String Orchestra

Student-Alumni Arts of Howard Community College will present its 2002 Student Fine Arts Celebration from today to Dec. 15. The festivities begin with a reception and an exhibit of student artwork from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the college's Art Gallery. The show runs through Dec. 12. Hellcab, a Student-Alumni Arts production, will run from Dec. 6 to Dec. 15 at Theatre Outback. The play follows a day in the life of a Chicago cabdriver a few days before Christmas. Tickets are $8 to $10. The production includes strong language and mature themes.

BSO for young peopleListen to music of diverse cultures and celebrate multicultural artists from around the state when David Lockington leads the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in the "Music for Youth" series at 11 a.m. Saturday. The program, designed for ages 7 to 12, will feature Joseph Ngwa, an African drummer; Kyoko Okamoto, a Japanese Koto player; Anna Menendez, a Spanish dancer; and string players from the Mount Royal String Orchestra. Children will hear music by Mendelssohn, Ravel, Bizet and more.

Posterity hasn't always tipped its cap respectfully in the direction of Antonio Vivaldi, the facile composer of the baroque era whose many works won him acclaim at the Austrian imperial court and in his native Italy.The great Igor Stravinsky once dismissed Vivaldi as "a dull fellow who could compose the same form over and so many times over."Our baroque-smitten record-buying public has overruled Stravinsky's curmudgeonly verdict.None of Vivaldi's 700-plus compositions is better loved than his pictorial set of four concertos for solo violin and string orchestra, "The Four Seasons."

St. Paul's Lutheran summer orchestra to start rehearsals St. Paul's Lutheran Church Summer String Orchestra will begin rehearsals for its 11th season from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. June 28 at the church, 308 Oak Manor Drive, Glen Burnie. This orchestra is for adults who play violin, cello or bass and wish to play music throughout the summer. Dedicated high school students are welcome. Rehearsals will be held weekly through Aug. 16, with a dress rehearsal at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 18. The concert will be at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 20. Information: 410-437-3581.

W. Matthew Beachy, 20, son of Bill and Carla Beachy of Ellicott City, conducted the Berklee College of Music Orchestra on May 5, performing his composition, "Andante," for the string orchestra.This was Mr. Beachy's debut as a conductor at the college in Boston.The string quartet also performed another one of his compositions, "Polytonic Reflection."Mr. Beachy is a film scoring and composition major and plays the violin in the orchestra and string quartet. He studied composition with Dr. Elam Sprenkle at Peabody Institute.

Victoria Hazel Perkins, who taught music in Baltimore County public schools for 31 years, died of colon cancer Friday at Gilchrist Center for Hospice Care. The Lutherville resident was 58. Born in Baltimore and raised in the Hamilton section, she was a 1966 graduate of Eastern High School and earned her bachelor's degree in cello and music education from the Peabody Conservatory in 1970. She later earned a master's degree in music education from what is now Towson University. Miss Perkins taught instrumental music and spent most of her career at what is now Catonsville Middle School until retiring in 2000 because of failing health.

Both were perfect 4.0 students for four years and ranked No. 1 in their class while taking rigorous academic schedules. And both were dominant in their chosen sports.She excelled in soccer, basketball and outdoor track, winning 12 varsity letters.As a distance runner following in his high-achieving brother's footsteps, he participated in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track for four years, setting statewide season-best times in all three sports his senior year.Howard's Camille Powell and Glenelg's Edward Hogan are The Baltimore Sun's Athletes of the Year for Howard County for the 1992-93 academic year.

Annapolis and San Diego share the distinction of being the sailing capitals of their respective coasts. This weekend, they'll be sharing a conductor as well. Donald Barra, the founding music director of the San Diego Chamber Orchestra, will be in town tomorrow and Saturday evenings to guest-conduct the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra in a program of Mozart, Haydn, Kodaly and Corigliano. A product of Eastern institutions like Columbia University and the Eastman and Juilliard Schools of Music, Barra has become quite a musical presence in San Diego.

Holiday musicHear talented young musicians create sweet holiday music Monday at the Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra's holiday concert at the Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts in Annapolis. Visitors will be treated to a free concert featuring the Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of CYSO music director David Ik-Sung Choo; the Repertory Orchestra, led by conductor Jason Love; and the String Orchestra with guest conductor Deborah Greitzer. The orchestra's new Flute Choir, made up of 11 advanced flute players, will perform under director Cynthia Rugolo.