2008 Year in Review

Taylor Boyles Named Runner-Up With Clinton Symphony

Matthew Hulteen - Saxophone Soloist

Taylor Boyles

A young saxophonist has been selected to appear as soloist with the Clinton Symphony Orchestra in concert Saturday, April 12 at 8 p.m. in Vernon Cook Theater at Clinton High School. Matthew Hulteen, a junior at Sterling High School was chosen from the Symphony's annual Young Artist Auditions, open to high school musicians from throughout the Symphony's service area.

Matthew is the son of Ron and Rhonda Hulteen, and will perform the first movement of the Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra by American composer Paul Creston. As the 2008 honoree, he joins a long line of student musicians from the Symphony's 54-year history, many of whom have become music conductors, performers and teachers as well as successful professionals in other fields.

Both he and runner-up - Morrison High School senior tenor Taylor Boyles - will receive monetary awards from the Symphony in recognition of their achievements. The Young Artist performance with the Symphony is supported this year by a special grant from the U. S. Bank offices in Clinton and Sterling.

Hulteen has studied saxophone with Brandi Spreeman of Sterling since the third grade, but his introduction of music began much earlier. As his mother was completing a masters degree in music, 3-year-old Matthew had a great time with music flashcards and playing the piano. Now he participates in the school music program in Sterling and has won recognition in both piano and saxophone. He is also a high honor student at Sterling High School, an achievement he attributes to his music training.

Saturday's concert will open with a tribute to American composer Leroy Anderson, who was born 100 years ago and spent a lifetime writing miniature masterpieces for the Boston Pops Orchestra. The Symphony's trumpet section will be front and center for Anderson's "Bugler's Holiday," followed by "The Waltzing Cat" and "Blue Tango," featuring dancers from the Gateway Contermporary Ballet.

Following the Anderson tribute and the Young Artist performance, the Symphony's Music Director and Conductor Brian Dollinger has chosen the First Symphony by Robert Schumann, known as the "Spring Symphony," to complete the program. Saturday's concert ends the regular season for the orchestra, the first with Dollinger on the podium. Plans are already in progress to build on the successes of this season.

In honor of the student soloist, all students will be admitted free to this concert. Admission for adults is $12, with advance tickets and maps to the concert site available at England Music Center in Clinton, Fitzgerald Pharmacy in Morrison, and Grummert's Hardware in Sterling, as well as at the door the night of the concert.

Extensive program notes for the music and composers on this concert and a map to the venue can be found on the Symphony's website.

by  Editor, theCity1.com
April 10, 2008