Young Musicians of Excellence to perform Sunday at Ross Ragland Theater (Brian Gailey)

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – The Ragland Classical Series is proud to present the 17th Annual Young Musicians of Excellence Recital on Sunday, April 15, at 2 p.m. on The Ross Ragland Theater mainstage. This showcase for young performers has become a spring tradition for lovers of classical music.

RRT executive director, Mark McCrary claims that this is one of his favorite performances at the Theater each year, “This not a free-for-all, high-school showcase,” he explains. “These performers are professional caliber and must go through an extensive vetting process in order to even be considered to perform in our show. These young artists are nothing short of inspiring.”

During the recital each student will perform a five minute solo piece. Immediately following the recital, all patrons and participants are invited to attend a reception in the lobby to meet and honor the musicians. Each musician receives a $50 stipend from The Ross Ragland Classical Series, which, for many of them, marks the first time they have been paid to perform.

This year’s participants include: Jeffery Bradbury, Timothy Chen, Sally Clark, Kenadee Dassel, Brian Ekstrom, Helen Harris, Luke Homfeldt, Daria Jones, Tatjana Luce, Maxwell McAtee, Nathan Panossian, Jessica Reed, Madalynn Rinhart and Brendan Walle. The students come from KU, Henley, Hosanna and Triad.

“One of the best parts about this program is the variety of performers,” says McCrary, “In a typical classical show it’s a violinist or a pianist but here we have a little bit of everything, not only is it fun for the kids but it’s a good change of course for the audience.”

Tickets for Young Musicians of Excellence are $15 before applicable fees with student, senior and military discounts available.

The 2017-18 performance season is sponsored by KLAD, Big 98.5, Sunny 107, The Eagle, Forward Vision Media, Herald and News, Oregon Arts Commission and the National Endowment of the Arts. This show is sponsored by Fred Meyer with co-sponsors Charles & Eileen Moresi and Jefferson Public Radio.

The Ross Ragland Theater’s mission is to provide high-quality performing arts and educational experiences that enhance community life in the Klamath Basin. The Ross Ragland Theater is located at 218 North 7th Street in Klamath Falls. Telephone 541-884-LIVE (5483) for ticket information and reservations or visit the theater’s website at www.rrtheater.org to purchase tickets online and learn more about the theater. The box office is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and two hours prior to show time the day of any weekend show.