The Young Eight in Concert at Seattle's Benaroya Hall - June 25 Concert
at Nordstrom Recital Hall Features Works by Mendelssohn, Shostakovich
and Niels W.  Gade and Return of Violinist and Seattle Native Quinton
I.  Morris

New York, NY - The Young Eight string octet will be in concert on Saturday,
June 25, 2005 - 8 PM at the Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall of the
Seattle Symphony's Benaroya Hall, 200 University Street in Seattle,
Washington.  Repertoire will be string octets by Mendelssohn, Shostakovich
and Niels W.  Gade.

This will mark their return to Benaroya Hall after their very successful
June 2003 debut concert.  This will also mark the return of Seattle
native and Young Eight founder/director/violinist Quinton I.  Morris and
will coincide with his being the subject of a major feature article in
Colors Northwest magazine.  He has said this about this concert, "Two
years ago when I brought my octet to Seattle for the Benaroya Hall
performance, the response from the audience was almost electric, absolutely
amazing.  Playing in such a great hall for my family and friends and
feeling the support from the community is a feeling that is indescribable".

Tickets for the June 25 concert are $20, $10 for students and seniors.
For tickets, please call TicketMaster at 206-292-ARTS or 206-292-2787.

This concert will be the culmination of a series of events the ensemble
will be presenting throughout the Seattle area preceding the concert.
These include a June 21 at 2:30 PM program in cooperation with the
Seattle Symphony's Soundbridge Learning and Discovery Center, a June 23
at 12 noon performance at the Seattle Presents free lunch-time series in
City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue, sponsored by the city's Office of Arts and
Cultural Affairs, and a 7:30 PM concert that same day at Rainier Valley
Cultural Center, 3515 S. Alaska Street in Seattle.

The Young Eight, with violinists Mariana Green-Hill, Kenneth L. Jarvis,
John H. Littlejohn and Quinton I. Morris, violists Christopher Jenkins
and Dawn Michelle Smith and cellists Ryan Murphy and Tahirah Whittington
has established itself as one of the next generation's most dynamic and
energetic chamber ensembles, presenting performances in New York City,
Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Austin. Founded in 2002 at the
North Carolina School of the Arts by director Quinton I. Morris, this
critically acclaimed African-American octet is dedicated to exposing
various communities to the arts through classical music and has been
recognized for their dedication to children, music and education.

Members received their music education from The Boston Conservatory,
Cleveland Institute of Music, Indiana University, The Juilliard School,
Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College of Music, New England
Conservatory of Music and Peabody Conservatory of Music. The Young Eight
has served as String Octet in Residence at the North Carolina School of
the Arts and is currently in residence at Huston-Tillotson University in
Austin, Texas (where they present a String Seminar for young musicians)
and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Twin Lake, Michigan. Other residency
programs have included the Harlem School of the Arts, Community Music
Works, First Philadelphia Charter School for Literacy, and Winston-Salem
State University. Learn more about their many program initiatives at
http://www.theyoungeight.com.

For press inquiries and more information about The Young Eight, please
contact Jeffrey James Arts Consulting at 516-797-9166 or
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Jeffrey James Arts Consulting
Tel/Fax: 516-797-9166
Website: http://www.jamesarts.com