Swiss orchestra performs for students

FALLBROOK — Students from Potter Junior High and Fallbrook High School were recently treated to a special symphony performance by Lucerne Festival Strings of Switzerland. The internationally renowned orchestra regularly performs in European music centers and throughout the world, and the special student performances are provided by Fallbrook Music Society, made possible through a generous grant from Arlyne Ingold.

The 16-member string orchestra performed a Sunday afternoon concert at the Bob Burton Center for the Performing Arts to an enthusiastic audience and then remained in Fallbrook overnight to play a shorter version of the concert the next day for Fallbrook students. In the morning session, more than 1,100 students from Potter Junior High were treated to works by composers such as Haydn, Mozart, Stravinsky and Mendelssohn.

The orchestra was then transported to Live Oak Park for an American “brown bag” picnic lunch, sponsored by Sam Logan and Major Market. Following lunch, the superb Swiss musicians once again performed the classical concert for 400 students at Fallbrook High School.

Fallbrook Music Society (FMS) has a long and proud history of bringing the power of live orchestral music to thousands of Fallbrook students through its youth concert outreach program. Students hear a full symphony orchestra playing richly diverse styles of music, while learning about the elements of orchestral music and the instruments that perform it. Pre-concert information is provided to the teachers to help them prepare students for the performance. During the concert, the conductor engages the students with information about the music and instruments.

The program provides students a rare opportunity to hear a professional symphony orchestra at work and is designed to bring symphonic music to students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend a live classical music concert. For more information about this and other FMS youth music education programs, call FMS President Brenda Montiel at (760) 723-4669.