Freeholders honor youth orchestra

SUSSEX COUNTY-At its meeting last week, the Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders declared Sunday June 5, 2005, Sussex County Youth Orchestra Day. To commemorate the event, an official declaration was presented to Dawn Tedesco, musical director and founder of the county orchestra. The youth orchestra performed its first concert in June 1987 at Christ Church in Newton. During the past 18 years the orchestra has grown in size and reputation having performed in Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in addition to more than 40 free concerts in Sussex County. The Sussex County Youth Orchestra is being honored as it departs on its fourth European tour as New Jersey Ambassadors of Music. The orchestra will perform concerts in Lucerne and Grenoble Switzerland and Lyon and Paris France culminating with a "Friendship Concert" in the village of Riquewir with a local band sponsored by the Alsacian/American Friendship Society. Before their departure, the Sussex County Youth Orchestra will perform its Spring Concert starting at 3 p.m. Sunday June 5 at Lenape Valley Regional High School on Stanhope Road in Stanhope. The concert will feature the Suzuki Violins, the Rocking Strings, the Preparatory Orchestra and the Youth Symphony Orchestra. The performance, which is free and handicap accessible, will be conducted by John Sepe and Gerald Tedesco. A Silent Auction will precede the concert starting at 2:30 p.m.