The briefs

'Bye, Bye Birdie' at Hampshire High

Hampshire High School Music Department will present "Bye, Bye Birdie" Friday through Sunday at the high school, 560 S. State.

Performance times are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

Admission is $7.50 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased at the door. For details, call Chris Cherry, Hampshire High choir director, at (847) 683-2522.

EYSO welcomes special guest

On Sunday, the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra will perform its first concert of 2008: "Inspire-Sacred Music for Symphony" at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Elgin Community Arts Center's Blizzard Theatre, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. Mezzo-soprano Kitt Reuter-Foss will perform the Bernstein Symphony No. 1 "Jeremiah" during the 7 p.m. concert. Her participation in EYSO's spring concert has been a source of great anticipation and excitement this year. In addition to appearances at the Met, she performs to wide acclaim with opera companies and symphony orchestras nationwide. Along with Reuter-Foss' performance, the EYSO Youth Symphony will perform the "Russian Easter Overture," "Fantasia on the Alleluia Hymn," and "Fantasia on a Theme" by Thomas Tallis.

The EYSO Brass Choir will perform the Liturgical Symphony at 7 p.m. The Brass Choir provides a chamber music experience for brass players who rehearse as a small ensemble within the EYSO. The Prelude Orchestra (comprised of string players with interim conductor Kathryn Dressler and the Philharmonia will perform at 4 p.m.

The Philharmonia continues to explore Howard Hanson's 2nd Symphony, "Romantic," Verdi's overture to the opera "Nabucco;" and Haydn's Cello Concerto in C Major with Philharmonia Young Artist Concerto Winner, Emily Camras.

Tickets are $19, or $12 for seniors and $10 for students. Tickets can be purchased at the ECC box office, by phone (847) 622-0300, or online at www.elgin.edu/arts. Tickets also are available at the door.