McCallum Fine Arts Academy Orchestra

If the high school musicians of the McCallum Fine Arts Academy Orchestra didn't really know the Beatles' music before this week (and it would be hard to blame them since the band broke up a full 20 years before any of these kids were born), they'll sure know it after. That's because this Saturday, the students will be backing the lads from Liverpool – well, okay, Austin's most reasonable facsimile thereof, the Eggmen – in a benefit concert at the Paramount Theatre. The award-winning Beatles cover band is helping the McCallum Orchestra raise funds for its trip this June to Carnegie Hall, where it will take part in the Masterworks Series, which invites qualified ensembles to collaborate on a major work for choir, professional orchestra, and soloists under the direction of a nationally recognized conductor. McCallum played Carnegie Hall previously in 2006 (see photo, above).

The Eggmen take pains to re-create the Beatles' sound faithfully – to the point of using vintage guitars, amps, and drums – and teaming with McCallum gives them the opportunity to make some of the band's hits that employed a complement of strings – think "All You Need Is Love," "I Am the Walrus," "Strawberry Fields Forever" – sound even more like the originals.

This isn't the orchestra's first time backing Austin's version of the Fab Four, says Ricky Pringle, director of orchestras at McCallum. "We have played with the Eggmen before, and we have several small groups that hire out and play these songs for wedding receptions, corporate events, and private parties." The students love playing the Beatles' music, he insists, and at least one student echoes that sentiment. Violin player Olivia Erwin, who joined the band on its New Year's Eve gig at Jovita's, says, "It's so much fun playing this music with the Eggmen." Part of the reason? "It's music everyone loves, especially my parents."

The concert is Saturday, Feb. 21, 8pm, at the Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress. For more information, call 866/443-8849 or visit www.austintheatre.org.

In other McCallum Fine Arts Academy Orchestra news, the ensemble's violinists will compete in the first KMFA Young Violinist Competition and Award on March 7. The classical music radio station chose the Fine Arts Academy to launch this program benefiting young violinists in school orchestras. Students will perform excerpts from Schubert's Mass No. 2 in G major for a panel of judges that includes Austin Symphony Orchestra Music Director Peter Bay, Austin Chamber Music Center Artistic Director Michelle Schumann, ASO Assistant Concertmaster Jennifer Bourianoff, Viola by Choice founder Aurélien Pétillot, and Will Taylor & Strings Attached frontman Will Taylor.

The big draw for the winning violinist is getting to play the KMFA violin, an instrument handcrafted by William Townsend, for one year. But in addition, that talented student will also get to take part in a master class led by concert violinist Anne Akiko Meyers when she visits the UT Butler School of Music as part of the Starling Distinguished Violinist Series, get a $200 scholarship with Blackerby Violin Shop for music and supplies, have the violin repaired and adjusted by Sandro Cocco Violin Studio as needed, receive tickets to Starling Distinguished Violinist Series and Austin Symphony concerts, and get a season pass to the Austin Chamber Music Festival. Three finalists are also in line for prizes such as a master class on violin making and care, violin repairs, and sheet music and supplies.

"It's a unique opportunity for deserving young violinists in our community," notes KMFA General Manager Joan Kobayashi, "and one we hope contributes significantly to their performance experience while in school, as well as their future relationship with classical music performance."

For more information, visit www.kmfa.org. To donate to the McCallum Orchestra Performance Fund, visit www.macorchestrafund.org.