'Spring Forward' with the Amherst Symphony Orchestra
by ANDREA KIMBRIEL Reporter

John Fullam, principal clarinetist for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, will be the special guest at the Amherst Symphony Orchestra's upcoming concert "Spring Forward."

John Fullam, principal clarinetist for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, will be performing his favorite concerto with the Amherst Symphony Orchestra at its upcoming spring concert.

"I'm always happy to get a chance to do it. It's a very special creation," said Fullam about Clarinet Concerto No. 1 by Weber.

"Spring Forward," the final concert in the ASO's 62nd season, will also feature music by composers such as Gould, Chopin and Dvorák. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 6 at Amherst Middle School, 55 Kings Highway, Snyder.

Fullam is one of several local musicians who have been featured during the 2007-08 season. The East Amherst resident has won many awards and has held principal and associate principal clarinet positions with the Band of America, the Caracas Philharmonic, the Utah Symphony, the Boston Philharmonic and the National Orchestral Association Orchestra. He has also held the position of professor of clarinet for a number of colleges, including Eastman School of Music and the Boston Conservatory.

Foines

"Mr. Fullam is one of the great virtuosos of the clarinet, as anyone who has heard him play with the BPO will attest. His rendition of the Weber Clarinet Concerto No. 1 is vibrant and rich in texture and sound and exciting in interpretation," said Steve Thomas, conductor of the ASO.

The concert will open with "American Salute" by Gould, a piece based on the patriotic song "When Johnny Comes Marching Home."

"We're looking forward to the holidays that come very quickly - Memorial Day and the Fourth of July," said Joan Fishburn, general manager and a violinist with the orchestra.

The program will also include Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2 by Chopin and movements III and IV from Dvorák's Symphony No. 2, a favorite of orchestra members, said Fishburn.

The evening will close with "A Salute to the Big Apple" by Custer. The medley includes "Theme from New York, New York," "Lullaby of Broadway" and "Forty-Second Street."

Richards

"People are going to love this. They'll go away from a concert humming," Fishburn said.

All guests for the season, themed "Amazing Area Artists," were grad- uates of The Juilliard School in New York City, so the salute is a thank-you to the school for educating them, Fishburn said.

A preconcert event beginning at 6:15 p.m. will allow audience members to enjoy "Wonderful Winds" as they arrive. Fishburn said the ASO tries to produce preconcert events that educate and entertain.

This weekend, the theme will be teachers and students. Three orchestra members will perform short sets with several of their former and current students.

The teachers include piccolo player Kim Fornes, an elementary school music teacher; clarinetist Dick Sowinski, a retired music and band teacher from Mill Middle School who teaches private lessons; and oboe player Ronald Richards, the only current member of the orchestra who has participated since the first rehearsal in 1946, said Fishburn.

Sowinski

Alina Jeon, the orchestra's scholarship winner for this year, will play with her teacher, Richards, before the concert and will receive the scholarship during intermission.

"We look forward to sharing another day of wonderful music-making with the Amherst and Western New York community," said Thomas.

Concerts are free, although donations are accepted to offset production costs. The events are designed to attract listeners of all ages. Families can attend together and leave during the intermission if children get "antsy," said Fishburn.

Fishburn said the orchestra chooses a variety of music to appeal to both audience members and musicians.

"We try to bring an entire musical meal for each concert," Fishburn said, likening the symphony to the main course and the Salute to dessert.

A shuttle bus will run from the Berryman Drive entrance of Amherst Central High School, 4301 Main St., to Amherst Middle School from 5:45 p.m. until the beginning of the concert for those wishing to take advantage of the high school's more extensive parking. The service is underwritten by Shogun Restaurant.

For more information on the concert, call 633-4606, e-mail ASOr ch46@aol.com or visit www. amherstsymphony. com.