YOUNG SOLOISTS: Westminster Conservatory piano students Divya Streekumar, left, and Amanda Wu are featured in a program by the Westminster Community Orchestra of February 23.

Ruth Ochs leads the the Westminster Community Orchestra in a program on Sunday, February 23 at 3 p.m. in a program titled “Winterlude,” in Hillman Hall, in the Cullen Center, on the Westminster campus, Walnut Lane.

The concert will feature Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in D Major and Borodin’s Overture to Prince Igor, as well as the second-place winners of the Westminster Conservatory Piano Concerto competition. Amanda Wu will perform the first movement from Haydn’s Concerto in D Major; Divya Sreekumar will perform the second and third movements from Bach’s Concerto in F Minor.

“We’ve titled this concert Winterlude because the beautiful pieces we programmed are the perfect antidote to brighten up the dark moods associated with winter,” said Ochs. “While Brahms’ mighty Symphony No. 2 is considered his most uplifting symphony, there are moments of brooding emotions in this piece, much the same as what we experience during the winter months, as we look forward to the arrival of spring. We are also delighted to welcome the second-place winners of the Westminster Conservatory Piano Concerto competition, Amanda Wu and Divya Sreekumar, two very talented young artists.”

Amanda, a fourth grader at Village School in West Windsor, has been studying piano at the Westminster Conservatory with Michael Jacobsen for five and a half years. Divya, a ninth grader at Edison Academy Magnet School, has been studying piano with Galina Prilutskaya at the Conservatory for five years.

Now in her 20th season as the WCO’s music director, Ochs has led the group in performances of major orchestral and choral-orchestral works. Under her leadership, the orchestra continues to feature ensembles and soloists from the Westminster Conservatory and highlight works by local and under-represented composers. Ochs is currently a senior lecturer in the Princeton University Department of Music, where she is in her 23rd season as the conductor of the Princeton University Sinfonia.

The Westminster Community Orchestra presents programs noted for their diverse repertoire and widespread appeal. Members are professional and amateur musicians from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. They come from all walks of life but share a common goal: the desire to make wonderful music for themselves and their community.

There are no tickets required; a suggested admission of $10/person cash will be collected at the door. Visit rider.edu for more information.