Young artist winner to perform in SEISO winter concert series

The Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Robert McConnell, will continue its 62nd season with a powerful and exciting winter concert series, with a guest appearance by SEISO?s Young Artist violinist Sarah McConnell.

In addition, there will be rich performances of Brahms? Symphony No. 4 in C minor, Overture to Anacreon by Cherubini and the beloved Canon in D by Pachelbel.

The first concert will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the St. John Auditorium on the Indian Hills Community College campus in Ottumwa.

Two additional performances will be given at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Capitol Theater in Burlington and at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in the Chapel Auditorium at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant.

The SEISO Winter Concert Series is sponsored by the Burlington Hawk Eye and KYOU Fox 15 TV.

SEISO is presenting violinist Sarah McConnell as first-place winner of the Marilyn Minford McCoid Young Artist Competition. A 16-year-old high school junior, she is the daughter of Bob McConnell and Julie Peshkin.

McConnell began studying violin with her cousin Gwen Ying using the Suzuki method when she was 2 months shy of her third birthday. She grew up playing at weddings, funerals and parties with her dad, mom and sister Jesse from the age of 5. She later studied at the Preucil School in Iowa City with Linda Judish. She also has studied with SEISO?s concertmaster Charlene King and Joe Kaminsky in St Louis. Her current teacher, Mike Chen, is a former member of the St. Louis Symphony and now plays with the Indianapolis Symphony. McConnell participated in SEISO youth string festivals starting in grade school and has played in the violin section for many SEISO concerts. She grew up knowing many of the musicians who will accompany her for the concerts.

She has been admitted to the Marrowstone Festival Orchestra the past two summers. Marrowstone is the summer home of the Seattle Youth Symphony, and the students practice about eight hours each day preparing orchestral and chamber literature.

As an eighth grader, McConnell served as co-principal violin of the All Suburban Middle School orchestra in the St. Louis area.

She will perform the first movement of Bruch?s Concerto for Violin No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26.

Admission to the winter concert series in Burlington, Ottumwa and Mount Pleasant is by season ticket or tickets at the door. Adult tickets are $15 and student tickets are $10. Children under 12 years of age are admitted free of charge. Seating is not reserved.

Those atteding can make the most of their concert experience by attending the ?Prelude.? Music director Robert McConnell will be on hand 45 minutes before performances in Burlington, Ottumwa and Mount Pleasant to talk about the music and the Orchestra?s young artist.