Raritan Valley Symphonic Band
Fall Concert
Sunday, November 18, 2007
With Tuba Soloist Frank Ortega
The Raritan Valley Symphonic Band, under the direction of Larry Markiewicz, will present its fall concert entitled "Autumn Moods" featuring tuba soloist Frank Ortega. The concert will be held on Sunday, November 18th at 3:00 p.m. in the Hillsborough High School auditorium. The school is located at 466 Raider Boulevard, Hillsborough, New Jersey. Admission to the concert is free.
The band will perform two pieces featuring tuba soloist Frank Ortega: Horn Concerto No. 1 by Richard Strauss, a lyrical concerto originally written as a French horn solo, and Czardas by Vittorio Monti, originally written as a violin solo. Other concert highlights include Italian in Algiers, by Gioachino Rossini; Broadway Showstoppers, a collection of broadway show tunes; as well as spirited marches, including The Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa. The Band will also celebrate the season with favorites such as Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride, and a medley of holiday tunes.
Frank Ortega is an accomplished tubist, well known as a performer and educator throughout New York City and the metropolitan area for many years. He is currently principal tuba and soloist with the Chelsea Symphony. He performs regularly with the Waters Edge Brass Quintet, and is the Band Director at Saddle Brook High School. Mr. Ortega earned his Bachelor of Music from the Manhattan School of Music and his Master of Music from the San Franciso Conservatory of Music. He earned his teaching credential at Rutgers University and has taught at the Potrero Hill Middle School of the Arts in San Francisco, the Fort Lee Elementary and High School band programs, and has been a tuba instructor at the New York Summer Music Festival in Oneonta, New York.
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 60-member adult symphonic band with its volunteer membership drawn from central New Jersey and the surrounding area. The band is currently celebrating its 25th year 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.
Directions to Hillsborough High School: Amwell Road intersects US Route 206 approx. 6 miles south of Somerville, NJ. From Route 206, proceed west on Amwell Road to the second traffic light. Turn left on Raider Boulevard and pass in front of the high school into the parking lot to the left of the building.