"Eyes of Youth" R. L. Halversen Young Artists Concert

OSU Young Soloist Concert to Include Miss SUU 

Miss SUU Lindsey Lopez, Alex Byers, Liahona Axelson, Benjamin Bradshaw and Miriam Wagstaff have been chosen through competitive audition to perform with the Orchestra of Southern Utah at the “Eyes of Youth” R.L. Halversen Young Artist Concert.  This concert, which concludes the OSU “Cinema Classics” season, is held Thursday, April 17 at 7:30 pm in the Cedar City Heritage Center, located at 105 North 100 East.

Lyric mezzo soprano Lopez is a Junior at SUU, studying opera under the direction of Carol Ann Modesitt. She dreams of singing on the stages of the Metropolitan Opera and La Scala one day soon. She would like to thank those who have given her this honor to sing with the Orchestra of Southern Utah and would also like to thank her Angel of Music and Grandfather, Morris Hodson, for never letting her give up on her dream.  Lopez sings the fiery Habanera from Bizet's opera Carmen.

Young composer Byers is a Senior Music Education Major at SUU. Although his emphasis is in Choral Education, he has performed and studied extensively in both instrumental and choral fields. He currently studies voice with Kevin Baker and is an active soloist in his community. Byers is also a composer studying under Keith Bradshaw.  The Orchestra performs his composition The Lord is My Shepherd under the direction of OSU Conductor and Music Director Xun Sun during the April 17 concert.  This is the first time OSU has included a composer by a young artist in their Halversen concert.

Axelson is a Senior at Cedar High School where she is a member of four bands and was in the All-State Band for two years. A member of OSU, Axelson has enjoyed participating in Color Country Winds, Cedar City Tuba Christmas, and pit orchestra for Cedar High School's Thoroughly Modern Millie, Cedar Valley Community Theatre's Annie and Hello Dolly, and Utah Shakespeare Festival Playmaker's Wizard of Oz. Axelson has been accepted into the United States Marine Corps Bands and enters boot camp this summer.  She performs Concert Etude by Alexander Goedicke on the euphonium. She is a Sterling Scholar for Cedar High.

Bradshaw is a student at SUU, studying Bassoon Performance and Pure Mathematics. He studies under Virginia Stitt  and graduates this May.  He has performed in Jazz, Pep, and Concert Bands as well as in orchestras at SUU and in the community, including as a soloist for the 2009 Halversen Concert and the Canyon Arts Festival. Bradshaw performs the popular Mozart Bassoon Concerto in B Flat Major.

Just turned 14 years old, Wagstaff is the youngest of this year’s honored young artists. She is Concertmaster with Lyceum Symphonic Strings in American Fork, where she also recently performed as a soloist. Miriam has fiddled at Western Legends, Life Under the Horseshoe live radio show, Lyceum Music Festival, and with her quartet at a Utah Symphony Lobbyfest. Last year Miriam was the Utah Oldtime Fiddlers State Champ in her age division. Wagstaff performs a lively Rondo from a classical era viola concerto by Stamitz, Concerto in D Major, Rondo.

Assistant conductors Adam Lambert and Carylee Zwang will be directing the concerto selections.  “We are excited to have these exceptional musicians involved in developing our orchestra,” said Emily Hepworth, OSU Manager.

Major sponsors for this concert are June Thorley and the Sterling and Shelli Gardner Foundation.  “Financial support makes it possible for us to keep ticket prices lower as well as perform in our beautiful Heritage Center.  We appreciate this support,” said Hepworth.

The Halversen Young Artist Concert is held Thursday, April 17 at 7:30 pm.  Doors open at 6:45.  Tickets may be purchased for $10 for adults, $5 for students (ages six and up), $30 for groups of six.  Tickets are available at the Cedar City Heritage Center Box Office by calling 435-865-2882 or online at http://www.heritagectr.org/. Purchasing tickets in advance is recommended.  

Children over the age of six are welcome at all the concerts with adult supervision.  OSU requests that babies and children less than six years old not attend as evening concerts are recorded.

For more information, please contact OSU Manager Emily Hepworth at (435) 233-8213.