Young talent in concert

The Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra puts on its annual Memorial Day concert, 3 p.m. Monday at Seasongood Pavilion, Eden Park. Conductors Eric Dudley (shown) and Yorgos Kouritas (a CCM conducting assistant) will lead the program. Of interest is Charles Coleman and friends' "Variations on a Theme by Coleman," with variations composed by the kids. There will also be Gershwin, Copland and Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.

The concert is free. 513-744-3333 or visit www.cincinnatisymphony.org.

Next Sunday, June 3, a young baritone from Florence reaches for the stars in a recital at the Madeira church that is helping him attain operatic stardom.

Steve Shafer, 22-year-old junior at Northern Kentucky University, will perform solos from operas, including Rossini's "Barber of Seville" and Wagner's "Tannhauser," at St. Paul United Methodist Church of Madeira, 8221 Miami Road. The concert is at 3 p.m.

Shafer, who sang the role of Papageno in NKU's recent production of "The Magic Flute," is aiming for an international career on the opera sage. He will be joined in duets with Eric DeForest, the assistant professor who heads NKU's opera program, and Lauren Bailey, a soprano who graduated last year.

The concert is free, but an offering will be accepted to help underwrite Shafer's performance at this summer's tenth anniversary Lyrique-en-Mer opera festival on Belle Isle, off the coast of France. The festival attracted about 5,000 opera lovers last summer to hear seasoned performers and young future stars from five countries.

Shafer, who sang at the six-week festival last year, expects to sing roles in Verdi's "La Traviata" and Offenbach’s "Tales of Hoffman."

The Madeira church program provides outstanding NKU vocal students with a church home and financial assistance while they continue their musical education. The June 3 concert is part of the St. Paul Presents series, hosted by Music Director Patrick Coyle.