A labor of love for the Southwest Friends of the VSO is Student Insiders. Back for an encore run, Student Insiders encourages Rutland area middle and high school students to sign up for no-cost tickets to the March 19, 2017 concert, at the Paramount Theater in Rutland. Students and a parent or guardian will receive tickets to the Sunday performance.
These special tickets are made possible by the hard-working volunteers in the Southwest Friends of the VSO and many local businesses and community members in the Rutland region. To date, several schools are participating – including more than 40 students from Arlington – and more tickets are available. “We have amazing good fortune to have this caliber of orchestra in Vermont,” says volunteer Pat Mandeville who serves on the VSO Southwest Friends Board, “We hope that this opportunity will open the door for young people to connect with the VSO and find a truly wonderful musical experience.”
In addition to special student tickets for the matinee, VSO musicians will showcase their instruments in a “Musical Petting Zoo.” Before the concert, students of all ages can have an up-close view of a bassoon and violin and meet the musicians who they will later see in the performance. These musicians will be in the Paramount lobby before the 3 pm matinee performance on March 19th.
Both Student Insiders and Musical Petting Zoo are part of the VSO’s wider initiative, SymphonyKids. “We are an institution devoted to serving Vermonters through music, and that includes connecting with students of all ages, removing barriers to entry, and bolstering the work of music educators throughout the state.” explains VSO Executive Director Benjamin Cadwallader. “During the school year, our SymphonyKids ensembles will perform for more than 26,000 students at 175 schools in 141 towns across the state. We are proud to grow SymphonyKids in southwest Vermont to include opportunities with the entire orchestra, thanks to our regional volunteers and the generous support of local businesses.”
The Southwest Friends of the VSO and all of the students who enjoy the Sunday Matinee on March 19th, thank the following sponsors for their support to make this opportunity a reality:
20 seats
Fra & Carol Devine
Pat and Ted Mandeville
Barry Ross
Victoria & Robert Young
10 seats
About Face Orthodontics
Barbara Densmore
Judith Irven/Dick Conrad /Outdoor Spaces
Jina Kohlhepp
Betty Gaechter
4 seats
George Lyons
Nancy & Carl Hagge
Brigid Sullivan & David Hoeh
Roger and Carolyn Baker
Jeanne & Lee Nemlich
Dr David & Jill Hassebroek
Natalie Aborn
Pam Myers & Ruth Dickey
Roberta Fillioe
2 seats
Jean Hinson
Wilbur & Lauren
Dr Michael & Susan Dick
Dorothy Finnerty & Ron Unterman
Check back on this blog for an update after March 19th!