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Play-a-Thon brings touch of class to The Pig

on 01/08/2008 6:07 PM

By Eric Litke
Sheboygan Press staff

It was grocery shopping with a touch of class.

Classical melodies floated from frozen foods to the produce section Saturday as the Sheboygan Area Youth Symphony's string ensemble took up residence between the checkout lines and the customer service counter at the north-side Piggly Wiggly.

Some 50 members of the group played in three-hour shifts from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. as part of a Play-a-Thon to raise funds for an upcoming musical festival held on a cruise through the Bahamas.

"It's going to be a wonderful opportunity," said Conductor Philip Scales. "What it does is build relationships between the kids. It makes the youth symphony — where kids come from several schools in the county — it makes them one school, one group. … The closer they can get to individuals, the more things we can do, because music comes from within."

Scales said 48 members of the symphony will board Carnival Cruise Lines' Carnival Sensation March 27 to 30 for a cruise during which they and other symphonies from across the United States will perform before a panel of judges. The trip will also include sightseeing on Nassau and a tour of the Kennedy Space Center.

Scales said this will be the first international trip for the symphony, which is made up of students from throughout Sheboygan County. It consists primarily of high school students, though musicians as young as sixth grade have passed the audition and joined the group.

"This is fantastic, stick with it," shopper Erika Heuel told the young musicians as she stopped her cart to listen in and contribute. Heuel, 73, of Cleveland, hadn't expected a dash of the arts with her detergent and pet supplies.

"Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life," she said, quoting author Berthold Auerbach. "Look at the face of this young lady … she's all excited about it."

That was 13-year-old Ellen Sonnenberg of Sheboygan Falls. The eighth-grader — already in her third year with the symphony — has been playing violin for eight years, missing only one day of practice over the last six years.

Sonnenberg, who practices about 90 minutes a day, said her 1 to 4 p.m. leg of the musical marathon was no problem.

"I'm not really tired," she said with a smile, proving it moments later by playing through a solo piece as the rest of the group rested.

Kim Meller, of Sheboygan, the mother of a 15-year-old bassoon player in the symphony who lent her talents on the violin Saturday, said the Play-a-Thon was a good challenge for the group. It played pieces from a 20-piece repertoire that included "My Favorite Things," "The Four Seasons" and "Danny Boy."

"It gets stronger with every piece and every time through it," Meller said. "It's a lot of fast thinking and they're doing a good job."

Sonnenberg said she is looking forward to the cruise since she had never been on one, and viola player Andy Bins said he is excited for the group to share its music with other musicians and audiences.

"People talk in different languages and have different traditions, but music is always the same, the notes are the same," said Bins, a 17-year-old Sheboygan South High School junior. "It's enjoyed by everyone in the world."

Each student must raise $500 for their portion of the cost, with the Play-a-Thon proceeds going to lower that total. The musicians are also selling homemade pizzas, which can be ordered by contacting Jessica Boor at the symphony office, (920) 452-1985. Contributions can also be mailed to Sheboygan Area Youth Symphony, 921 N. Eighth St., Suite 208, Sheboygan, WI 53081.

The symphony's next performance will be Sunday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m. at the Stefanie H. Weill center for the Performing Arts.