Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • May 11, 2011 Area The Walter Engel Festival of Young Performers celebrated its 20th Anniversary with four concerts at the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood. Young fingers danced across keys and strings, shimmering voices brought arias and art songs to life, and the room rocked with powerful performances of music from the great classical composers. The musicians were school children, ages eight to 18, but audiences who came expecting to hear ordinary student recitals were awestruck to hear the sophisticated music and virtuosic performances of these young people. It was no surprise, however, to those who had been attending the festival for the past 20 years. Known to some as The Walter Engel Festival and to others as FYP, this annual event is widely known to attract the finest young performers in northern New Jersey. Concerts were structured to include beginner through advanced level music in varying styles on a variety of instruments. Some 106 musicians, including pianists, singers, string and woodwind players, and one percussionist, participated this year. Most of them performed as soloists, with a handful of small string and vocal ensembles rounding out the programs. Jill Sagarin, former wife of the late Walter Engel, was present at the concerts. Together with Marcia Bakshi, chairman of the festival, Sagarin welcomed the performers, parents, teachers, and other members of the audience to the celebration. They paid particular tribute to Dorothy Neff, the founder and long-time chair of FYP. It was through Neff’s efforts that the festival came into being 20 years ago as a way to honor Engel, a young man who had suffered a devastating stroke that left him paralyzed and unable to continue his work as a conductor and composer. Neff, a musician, teacher, and long-time resident of Ridgewood, envisioned an event that would provide a noncompetitive performance venue for young classical musicians and a platform for encouraging them to share their musical gifts through community service. Scholarships for high school seniors became a regular feature of the festival, and for more than a decade, Engel himself helped choose the students whose scholarships would bear his name. Neff led the annual festival for 16 years. After Engel’s death in 2007, Neff passed the chairmanship to fellow musician Bakshi. This year, four Walter Engel Young Performer Scholarships were awarded to outstanding musicians who have gone to extraordinary lengths to reach out to others by performing for charity fundraisers, religious services, hospitals, nursing homes, and civic functions. The scholarship winners were percussionist Emile Hsu of Allendale, baritone Kevin O’Hora of Franklin Lakes, pianist Norbert Promagan of Waldwick, and soprano Alyssa Schaffer of River Walter Engel Festival marks 20th Anniversary Top left: Emile Hsu of Allendale. Right: Kevin O’Hora of Franklin Lakes. Below left: Norbert D. Promagan of Waldwick (Photos courtesy of Stephen Michael Garey.) Vale. The program this year also included a tribute to Tyler Clementi, a long-time performer at the festival who died several months ago. The tragedy of his death was felt keenly by his fellow musicians and by the audiences who had watched him grow from an earnest beginner into a fine young violinist. A donation was given by the 2011 Walter Engel Festival of Young Performers to the Ridgewood Symphony Orchestra’s Tyler Clementi Memorial Scholarship Fund. Lynn’s Pet Care Going on vacation? Away for the weekend? Work long hours away from home? We’ll care for your pets when you can’t. Please call 201-493-8442 Lynnspetcare18@Yahoo.com CRAFTSMANSHIP AND QUALITY MATERIALS COMBINED WITH HOME HARDWARE VALUE See Our Selection Of Wood Patio and Deck Furniture, You Won’t Believe How Much You Get For Your Money FREE ASSEMBLY a Picnic T ble FREE DELIVERY 27 Franklin Tpk, Waldwick Mon-Wed 7:30-6, Thurs & Fri 7:30-8, Sat 8-5 www.homehardwaresupply.com Adirond ac Chair k 201-652-5666 Open Sundays 9-3