Dear Red Oak Friends, We are excited to invite you to our 2010 Benefit Concert! Wednesday, June 2nd ~ 7:30 pm Immanuel Lutheran Church, 867 North Pleasant St, Amherst Donations Welcome This year UMass Amherst Faculty Member Elizabeth Chang, violin, will lead a performance of Mendelssohn's Octet (for 4 violins, 2 violas, and 2 cellos). She'll be joined by Red Oak Strings faculty member and co-founder Benjamin Van Vliet, violin, as well as Alicia Casey and Michelle Painter, violin, Hannah van der Swaagh and Eve Boltax, viola, and Elizabeth Benoit-Crew and Nicole Fizznoglia, cello. This is truly a special opportunity to hear a riveting piece of music performed live and to help Red Oak Strings continue to provide need-based scholarships making music education accessible to all! We are so grateful to Prof. Chang for donating her time to this effort. In case you're not familiar with Mendelssohn's Octet, here's a little preview: Felix Mendelssohn wrote his Octet (for double string quartet) in 1825 when he was 16 years old. The music is brimming with the exuberance of youth and moves from sheer joy to the anguish, melancholy and playfulness of a young person seeing and feeling for the first time. Mendelssohn considered the work to be one of finest pieces he ever wrote in his short 38 year life. Looking forward to seeing you, Ben, Carolyn, and Jen   about us | program | applications | contact us | sponsors