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Troy orchestra to perform
The Troy Metro Symphony Orchestra is inviting the public to join them for their performance at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17, at First Baptist Church of Troy, 2601 John R Road, in Troy.
The orchestra will offer music ranging from Beethoven’s Egmont Overture to Berlioz’s lively Hungarian March.
Its repertoire for this fall series, called “Music of the Soul: When Beauty and Power Soar,” will feature guest artist John Boonenberg performing Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A Minor. Balancing out these powerful selections will be Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, as well as two hymn arrangements.
“Our orchestra is made up of 40 volunteers from around the metro Detroit area,” said Amy Harmon, the orchestra’s social media manager. “Our purpose is to be a faith-based orchestra and to share our God-given gifts with others. We also want to share great classical music with people for free. We love to dig into the catalog of symphony pieces and find something interesting. We love to teach the audience, especially kids, during our shows.”
Admission is free; however, donations are welcome. More information is available at www.troymetro.org.
Auditions scheduled for Ridgedale Players’ production of ‘The Miracle Worker’
The Ridgedale Players are hosting open auditions for their next play, “The Miracle Worker,” by William Gibson.
It tells the true tale of dedicated teacher Annie Sullivan trying to find a way to reach her young student, Helen Keller, who is both blind and deaf. The play will be performed between Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, and Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024.
Auditions for those wishing to play the part of Helen will take place 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Nov. 4. Those wishing to play Helen should appear between 8 and 12 years old and are instructed to be ready to physically demonstrate how they believe a person with no visual or sound senses would behave. Auditions for all other roles will take place 6-9 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5, and Tuesday, Nov. 7. The Ridgedale Players Theater is located at 205 W. Long Lake Road in Troy.
More information is available at www.ridgedaleplayers.com/auditions.
Sixty Troy district students named National Merit Scholar semifinalists
Sixty Troy School District students — from Athens, International Academy East and Troy High — were recently named National Merit Scholar semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation based on their scores on the Preliminary SAT.
“We are so proud of our outstanding students and the recognition they bring to our district and city,” Troy School District Superintendent Rich Machesky said in a press release. “They will represent us well on the national stage, and we have no doubt they will continue to do great things and have a positive impact here in Troy and on the world around them.”
From the approximately 16,000 semifinalists, about 15,000 are expected to advance to the finalist level, where they have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $30 million.
The Troy School District will formally recognize these students at a ceremony and reception 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16, at Troy High School, 4777 Northfield Parkway.
Oakland County Sheriff searches for coat drive volunteers
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office is preparing for another year of the “Coats for the Cold” coat drive.
The department is asking for volunteers to assist in putting out drop boxes, collecting and sorting coats, and getting them ready for distribution. The coat drive will run through the end of November. Drop boxes will be located at numerous businesses throughout metro Detroit.
“We typically gather around 5,000 coats a year and give them to agencies who distribute them to people in need at no cost,” the department’s community liaison, Mandy Ford, said in a press release. “Volunteers are the machine of our operation, so please consider signing up at the Google link below. Please note there are two sign-ups…the first one is for volunteers and the second is for drop-off sites — should you wish to have your work location added as a spot individuals can drop off their coats during the month of November.”
Additional information, drop box locations and both sign-up links are available at www.oakgov.com/government/sheriff/community-services/domestic-safety/coats-for-the-cold.
