“Bach to the Future” at Presbyterian Church
Two young Berkeley Springs musicians, Alexander Marte (violin) and Walker Williams (oboe), will be the featured soloists in a Church-on-the-Hill concert on Sunday, August, 12, at 3 p.m. at the Berkeley Springs Presbyterian Church, 101 South Mercer Street.
The program, entitled “Bach to the Future,” honors these two talented area instrumentalists and others their age around the country who represent the future of classical music.
The program will be devoted entirely to the music of the great Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach.
Accompanying the soloists will be members of the Strings Chamber Ensemble: Kerry Jackson (cello), Mike Kligerman (viola), Patricia Springer (piano), Linda Whitesitt (violin) and Lydia Walker (organ).
Alexander Marte, a home-schooled ninth grader, has loved music since he was a baby. When he was eight, he began taking violin lessons with Dr. Linda Whitesitt, and two years later he started performing with the Springs Chamber Ensemble. A frequent soloist in area churches, Marte serves as concert master for the Berkeley County High School Orchestra.
He was winner of the 2010 George G. Rink memorial scholarship; a Forum for Arts, Sciences and Technologies (FAST) scholarship; and the Montgomery County (MD) Middle School Strings Competition.
He plans to major in medicine as well as violin performance, and his interests include tennis, kayaking, baseball and soccer.
Walker Williams is an eclectic young composer whose compositions range from choral works to musical theatre for both traditional and non-traditional small instrumental ensembles.
He was the 2011 winner of the George G. Rink memorial scholarship and has received several commissions from local performance groups in Berkeley Springs.
A freshman working on a music comprehensive BA in composition at Shepherd University, Williams studies composition under Drs. Mark Cook and Nathan Lincoln-DeCusatis and oboe under Dr. Greg Shook.
“Bach to the Future” is open to the public without charge. Donations will be accepted. For more information, call 304-258-0838.
