ORCHESTRA LONDON TO PLAY BENEFIT CONCERT FOR TSUNAMI VICTIMS

LONDON � Orchestra London will play a benefit concert to raise funds for the relief effort in South East Asia this Sunday, January 9 at 2:30 PM in Centennial Hall. Admission is free with all donations going to the Canadian Red Cross South East Asia Earthquake and Tidal Wave Relief Fund. Every dollar raised will be matched by the federal government.

�Members of the orchestra were looking for a way to help,� says Orchestra London executive director, Rob Gloor. �Although it is a small gesture given the scale of the tragedy, music does have a healing quality to it. This is a way for us to raise some money and to bring the community together to help the victims of the tsunami.�

Maestro Timothy Vernon is making a special trip to London to conduct the concert, which will feature mezzo-soprano Anita Krause, baritone John Avey as well as Orchestra London oboist Ian Franklin, clarinetist Michele Verheul, violist Kelvin Enns and cellist Christine Newland. Everyone involved in the performance is donating their services. The program includes Samuel Barber�s Adagio for Strings (1936), �Dies Irae� from Verdi�s Requiem (1874), J.S. Bach�s �Erbarme Dich� from St Matthew�s Passion and his �Air on the G-string� from the Orchestral Suite No. 3.

�This concert will let us use our talents to help people and not just to entertain,� says Orchestra London cellist, Christine Newland. �And it will give Londoners a chance to do something, in spite of how helpless most people feel when something as catastrophic as this happens.�

Tax receipts will be provided by the Canadian Red Cross upon request.

WHO:
Orchestra London
Timothy Vernon, conductor
Anita Krause, soprano
John Avey, baritone

WHAT:
Orchestra London Tsunami Relief Concert

WHEN:
Sunday, January 9 @ 2:30 pm

WHERE:
Centennial Hall

ADMISSION:
Free. All donations will be matched by the federal government.