Princeton, New Jersey - Composer Tim Keyes' just completed concerto Colorado will be premiered by the Greater Princeton Youth Orchestra, under the accomplished direction of Maestro Fernando Raucci, on May 15th, at Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University at 8:00 p.m. The Greater Princeton Youth Orchestra, now in its 42nd year of offering professional orchestral performance to talented young musicians, is honored to have been selected by Keyes to premier this magnificent violin concerto.

Inspired by the spectacular scenery of the American West, Colorado, a concerto for violin and orchestra, is composer Tim Keyes' newest work. This majectic violin concerto in five movements, journeys the listener from the vast great plain to the front range of the Rocky Mountains, through Aspen groves, to a pristine mountain lake. The work concludes as the listener is brought to the summit of the Continental Divide. This concerto was composed for violinist Hope Cannon, member of GPYO, who will perform the violin solo, and to whom Keyes has dedicated this extraordinary concerto.

Tim Keyes is a 1984 graduate in Music Composition and Music Theory from The University of Notre Dame, studying with composers Paul Johnson and Ethan Haimo and musicologist Calvin Bower. He received a scholarship to the Aspen Music Festival, where he studied composition, conducting and performance with Charles Jones, Leonard Bernstein, and Andre Watts.

As a composer, vocalist, conductor, producer and audio engineer, Keyes' incredible talents have enabled him to excel in many areas. Among his albums are: Worlds Apart (1991), On the Radio (1995), and Sketchbook (2003). As a church musician and choral director, Keyes has composed a number of sacred music works, among them: Resurrexi (1996), In Psalmis Davidis (1998), Nativitas (1999), and Crucifixus (2000). In 2003, Keyes' Concert of Remembrance recently premiered with great critical acclaim at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Skillman, New Jersey, where Keyes is Director of Music and Liturgy.

Due to Tim Keyes' vast knowledge of both popular and classical music, he is frequently asked to lecture at seminars on the music industry and often advises churches regarding their music programs, sound systems, organs, and music spaces. Keyes is often invited to conduct various New Jersey choruses and orchestras, and is in demand as a vocalist throughout the state. He is the tenor section leader in the Diocesan Choir of the Metuchen Diocese, member of the 16-voice Chamber Choir and Cantor and Organist for various diocesan liturgical functions.

Keyes and his wife, Meg Poltorak, formed a music production company called August Productions, Inc. and the record company API Records. Keyes' music publishing company is called Humbletunes, named after his hometown of Humble, Texas. Keyes and Poltorak have currently produced 12 music videos, nationally released over 30 CD's and published many compositions. Keyes has also been involved in the production and/or recording of over 500 commercial master recordings. Due to his sound recording expertise, Keyes is widely sought by legal and law-enforcement professionals for analysis of recorded media.

Hope Cannon, who will perform the violin solo for Colorado, is currently a senior at Montgomery High School in Skillman, New Jersey. Cannon is also concert mistress with the Montgomery High School Orchestra and Giovani Virtuosi Chamber Ensemble, under the direction of Eric Jorgenson. Cannon has been a member of the Greater Princeton Youth Orchestra, the GPYO Chamber Orchestra and the GPYO String Quartet for three years, and is currently GPYO's concert mistress. Cannon is also concert mistress with the St. Charles Borromeo Orchestra in Skillman, under the direction of Tim Keyes. Cannon has studied violin for 12 years, most recently under the tutelage of Ruotao Mao.

GPYO's May 15th concert at Richardson Auditorium is the finale for its overwhelmingly successful 2003-2004 season. Sponsored by the Princeton-Pettoranello Foundation, this event will be GPYO's traditional Italian-American Cultural Exchange Concert. Representative of both countries, GPYO will perform Pini di Roma by Respighi, contrasted by Keyes' Colorado. These two great works underscore the majesty, splendor, and beauty of both the Italian and American landscapes.

Advance ticket sales to this concert can be obtained by calling: 609-683-0150. General Admission Tickets are $15.00; Senior and Student Tickets are $10.00. For more information on GPYO, please visit: www.gpyo.org. For more information, including photography, on Tim Keyes and his composition Colorado, visit www.timkeyes.com.