December 9, 2018 – Renee Long, violin & Ben Nylander, keyboard

Date:  December 9, 2018

Time: 6:00 pm

Place: All Saints Episcopal Church

           129 North Market Street

           Selinsgrove, PA 17870

Musicians:

Renee Long is a sophomore at Selinsgrove Area High School and began her violin studies at age four with Dr. Jennifer Sacher Wiley.  She has played with many orchestras throughout her youth, including the Susquehanna Strings, the Harrisburg Junior Youth Strings, and the Williamsport Symphony Junior Strings, where she held the concertmaster post for one season.  For the past three summers, she has played with the New England Music Camp Symphony Orchestra, where she was co-concertmaster for the 2018 session two orchestras.

Recently she has been invited to play with both the Harrisburg Choral Society and the Susquehanna Valley Chorale Orchestras.  She is currently a member of both the Williamsport Symphony Youth and the Susquehanna University Orchestras.  Renee has played many solo recitals throughout her life and has been a featured violin soloist with the Williamsport Junior Strings Orchestra and the Selinsgrove Area High School Honors’ Choir.  She has won two named merit scholarships to the New England Music Camp and was accepted into the camp’s intensive chamber music program.  This past summer she auditioned for and performed on three camp Honors’ recitals.  As a freshman, Renee was accepted into the PMEA District Eight Orchestra.

In addition to playing the violin, Renee also studied dance for eight years, dancing the role of “Clara” in the 2016 Williamsport Civic Ballet’s performance of “The Nutcracker”.  At school, Renee is a distinguished honor roll student, a member of the National Honor Society, debate team, French club, Grove Gazette, spring musical, and mixed chorus.

Ben Nylander is a Senior studying Piano Performance at Susquehanna University.  He plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Music Composition after he graduates in May. Ben has given solo recitals, accompanied vocal and instrumental soloists, played in musical pit orchestras, and performed with choirs, symphonic bands, and orchestras. He also plays for church services, teaches piano lessons, works in a daycare, and babysits. When he isn’t practicing, performing, or writing music, Ben spends his free time watching horror movies, eating pumpkin pie (not just in the fall), and taking care of his plants and pet snake.

Music Selections:

Sarabande and Allemanda from Partita No. 2 in D minor
J.S. Bach

In the Bleak Midwinter
G. Holst

Allegro from Concerto No. 3 in G
W.A. Mozart

Adagio from Concerto No. 3 in G
W.A. Mozart

Ave Maria: Meditation on the 1st Prelude of J.S. Bach
J.S. Bach/C. Gounod