IU's young violinists to play at 'Kids play for Kids' benefit at Carnegie Hall

Twelve young violinists from IU School of Music's Violin Virtuosi plan to grace New York City's Carnegie Hall with a benefit concert, "Kids play for Kids," June 18. The concert will raise money for the Harlem Public School Violin Program, Opus 118 Music Center, which has suffered this year because of the Sept. 11 backlash. \n"Opus 118 is largely supported with city money, and they lost their funding almost completely. So much of (it) went to the catastrophe, cleaning up and helping people," said Mimi Zweig, director of Violin Virtuosi.\nIn addition to fundraising, Violin Virtuosi is hoping to be an inspiration for young violinists in Harlem. Just kids themselves, the 12 pre-college teens will perform a farewell concert at IU before departing to NYC. The concert at IU will be June 14, at Auer Hall, and is open to the public, free of charge. \nAt the "Kids play for Kids" performance in NYC, donations will be accepted at the door.\nZweig said this performance is a standard concert that the group does. It includes pieces they perform as a group, and solos as well.\n"It (will be) more nerve racking. Carnegie Hall is of course a very famous place for performers," said one of the group's youngest members, Thomas Rodgers, 14.\nZweig admits that she gets nervous as well.\n"I am always concerned that I have prepared them to their best ability," Zweig said.\nThe oldest member of Violin Virtuosi, Lieslie Schoenberger, 18, lives in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. She has made the 600-mile trip to IU to practice with Violin Virtuosi almost every Saturday for the last eight years. She says her favorite performances with Violin Virtuosi have been the tours in France, which she has done twice. Schoenberger says her experience does not set her ahead of any other members.\n"Since I am so far away, I'm really not around but one day a week… And I am inspired by the younger players," Schoenberger said. "I am inspired by their playing. Everybody definitely holds their own." \nViolin Virtuosi is the top 12 violinists out of the 150 in the IU String Academy, which is also headed by Zweig. Violin Virtuosi has provided many opportunities for its members. They have toured France and have been part of a National Radio Program taping of "From the Top," and can be heard on www.stringpedagogy.com.\nViolin Virtuosi often performs at many different venues in the Midwest. This Friday, it will be playing at the University of Indianapolis, and on Sunday, they will be performing in Anderson.\nThis will be the first time the group has performed in New York. At the start of the year, they were planning a trip to Europe for this summer, but decided on NYC instead. They felt safer staying closer to home after the 9-11 attacks.\nZweig thinks it will be a great experience for the group to perform in New York. She plans on taking them to Ground Zero and various museums as well. \nOpus 118 received recognition in the movie "Music of the Heart," starring Meryl Streep. \nStreep plays Roberta Guaspari, the violin teacher who struggled against all odds to bring a string instrument program to Harlem public schools.\n"(The movie) shows the benefits of music lessons for these kids, for any kids, but especially these kids," Zweig said.\nYoung musicians from Opus 118 will be in the audience during Violin Virtuosi's "Kids play for Kids"