By C. MacDonald

TORRANCE, CA--Legendary Pianist David Benoit and the incredible Asia America Youth Orchestra "lifted the rafters" of James Armstrong Theatre recently at the "Journey of the Endeavour" World Premier before a near-capacity audience.

Benoit, the orchestra's Founder, Music Director and Conductor, created the fun, fast-paced tribute piece, and the superbly-talented young musicians helped sensationally-serenade the famous Space Shuttle Endeavour, as videos of it--in the air and being pulled through the streets of LA--appeared on a big screen.

"I orchestrated it for a 70-piece orchestra and forgot the average age of the musicians was 14," the 5-time Grammy-nominated artist explained. "These kids worked very hard navigating this very challenging and intuitive score and I'm so proud of the tremendous way they performed it today."

The Endeavour recently ended its journey as a fascinating exhibit in the California Science Center but the careers of the exciting youthful student musicians are just taking off, creating permanent memories for those lucky enough to listen and watch them. They played with uplifting exuberance, delicacy and demand, discipline and flourish.

"They're better than any professional orchestra I've ever heard," said one lady to her husband sitting nearby. I have to agree. There's an unforgettable passion these tuned-in middle school through high school kids have that can be felt; an enthusiasm that's contagious, and a performance that's fun and nearly flawless. Kudos to these "future famers," their devoted parents, teachers and people like Benoit, Joe Marino, Darryl Tanikawa and others, who provide the boost they need to launch, what for many, will be very successful careers in and out of music.

To add further reality to the Space & Great Outdoors concert theme, Astronaut Garrett Reisman, Ph.D., who actually flew on two shuttle missions (the first one on Endeavour), spoke to the delighted, spellbound crowd about what it was like to "blast off." "At the start, you feel like you weigh three times heavier because of the 3Gs created by the engine force," explained the man who logged over 3 months in space. "You go from 0 to 17,500mph in 8 ½ minutes, until the engines shut off."

"The most fun is floating in weightlessness. It's like you're Superman. You put out your arms and you start flying," said the multiple space walk veteran, who was a Flight Engineer aboard the International Space Station. The South Bay resident told the orchestra members that he could really relate to them because "I used to play clarinet in my high school concert band." Little did he know that his career would literally take him to a "high note" in space.

The focused, full-of-life Asia America Youth Orchestra also played such Space Hits as "Star Trek," "Mars," Benoit's own "Houston," which was the command center for the space shuttle, as well as some good ole Beethoven and Copland. The musicians showed they are "the hope of the future." They played fellow performer, trombonist Wataru Sugahara's, brilliant "An Afternoon Escapade" (for which he won the AASA International Composition for Orchestra Competition).

Another orchestra member, 13-year-old Colton Russell, caught our attention on upright bass. His dedication and passion for the instrument came about when a teacher told the-then guitar player that there would be a demand for upright bass players. So he switched and wants to stick with it, developing skills into the professional level where he can perform in orchestras for a career.

"Having played guitar since 5, it came naturally to play bass," said the Palos Verdes resident. His father, Terry, whose 4 kids are all active in the arts, said Colton loves it so much "he lives it and breaths it, practicing every moment he can." Both son and father cannot say enough about the value of playing with their talented peers and great teachers in the youth orchestra.

It was appropriate the concert was on Mother's Day, since mothers (and fathers) have sacrificed so much for their kids to excel in music. Benoit said it was his pianist mother, who first taught him how to "tickle the ivories" and his career continues to blossom with his positive, uplifting music and direction, which inspires these young musicians and everyone who gets to hear them.

Thanks to the Asia America Symphony Guild, Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Union Bank, other businesses, people and schools, that help support the new musicians of today, who will be the Benoit's of tomorrow.

(To find out more on how the Asia America Symphony Association provides classical and jazz music through a union of Eastern and Western cultures, check out www.AsiaAmericaSymphony.org)

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