Press Releases

Manasquan, NJ � Former Algonquin Arts Rising Star, Katharine Caliendo, continues her success in the music world, with her accomplishments playing the French horn. Ms. Caliendo, 21, has recently secured an audition with The New World Symphony, by submitting an audition tape featuring her talent as a French horn performer. The audition is scheduled for February 10, 2009 in Houston.

The Algonquin Arts Rising Stars program just celebrated its 10th year with the largest outreach efforts since its launch in 1999. Once limited to Monmouth and Ocean counties, audition information now reaches into every high school in New Jersey�all 21 counties. Students of classical music only compete through an audio audition process and twelve are chosen to perform on the Algonquin Arts stage. Former finalists of the Rising Stars program have pursued careers in classical music and have studied at prestigious conservatories throughout the world. Ms. Caliendo was selected three times to perform as a soloist in the Algonquin Arts Rising Stars concert in 2001, 2003, and 2004 and she is also continuing the tradition of success in music following the program.

Katharine Caliendo is currently a student of William VerMeulen at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. In May she plans to graduate with a Bachelor�s of Music in French Horn Performance and go on to become an orchestral musician. Growing up in Point Pleasant, NJ, Katharine has been playing the horn for eleven years. Previously she studied at the Manhattan School of Music with Michelle Baker and completed a season as principal horn of the New York Youth Symphony. Katharine has performed at master classes with Julie Landsman, William VerMeulen, Dale Clevenger, and Hermann Baumann.

Ms. Caliendo has received Third Prize in the Long Island Conservatory Concerto Competition as well as the Joan Adams Crain Nelson Music Scholarship, 2008, a scholarship from the Musician's Performance Fund, 2005, Most Outstanding Musician of the NJ Youth Orchestra Festival, 2002, and Outstanding Participant at the Hartwick College Summer Music Festival in 2002. This past summer Katharine studied with Peter Kurau and Michelle Baker at The International Festival at Round Top in Round Top, Texas. In addition to her talent for music, Katharine was also Valedictorian of the Point Pleasant Borough Class of 2005 and enjoys learning French and dancing ballet.

Katharine states, �I am very thankful to the Algonquin Arts Rising Arts program for allowing me recognition and a valuable opportunity to perform as a soloist.�

To find out more about the Algonquin Arts Rising Stars program, please contact William Whitefield, Director of Education, at 732-528-9266 or [email protected]. More information can also be accessed on the Algonquin Arts website: www.algonquinarts.org.

Algonquin Arts was founded in 1992 as a nonprofit organization to provide cultural enrichment and educational enhancement of the highest quality for the residents of New Jersey�s central region. Programming of Algonquin Arts is made possible as a result of the continued philanthropic support of private citizens and organizations such as New Jersey State Council on the Arts, OceanFirst Foundation, New Jersey Cultural Trust, Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, PNC Foundation, Manasquan Savings Bank, Woman�s Club of Brielle, Bank of America, Frank and Lydia Bergen Foundation, Investors Savings Bank Charitable Fund, Verizon Foundation, Janice & Jules Plangere III, as well as many generous individuals and local businesses.