For Immediate Release: The Raritan Valley Symphonic Band, under the direction of Larry Markiewicz, will present its annual pops concert, featuring flutist Dr. Mary Ellen Guzzio. The concert will be held on Friday, June 16th at 8:00 p.m. in the Hillsborough High School auditorium. The school is located at 466 Raider Boulevard, Hillsborough, New Jersey. Additionally, the band will be performing an outdoor evening concert on June 23rd on the Somerville Borough Hall lawn.  Admission to both concerts are free and open to the public. 

 

Mary Ellen Guzzio will perform Mozart’s Flute Concerto in D Major, a vibrant and popular classic in the flute repertoire chosen, in part, to honor Mozart’s 250th birthday. Dr. Guzzio will also perform the Concertino for Flute and Piano (1910) by the prolific French composer Cécile Chaminade, an enchanting piece which combines  romantic and melodic passages with sections that are technically challenging.  Additional concert highlights include the “Cake Walk” movement of Robert Russell Bennett’s Suite of Old American Dances, a medley of tunes from George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, as well as Bugler’s Holiday by Leroy Anderson, which will feature the RVSB trumpet section.  The band will also play spirited marches, including Washington Greys March by Claudio Grafulla and The Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa.

 

Flutist Mary Ellen Guzzio is an Assistant Professor of Music at Rhode Island College where she teaches Flute, Chamber Music, Sight Singing, Woodwind Methods, and Music Appreciation. Dr. Guzzio currently performs with the Rhode Island Philharmonic, the Rhode Island Civic Chorale and Orchestra, the Festival Ballet Providence, and is principal flute of the Rhode Island Wind Orchestra.  She earned Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees from the University of Miami, and received her undergraduate training from the North Carolina School of the Arts (NCSA).  Internationally, Guzzio was the principal flutist of the North Carolina School of the Arts International Music Program Orchestra on their European tour. She was also the solo flutist with the University of Miami Chamber Orchestra's tour of Beijing and Shanghai, China. Other noteworthy performances include appearances in concert with Placido Domingo, Michael Bolton, and under legendary band conductor Frederick Fennell, and Mahler expert Gilbert Kaplan. Dr. Guzzio resides in New Jersey during the summer season.

The RVSB is under the direction of Larry Markiewicz, who is a Director of Bands at Bridgewater-Raritan High School in Bridgewater, New Jersey.  Additionally, he has been a guest conductor and clinician with many groups, including wind bands, student leadership seminars, and the top competitive drum and bugle corps worldwide. The RVSB is a 70-member adult symphonic band with its volunteer membership drawn from central New Jersey and the surrounding area. The band has a rich 22-year history and has become known for its tradition of bringing quality music to the community, frequently featuring some of New Jersey’s most talented soloists, and providing free and accessible music education outreach to the community.

 

The concert is made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and administered by the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission through the State/County Partnership Local Arts Program. The Band is sponsored by the Jointure for Community Adult Education and by contributions from local businesses, corporations, foundations and private citizens. For more information about the concert or master class, becoming a sponsor, to request assistance for persons with disabilities, or to inquire about joining the Band, consult the Band’s website at www.rvsb.org or call 908-359-3136.