VSO, Youth Musicians Collaborate for Spring Concert

VSO, Youth Musicians Collaborate for Spring Concert
By Caroline Stauffer

The Hampton Roads Chamber Players will perform alongside members of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra (VSO) and Chorus on Sunday, March 9, at Norfolk's Larchmont United Methodist Church beginning at 7:30 p.m. Peru native Jorge Aguirre is the director of this group of talented young musicians who come together from across Hampton Roads to study classical chamber music. Aguirre has played the violin with the VSO for 20 years. He left Peru at age 17 and lived in Mexico and Europe, where he met his wife Sherie, who is now an oboist with the VSO.

Giving back to communities in Latin America and fostering friendships between youth in Latin America and the Untied States is important to Aguirre. He recently took 20 young string musicians to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where they had the opportunity to play alongside Dominican children who rarely have the opportunity to study classical music. In July, Aguirre will collaborate with Latino classical music directors from all over the United States to bring a diverse group of 40 young musicians to his native Peru. He hopes to lead such a trip every year. "A lot of things can happen when classical music is played," Aguirre said. "Music is the universal language - it is not divided into Spanish and English."

In addition to their March 9 concert in Norfolk, the Hampton Roads Chamber Players will perform on Sunday, March 16, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Portsmouth at 7:30 p.m. Faure's "Requiem" is the concert's title piece. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students.

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