Gabriel Gordon Leads the Albuquerque Youth Symphony in Concert

The Albuquerque Youth Symphony, under the direction of Gabriel Gordon, will present its first concert of the season on Sunday, September 30, 2007 at 3:00 p.m. at Popejoy Hall on the UNM campus.

Gabriel Gordon was engaged this summer to serve as the fourth conductor of the AYS. Mr. Gordon is a graduate of the Performing Arts School in New York City. He has served as Music Director of the Greater Newark Youth Orchestra, The New Jersey State Youth Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra at Tower Hill, and was a founding member of the DaPonte String Quartet. Mr. Gordon is a violinist with the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, and is one of four finalists for the concertmaster position with the Santa Fe Symphony. "I am very excited to have my first performance with the orchestra as everyone sounds great!" stated Mr. Gordon. "The welcome I have received from the whole organization has been wonderful."

The concert will feature the first of three AYS Concerto winners. Christine Kreitinger will be the soloist in the first movement of the Violin Concerto in D Minor by Jean Sibelius. Christine is a senior at La Cueva High School, and studies privately with David Cole. She is the President of her school's Science Olympiad, and in addition to performing in her school orchestra, she plays the saxophone in the jazz band. Christine is the daughter of Timothy and Diane Krietinger.

Also on the AYS Program on September 30 are the brilliant Festive Overture by Dmitri Shostakovich, Pavane for a Dead Princess by Maurice Ravel and Symphony No. 8 in G Major by Antonín Dvorák. The concert is sponsored by Forgemaster Iron, Inc. and the City of Albuquerque Urban Enhancement Trust Fund.

Tickets for the Albuquerque Youth Symphony are $10.00 general admission, with the proceeds to benefit the Albuquerque Youth Symphony and their tour to Chicago in March, 2008. Tickets are being sold by members of the AYS or the UNM ticket office at 851-5050 and will be available at the door prior to the concert.

The Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program is a non-profit organization founded in 1955 to instill a lifelong passion for music in young people. We serve approximately 600 youth annually between the ages of 8 and 18 as they hone their musical and performance skills. For more information regarding the Albuquerque Youth Symphony, call (505) 875-1319 or see the AYS Program website at www.aysmusic.org.

Photo courtesy of Karl Winkler