North Scarborough Rotary Club

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Who would have thought? On his 250th birthday, young Amadeus Mozart birthday, young Amadeus Mozart and young Canadian musicians are battling HIV/AIDS in Africa!

TORONTO, March 6, 2006 - In a tribute to Mozart's 250th birthday, some of Toronto's finest up-and-coming young musicians will be performing the prodigy's favourite compositions in a concert to raise funds for HIV/AIDS victims in Africa. The fundraising concert, sponsored by the Scarborough North Rotary Club, www.northscarboroughrotary.org will help to advance the Club's various community projects, and, in particular, the work of Dignitas International, a not-for-profit group helping to save lives in Malawi, in south-east Africa.

The All-Mozart musical program, entitled An Evening with Young Amadeus, will be held on Sunday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. in the George Weston Recital Hall at the Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts (5040 Yonge Street, North York). Tickets are available at Ticketmaster Outlets in Southern Ontario, at the Toronto Centre Box Office or on line at www.ticketmaster.ca. The price of tickets ranges from $38 to $60.

The musicians, who range in ages as young as 10 years old, are all members of the Toronto Youth Sinfonietta and will be conducted on this occasion by David Zafer, Professor Emeritus of the Faculty of Music at University of Toronto, who for many years was founder/conductor of the University of Toronto Chamber Orchestra.

"The young Amadeus would be especially proud of the time dedicated by the five young soloists who will be playing for us," said Emmanuel Nwankwo, President of the Rotary Club of North Scarborough. "If you love Mozart, and want to join others celebrating his 250th birthday, this is the evening for you."

ABOUT THE YOUNG MUSICIANS

The soloists for the evening will be: David Lakirovich and Alejandro Valdepenas on violin, Adrienne Yang on piano, and Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuck on viola.

HARNESSING THE POWER OF COMMUNITY TO SAVE LIVES

The beneficiary of the fundraising concert, Dignitas International, is a Canadian Medical Humanitarian organization providing Life with Dignity to people affected by HIV/ AIDS in the developing world. Visit www.dignitasinternational.org for more information.

In a testament to the work of Rotary, Dr. Kevin Bezanson, the HIV/AIDS Clinic Coordinator for Zomba District Hospital in Malawi says, "What keeps us going is what we can see happening. Many lives, little by little, are being transformed. People are being given a chance to live again, to love again, to work again, to be again. It is truly wonderful, and humbling, to be able to play a part."

ABOUT ROTARY

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards, and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. Today there are approximately 1.2 million Rotary club members of more than 30,000 Rotary clubs in 164 countries.

The North Scarborough Rotary Club organizes its efforts in four major categories; Club Service, Youth and Vocational Service, Community Service and International Service. To find out more about the club, please visit www.northscarboroughrotary.org.

CONTACT. For information or interviews:
Mr. Peter Masson
Director, Public Relations
Rotary Club of North Scarborough
416-298-8858
pmasson@rogers.com

Ticketmaster
416-872-1111