Six Gorham students will perform with the Portland Youth Ensembles, Portland’s outstanding regional youth music performance program, in their annual Spring instrumental concert at Merrill Auditorium in Portland. The concert is presented by the Osher School of Music at the University of Southern Maine.

The details of the concert are: Portland Youth Ensembles Spring Instrumental Concert, Monday, April 24 at 7 p.m., Merrill Auditorium, Portland; admission by donation is available online or at the door; open seating. Suggested donation is $10 general, $5 students, seniors, USM employees and alumni.

Performing with the Portland Youth Wind Ensemble conducted by William Kinne, director of bands at USM, are 11th graders, Gabriel Badeau, baritone saxophone; Dylan Bauer, trombone; and 8th grader, Rory Pigeon, percussion. Performing with the Portland Youth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Robert Lehmann, director of string studies and orchestral activities, is 10th grader, Raiyah Babinsky, violin. Performing with the Portland Youth Junior Orchestra conducted by Ferdinand Liva is 11th grader, Tristan Smith, violin. Performing with the Portland Young Peoples String Consort conducted by Hanna Flewelling is 9th grader, Rebecca Neumann, viola.

“The Portland Youth Ensembles concerts are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate a vibrant musical community made up of talented young musicians, an engaged university and thriving music programs in area schools,” says Alan Kaschub, director of the Osher School of Music.

“The energy of these performances comes from a dedicated group of students and fantastic conductors who love working with young musicians,” Kaschub continues. “Add into that an audience of parents, teachers and other supporters of youth music and something magical really happens!”

“Thanks to excellent grade-school, junior-high and high-school music teachers, private instructors and parental support, these students arrive at the Osher School of Music, well prepared to perform the challenging music that our conductors program,” Kaschub said.

Each week high and middle school students in the youth ensembles program travel from as far away as central Maine and eastern New Hampshire to rehearse at the Osher School of Music in Gorham in preparation for their concerts. It’s a commitment that these students and their parents make because of the high quality of musicianship that is expected of them — and they achieve.

For information about USM Youth Ensembles and the upcoming May auditions, go to: http://www.usm.maine.edu/osher-school-music/youth.

If you have questions about disability access or need to request disability accommodations (e.g. sign language interpreters, materials in electronic format, etc.), please contact the USM Music Box Office, (207) 780-5555, usmmusicboxoffice@maine.edu, TTY 711 (Maine Relay). Requests should be made as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for the accommodation process.