WHAT'S NEW

Ms. Green-Hill performing at a master class in February, 2008.

BREAKING NEWS:

Randall Hiller elected President of the Board of Directors
Project STEP announces that Randall Hiller is the new President of the Board of Directors. Randy has served on the Project STEP Board since 1999 and participated in various committees including Executive, Finance, and Board Development. His background in music and mathematics suit the needs of Project STEP perfectly.

Randy says he plans to "refocus our efforts on the next 25 years. How can we bring all of our students to their full potential? How can we balance the pressure of our highly demanding program with the understanding, care and support that young children so critically need? How can we publicize our program more effectively so that everyone in and around Boston knows who we are and what we do? These are a few of the issues I would like to address during my tenure."

Randy is succeeding Margaret Williams-DeCelles , to whom Project STEP is most grateful for her exceptional wisdom, experience, knowledge of STEP and the BSO, and warmth, which helped STEP navigate some of its most exciting and most challenging times. Margaret completed two terms as President of the Board of Directors of Project STEP on June 30th, and we are very pleased that she will continue to serve on the Board of Directors.

Project STEP is very fortunate to have both members on the Board and is grateful for their continued passion and support of the program.

Tony Rymer places FIRST in the NESE competition, THIRD in the Sphinx Competition.
Tony Rymer, cello, placed THIRD at the national Sphinx Competition in Ann Arbor, Michigan last week, flying back Sunday night.  Monday night he competed in the New England String Ensemble competition, senior division, and won First Place.  There were twelve finalists competing in the Seniors Division on Monday night.  Cash prizes and performance opportunities accompany both awards. 

As First Place winner of the NESE competition Tony will perform the Haydn Cello Concerto in C major in two performances with the NESE, Frederico Cortese, conductor.  Concert information: 

Saturday, April 14 th at 8 p.m.,
Rogers Auditorium, North Andover, MA. 
Sunday, April 15 th at 3 p.m.,
Jordan Hall, New England Conservatory. 

See www.newenglandstringensemble.net for more information. As Third Place winner of the Sphinx Competition Tony's audition tape will be sent around to orchestras for performances over the next few years. It was his status with the Sphinx organization that secured performances in January with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. 

Tony studies cello with New England Conservatory faculty members Paul Katz and Laura Bluestein.

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STEP students perform at the Museum of Fine Arts
Project STEP students were invited by the Museum of Fine Arts to perform in December 2006 and January 2007 at special celebrations hosted by the museum. In December the String Chamber Orchestra performed in the stately Koch Portrait Gallery, a sumptuous setting for Christmas, Hanukkah, and classical works. The MFA opened its doors to thousands of visitors for a holiday celebration during which the STEP performance was one of the highlights.

Again in January, on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the MFA featured Project STEP students in two performances, at 11 a.m., and again at 2 p.m. Both performances featured solos. The program included Winter from Vivaldi's Four Seasons, with Mariana Green-Hill, who is a Project STEP alum, graduate of The Juilliard School, and currently teaching young string players in Project STEP. Tony Rymer, a senior this year, was also a featured soloist, playing the cello for the Haydn Concerto in C Major for Violoncello. (See news about Tony below.)

Jaime Laredo and Sharon Robinson offer master class
Acclaimed musicians Jaime Laredo and Sharon Robinson, members of the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio and soloists who perform throughout the world, gave a master class for Project STEP students in November 2006. Mr. Laredo and Ms. Robinson were generous with their time, listening to and working with three different performances by STEP students. At the conclusion of the first performance, a concertino played by nine-year-old Hanifah Bostic, Mr. Laredo and Ms. Robinson exclaimed that they were astonished by the spot-on intonation in such a young student. They then helped Hanifah with her bowing, both positioning her arm and the tilt of the bow. Next they heard a movement of the Schubert C major "cello" quintet, and worked vigorously with the students on color and phrasing. Finally Tony Rymer played three movements from the fifth Bach cello suite. Mr. Laredo and Ms. Robinson offered him suggestions on posture and positioning, and were highly complimentary of Tony's playing.

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