Richmond, TX – The Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra will give a special, free performance to students at Juan Seguin Elementary School, 605 Mabel Street, in Richmond on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 at 7:30 p.m. The Fort Bend Symphony has a mission to ensure that every child in Fort Bend County is touched by classical music before graduating high school. The program will offer a close-up look at the instruments of a symphony orchestra and the musicians who play them. Students are encouraged to bring their families and friends to this concert.

This performance by the Symphony is designed to create an interest in music and is for many children their first personal exposure to live instrumental music, particularly symphonic music. The program will focus on keeping the music kid-friendly. The underlying concept is that when the children are having fun, learning happens naturally. Ideally, all children will visit with symphony musicians in each of four families -- brass, strings, woodwinds, and percussion.

Research has shown that students' involvement in their school music program is crucial to a complete education. Musical study develops critical thinking and self discipline skills and improves a child's early cognitive development, basic math and reading abilities, self-esteem, SAT scores, ability to work in teams, spatial reasoning skills, and school attendance. Also, researchers have found that children involved with music education are less likely to be involved with gangs and substance abuse, and are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college.

Fort Bend Symphony members shown include (left to right) Sandra Chapman(violin), Charity James(clarinet), Marilyn Conger(clarinet), Debbie Redmon(flute), Amy Floyd (cello), Coleman Locke(tuba).

For more information, please visit our website at www.fbso.org or contact us at 281-276-9642.

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