Classical Music Duos find a Virtual World Connection

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA (June 6, 2009) –Duo Appassionato is a violin duo based in North Carolina. DnA, a duo for piano and oboe, calls Los Angeles home. Although 3,000 miles separate them, this Tuesday, June 9, the two duos will perform together for a concert to benefit the Raleigh Symphony Orchestra. The remarkable thing about this concert is what brought these musicians together in the first place, the virtual world of Second Life.Second Life, developed by Linden Lab and entering its sixth year of existence, is a web based 3D virtual environment in which all of the ‘in-world’ content is user created. Within Second Life, a growing and dedicated classical music community is thriving. DnA, comprised of former Los Angeles Philharmonic principal oboist David Weiss and his wife, pianist Alpha H. Walker, had been playing regular recitals for Second Life audiences for more than a year when they met and became instant friends with Duo Appassionato. Duo Appassionato consists of violinists Yang Xi and Izabela Spiewak. Both Spiewak and Xi, who is the assistant concertmaster, are members of the Raleigh Symphony Orchestra.The two duos view this as the beginning of a long musical collaboration and they see this as an indicator of just how powerful a resource Second Life can be for generating interest in classical music. They recently were the featured guests on another classical music resource that emanates from Second Life. “Music Academy OnLIVE,” hosted by Benton Wunderlich, the Second Life avatar of composer David Schwartz, Ph.D. “I think,” says Walker who not only performs but also conducts regular music appreciation talks in the virtual world, “that we are just beginning to see a glimpse the immense potential, the amazing impact that Second Life can have on classical music.” Walker also noted that some of the music on the benefit program was written especially for the two duos by composers who are also engaged in the Second Life classical music scene.This benefit concert will be held in Raleigh, North Carolina, 8pm Tuesday, June 9, on the campus of Meredith College in the Carswell Recital Hall.For more information visit: www.raleighsymphony.com, or, www.archive.treet.tv/music-academy-onlive-duo-dna-duo-appassionatoContactRobin Bell – Media/Public RelationsMusic Academy Onlinecontact@musicacademyonline.com

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