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Bravo’s free family concert set for Thursday in Vail

Special to the Daily/Zach Mahone
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VAIL – The Bravo Vail Valley Music Festival presents “Olympic Inspiration – Music of Goodwill and Friendship,” a free family concert with the National Repertory Orchestra and dancing by the Celebrate the Beat Dancers. Activities begin today at 10 a.m. at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail.

The National Repertory Orchestra (NRO) will entertain audiences with music of goodwill and friendship by John Williams, Bach, Elgar and Handel. Carl Topilow, the Orchestra’s director, will conduct the Orchestra’s 88 young musicians.

“The NRO is a fantastic orchestra made of the most promising aspiring orchestral musicians. We always love to hear their energy. This summer we are featuring two violinists, aged 10 and 12 – brother and sister, in fact, to play a movement of the Bach Double. For a family concert there is nothing better than hearing young people,” said Jacqueline Taylor, the Festival’s artistic administrator.



Twelve year-old Oliver Neubauer and 10-year-old Clara Neubauer will join the NRO in the day’s performance. The Neubauers both began playing the violin at the age of three and have traveled around the world sharing their talent. Oliver is also conducting the National Repertory Orchestra as Bravo’s young conductor this year.-

Clara and Oliver are the children of violist Paul Neubauer and violinist Kerry McDermott. Neubauer performs at the Big Music For Little Bands concerts and McDermott is a member of the New York Philharmonic and also the sister of Anne-Marie McDermott, Bravo’s artistic director.

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“I just love the family connection, especially for the Family Concert day,” said Meredith Richards, Bravo’s public relations and marketing director.-

The Celebrate the Beat Dancers from the Vail Valley Foundation will perform as well.

The NRO will open the program with John Williams’ “The Olympic Spirit.” Williams is one of America’s leading composers for music of important public occasions. Olympic Spirit was written for NBC Sports to celebrate the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.

The concert will continue with Bach’s Concerto in D Minor for Two Violins, Strings and Continuo, also known as the “Bach Double.” This is one of the most popular works in the instrumental literature and will present the audience with an intriguing dialogue of music between instruments.

The second half will feature the young Oliver Neubauer conducting an orchestral version of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah, and will conclude with iconic excerpts from composers Peck and Elgar.

Tickets are not required for today’s complimentary performance.

For a full Bravo festival schedule visit http://www.vailmusic.org or call 877-812-5700.


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