return to Churchville Several performances by rising classical music group set When Gina Valvano graduated from Churchville-Chili in 1995, she made a commitment to herself that she would always continue to sing and play the bassoon "in some capacity," she said. "I wasn't sure that I could make a living making music, but I knew that it must always be part of my life." Valvano, one member of Scarborough Trio, a rising, New York City-based instrumental group consisting of Gina on the bassoon, a flutist and a pianist, will return to her hometown this week to perform for and talked with both students at her former school and the general community. The trio, which made their professional debut last year at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, performs regularly throughout the greater New York City area and have traveled as far as California to play at recitals and worship services. The group is also committed to educational outreach and conducts workshops at elementary schools, high schools and colleges. That's one of the reasons for Gina's return to the Churchville area. Sponsored by Monroe-2 Orleans BOCES' Project ADEPT, she and the other members of the trio will provide workshops at Churchville Elementary School, where her mother is a teacher. "I am really looking forward to seeing some of my teachers - people who really fostered my growth and showed me how fulfilling music can be," Valvano said. The trio will also provide two free concerts for the community, one at Roberts Wesleyan College on Tuesday, February 24 at 7:30 p.m. It will be in Roberts Cultural Life Center at the Shewan Recital Hall. The other will be at the Union Congregational Church on North Main Street in Churchville on Friday, February 27 at 7:30 p.m. A reception will follow the Friday evening event. Scarborough Trio will also appear on WXXI radio as part of the "Live From Hochstein" program on Wednesday, February 25 from 12:10 to 12:50 p.m. Valvano, who sang in musicals and played in several bands while at Churchville-Chili, earned full scholarships to the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, where she earned her bachelor's degree. She completed a master's degree and met Erin Lesser, the flutist in the trio, at the Manhattan School of Music. "I so admired her and we wanted to play together," Valvano recalled. "But we were somewhat artistically limited, as there are only a handful of pieces for the flute and bassoon. We knew that if we added a piano, we would have more options." Valvano had performed previously with Thomas Cuffari, who was invited to become the pianist in the trio. After several well-received concerts this past year, the group was featured for two-weeks on New York City-based classical music station WQXR's "Young Artists Showcase," hosted by Bob Sherman. The trio is currently involved in a competition which, if won, will result in them obtaining management, said Cheryl Valvano, Gina's mother. "They get better all the time," Cheryl said. "They've done well - they are definitely making ends meet as professional musicians." All of the members of the trio have played in renowned orchestras and chamber groups and traveled across the U.S. and Europe. Most recently, Valvano traveled with the American-Russian Chamber Players across Russia, Estonia and the United States. She has also participated in the Lucca Opera Festival Orchestra in Lucca, Italy and at the World's Fair in Lisbon, Portugal as a member of the Cincinnati Philharmonic. "This will be a great homecoming," Valvano said. "It will be nice to be home." |
