Island Center will come alive Saturday night with an eclectic concert by the St. Croix Children’s String Orchestra.
The concert, featuring 27 young musicians, will begin promptly at 7 p.m. at the performance center near the Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital, and admission is free.
The orchestra is led by Frederick “Freddy” Williams, who since 1996 has taught classical stringed instruments at the Ricardo Richards Elementary School on St. Croix. In 2008 he began using the Sidney Lee Hall after school to recapture some of the students who left the school.
Over the years, the program has blossomed, drawing students from throughout St. Croix.
Saturday’s program includes a little something for everyone – from Beethoven to Michael Jackson, according to Williams. The music will include "God Bless America," "Lift Every Voice and Sing," the "Ode to Joy" from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, "Mongoose Chasing the Cat," "Queen Mary," "Kumbaya," Michael Jackson’s "Heal the World" and Duke Ellington’s "Come Sunday" from the suite "Black, Brown, and Beige." The program will also feature solos by some of the students.
