Foundation establishes Allegro Orchestra Fund

ORANGE COUNTY-The Allegro Orchestra Fund has been established by the Community Foundation of Orange County to strengthen the Allegro Orchestras and their student orchestral program. The fund will open doors previously closed to Allegro, according to Viktoras Prizgintas, founder and current director of the orchestras. Allegro has more than twenty five years of experience in providing educational and performing opportunities. The orchestra has appeared on four separate occasions at The White House, three appearances at Disney World or Epcot Center, five performances at Steinway Hall in New York City, and during a nine-day tour of Italy. Current and previous students attend Julliard, Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College of Music, Oberlin, and the Tanglewood Festival. The innovative style has brought recognition for educational excellence and artistic achievement. It has brought the arts together in a dynamic manner, enlisting professional artists and other distinct amateur performing groups in concerts before elected officials, corporate leaders and the community. Through its student orchestral program, guest artists have appeared with them from the Carnegie, Broadway, and Lincoln Center stages. The Orange@ series has combined performances with regional performing groups as well as professionals. Building confidence and leadership are two vital qualities for success that every Allegro student is encouraged to develop. The orchestra believes that socio-economic conditions should not create a barrier to participation, which is why Allegro is preparing to build a similar program in the Newburgh community in order to reach inner city children. For more information about the Community Foundation of Orange County, call 469-4469 or write to cfocinfo@cfoc-ny.org.