On Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. at the National Hispanic Cultural Center's Journal Theatre in

Albuquerque, Hey, Mozart! New Mexico will recognize the pre-teen composers whose

works were selected for inclusion in the 2008 “Hey, Mozart! New Mexico” CD. 

       More than 250 students 12 and younger from across the state submitted original melodies for

 consideration in this third year of the project. Sixteen of these melodies were selected for orchestration

and recording. In addition, the quality of many of the others considered was so high that 18 honorable

mentions were awarded.

       Silver City’s Ella Kirk, 8, was one of those young composers selected as an honorable mention. 

       At the Sept. 12 concert, each child will perform his/her melody.  This presentation will

be followed by a performance by members of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, under

the direction of David Felberg, who will play the orchestrated versions.

       A CD with the orchestrated melodies performed by the Chatter chamber ensemble

will be released at the ceremony. The concert and the reception afterward are free of change and open to the public.

      Brookes McIntyre, president of the non-profit organization, explained that the 2007 concert was sold out. Tickets for this year’s event may be picked up at the NHCC box office or ordered through Ticket master for a 75-cent fee.

      The child composers include Jocelyn Boyack, 7; Dana Brener, 12; George Laird, 8; Simon Laird,

12; Abbie Reeves, 10; Tankred Steinbach,10; and Amy Thomas, 9, ofAlbuquerque, along with Ian Kingsolver, 10, of Placitas. Las Cruces composers include Jaimi Donaldson, 11; Levi Doyle, 8; Andrew McLaughlin, 11;  and Amalia Zeitlin, 12.  Jade Kennedy, 6, and Jasmine Kennedy, 9, of Santa Fe will have the orchestrated version of their melodies on the CD, along with Thomas Chadwick, 7, of Los Alamos and Sarah Jo Samora, 8, of Clovis. 

      The honorable-mention category includes Tanner Boyack, 9; Leedy Corbin, 5; Dylan Cuellar, 11;

Jett Facey, 8; Abby Herrick, 8; Sam Herrick, 10; Malia Kao, 12; MeganRohrer, 11; and Sarah Velasco, 10, of Albuquerque.

Autumn Chavez-Repp, 11, and Philip Miller, 12, of Las Cruces; Abigail Bugg, 9, of Clovis; Leonardo Escamilla III, 9 of Anthony;

Melanie Green, 9, of Rio Rancho; Noah Haarmann, 9, of Jemez Pueblo; Eliza Harrison, 11, of Santa Fe; Kirk, 8, of Silver City;

and Elijah Salazar-Menzies, 7, of Española were chosen.  

     At the free reception following the concert, children and audience

members can speak with the project's artistic and music directors, arrangers of the works and the NMSO musicians.

For more information, call 505-250-2341 or check the Web site www.heymozartnm.org.