YOUNG MUSICIANS SHOWCASE A Premiere Event Featuring Youth Talent and Accompanied by Professional Musicians, September 17th

The Riverside Opera Company and Richmond County Orchestra season is set to begin in October. As a prelude to the season is a Young Musicians Showcase features youth musicians accompanied by a professional musician. This premiere event is an opportunity to view these young musicians as they demonstrate the talent that makes them the winners of auditions held this summer . At this performance they will be presented with the Grandmaster Kim awards for young artists.

The Youth Musician Showcase is under the direction of Riverside Opera Company and Richmond County Orchestra's founder Maestro Alan Aurelia on Saturday, September 17, 7:30 p.m. at the Noble Maritime Collection 1000 Richmond Terrace, Bldg D Staten Island, New York. For information contact:

http:// http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2590150 call Riverside Opera Company at 718-876-7945. Tickets are: $15 in advance $20 at door. FREE for students and children.

Opening for the full orchestras are featured youth performers:

(First Prize winner) Lillian Fok, violinist will play Bruch violin concerto, Bach unaccompanied suite and preludium and allegro by Rachmaninoff-

· (Second Prize) Brian Moses, Pianist will play Debussy's 2 Arabesque, Mozart Turkish March, and Chopin fantasy impromptu.

· (Third Prize) Lara Ongan, singer will sing "The Lonely" and other Cristina Perry favorites.

· (Third Prize) Albert Cardone, pianist will perform The Crave and Big Foot Ham by Jelly Roll Morton

· (Honorable Mention) Laura Fan, flutist will play Bach suite in B minor and Mozart sonata.

Biographies of Youth Musicians

Lillian Fok, violinist, is a junior at Hunter College High School, where she plays in the senior string ensemble. She began studying violin with Sanchie Bobrow at the age of 8, and has since performed in countless concerts around the Staten Island community with the Mighty String Demons. Last year she performed solo in the Mid-Season Musicale presented by the Associated Music Teacher's League. She loves the connection with others and freedom of expression that music has afforded her.

Brian Moses has advanced rapidly in his piano lessons with Maestro Alan Aurelia since the age of 5. He has performed numerous classical piano solos in public at school and church events and with the Richmond County Orchestra, offering an engaging style and winning audience acclaim. Brian will be a freshman at Stuyvesant High School beginning in September.

Lara Ongan, a singer, is 10 years old. She has been attending Staten Island Conservatory of Music since September 2012. She attends Academy of St. Dorothy. Lara likes to sing, draw and play the flute. And, she is a brown belt in karate.

Albert Cardone, 15, an accomplished pianist, has performed at many area events beginning at age 6, including Beatles' Conventions, a fixture at Staten Island Yankee games for the last 9 seasons, playing The Star Bangled Banner and God Bless America, anthems that he has also presented for The Saint George Theatre, Time Warner Cable productions, Staten Island Zoo, fund raisers and a variety of local events

Laura Fan, a flutist, is 12 years old and attends Mark Twain I.S.239 for the Gifted and Talented. She started playing piano at the age of four switching to the flute at eight with Mrs. Georgette Lonesco at the Staten Island Music Conservatory. She has played in the band in her elementary school, as well as being in the music talent and band at Mark Twain. In her free time, she enjoys playing video games and reading. Laura dreams of inventing a machine that could get you out of bed whenever you're feeling lazy and being able to actually get everything on your to-do list done.

The Riverside Opera Company, turned 20 this year, is based on Staten Island in New York City. It performs fully and semi-staged productions with full orchestra conducted by Maestro Alan Aurelia, who has conducted in Italy as well as in the U.S. Its singers are winners of open public auditions, held in New York City.

The Richmond County Orchestra (RCO) was founded in 1998 by a group of Staten Island musicians. Joining together to establish an orchestra that could offer modestly priced concerts for audiences throughout the borough. Bringing a bit of Lincoln Center to Staten Island. Since its inception, the orchestra, employing over 275 musicians annually.