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 [log in to unmask] Jeffrey James Arts Consulting Tel/Fax: 516-797-9166 Website: http://www.jamesarts.com