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Student Musicians Selected for Pops Weekend

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Centerville, MA, July 20, 2005 - The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod (AFCC) announced today that it has invited Melanie Black, Barnstable High School class of 2008, to sing the Star-Spangled Banner with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra to open the 20th annual Pops by the Sea concert. The TD Banknorth Pops by the Sea concert is scheduled for Sunday, August 7, 2005, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on the Hyannis Village Green, and features the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra with conductor Keith Lockhart for their only annual Cape Cod appearance and guest conductor Jack Klugman.

Melanie Black, age 15 and a resident of Centerville, will be entering her sophomore year at Barnstable High School this fall. She recently participated in BHS’s acclaimed production of “Beauty and the Beast,” and is also a member of the school’s award-winning Vocal Jazz Ensemble.

This year, Melanie received the ‘Freshman Chorus Award’ for her dedication to music. She performs on occasion as a soloist at the South Congregational Church in Centerville, where she is a member. Melanie has sung The National Anthem at several events throughout the town of Barnstable. During the school year, she plays on the field hockey and lacrosse teams at Barnstable High while maintaining honor roll status.

“I am very excited to have been offered this opportunity of a lifetime to sing with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra and Keith Lockhart,” said Melanie Black. “As an aspiring vocalist this is an opportunity I could not have imagined and I know that it will impact the rest of my life.”

David McTiernan, a second young musician, has been invited to play at the VIP reception on Saturday, August 6. McTiernan, a 16 year old Falmouth High School student, has been playing piano since the age of four. At age ten, he won the Eventide Song Writing Competition and he has studied extensively at both the Cape Cod and New England Conservatories. During the past eight years, he has performed over 200 times at more than sixty locations in and around the Cape Cod and Boston areas, playing a broad spectrum of musical styles as a solo performer and as a founding member of the Turner Ave. Jazz Quintet. Active in musical theater since age seven, he has been the musical director for numerous theater productions, including the recent production of the “Rocky Horror Show” by the Woods Hole Theater Company. More information is available on his website - www.davidmctiernan.com. David plans to pursue a career in the music industry.

“I am looking forward to sharing my music with the guests at the VIP reception,” said David McTiernan. “As a musician, I really appreciate the opportunity to reach new audiences with my music and share my love of jazz.” "The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod serves aspiring and emerging artists as well as established artists,” said Margaret G. Van Sciver, President of the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod. “We are thrilled to feature such talented student musicians in our Pops programs this year. The level of their accomplishment is a real testament to the importance of strong art and music curriculums in our schools. We are delighted to showcase two of Cape Cod’s best young musical artists. "

For further information on TD Banknorth Pops by the Sea or other programs of the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, contact us 508-362-0066 or visit our website: www.artsfoundationcapecod.org.