving together history and music at the high school level,
and "Genius of Youth", a collaboration among music, drama and art for middle
students. Detailed information on NESE's educational offerings can be found at
http://www.newenglandstringensemble.org.

In addition to competitions and in-school programs, the orchestra offers discounted
tickets to students through the "Kids to Concerts" program sponsored in part by the
Harpley Foundation, Sharon Gewirtz "Kids to Concerts" fund, Stevens Foundation, and
the Harvard Musical Association. Each concert is prefaced by a "Conversation with
Cortese", an interactive discussion led by Music Director Federico Cortese, about
the pieces and composers. Programs are designed to include a mix of \"classical\"
periods & languages, usually including a string favorite that is attractive to young
people and less experienced listeners. After the concert students are invited to
meet the players and featured artists at a free reception.

The auction running in conjunction with the benefit is open for bidding on cmarkets
with several items including a Two-night Luxury Garden Suite stay at the Taj Boston,
a piece of Anders Zorn artwork, a Bose Wave Music System and much more with items
added daily, the bidding is now open at
http://www.cmarket.com/auction/AuctionHome.action?vhost=NESEgalaauction.

To order tickets to the event or for more information about New England String
Ensemble's educational programs please call 781-224-1117 or visit
www.newenglandstringensemble.org.


Web Site: http://www.newenglandstringensemble.org

Contact Details: Amy Kench
PO Box 2012
Wakefield, MA 01880
781-224-1117
akench@newenglandstringensemble.org