Young musicians take center stage during annual Youth Concert Series

JEFF MOSIER/VIEWTen-year-old violinist Emily Richardson of Bartlett Elementary School rehearses with the Las Vegas Philharmonic on Jan. 9 at Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall at UNLV. Emily was one of four student-musicians featured in the Youth Concert Series, which gives local fourth- and fifth-grade students the opportunity to attend performances for free. Advertisement

Four young musicians got the opportunity to play center stage in a packed concert hall with accompaniment by the Las Vegas Philharmonic during the 12^th annual Youth Concert Series.

The Youth Concert Series was Jan. 10-13 at the Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall at UNLV, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. It gave local fourth- and fifth-grade students from around the Las Vegas Valley the opportunity to attend performances for free.

Las Vegas Philharmonic Education Director Connie Beisner Warling said 10,640 students attended the concerts this year and more than 130,000 have attended since the program's inception in 1999.

Each of the four students who performed with the Las Vegas Philharmonic competed in the Young Artists' Competition that took place in November. Of about 25 students who auditioned, the four winners played two concerts on one day during the Youth Concert Series.

No golden tickets were necessary for these musicians, just years of practice.

The youngest of the group, 10-year-old Emily Richardson of Bartlett Elementary School, 1961 Wigwam Parkway, first picked up the violin when she was 3. Her mother, Natsuko Richardson, also is a violinist.

Emily said her mother, in typical mom fashion, was quite vocal about her excitement when she got the phone call that Emily would be playing with the Las Vegas Philharmonic.

"She came screaming on the phone," said Emily. "I didn't know what to think."

Emily said she was a little nervous about rehearsing with the Las Vegas Philharmonic but that the experience was "amazing."

Each student spent months rehearsing a solo piece to be able to audition.

Artem Aleksanyan, 15, said it took about three months of practice to memorize his piano concerto. In addition to attending Odyssey Charter School, 2251 S. Jones Blvd., he said he practices about six hours daily.

Marimba marvel Jesey Meche, 17, played the instrument for about two years at Las Vegas Academy, 315 S. Seventh St., before landing a solo in the Youth Concert Series.

He said it's not unusual to have 15-hour days that include school, lessons and rehearsals with the Las Vegas Youth Orchestra. Meche also will be playing percussion for his school's upcoming musical "Hairspray," which is scheduled to premiere on Feb. 10.

The oldest of the students, 18-year-old Jorge Maresch, attended Las Vegas Academy before he moved to Beckman High School in Irvine, Calif., about a year ago.

He grew up in Las Vegas and said he wanted to come back for the rare opportunity to be featured with the Las Vegas Philharmonic. It was his first time playing cello with orchestral accompaniment, he said.

His accomplishment is bittersweet, however, as his biggest fan wasn't there to see it.

Maresch lost his mother in a car crash on Sept. 8 as she was driving him to rehearsal.

That morning, he said, they were both excited about an upcoming competition as she pulled out of the driveway in their green Oldsmobile before being hit by a drunken driver.

His mother was supportive of his music and always drove him to lessons and rehearsals since he started playing in the sixth grade, he said.

For more information on the Las Vegas Philharmonic and a list of upcoming concerts, visit lvphil.com

Contact View education reporter Jeff Mosier at jmosier@viewnews.com or 224-5524.