SCHOENBERGER FEATURED PERFORMER AT CHURCH BENEFIT (MUSIC REVIEW)

With the touch of a master and the innocence of youth, Liesl Schoenberger once again graced the stage Sunday, Nov. 21 and gave a magnificent performance.

This remarkable 15-year-old violinist has been playing since she was 2-and-a-half. As part of her performance she chose a Tchaikovsky Concerto. "She loves it and wanted the opportunity to play the entire piece," said her mother, Brenda Schoenberger.

Over 200 classmates, friends, relatives and loyal supporters attended the concert at the Old St. Vincent's Church. The performance was free, but donations were accepted and will be used for the organ restoration fund for the church.

Accompanying Schoenberger was pianist Vera Parkin. Parkin has performed with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra since 1987.

Brother David Migliorino, principal at Notre Dame Regional High School, had only the highest praise for the Notre Dame student."She's a saint and a wonderful student," he said. "She has a gift she shares with the world." Otherwise, Brother David describes her as a pretty normal kid. She plays for every musical event at school, but is very humble about her talent. "You kind of expect to see her pulling bubble gum with one hand and holding a ball bat in the other," he added. Instead she holds a violin and what she does with it is nothing short of remarkable. Schoenberger began her violin lessons in the Suzuki program at Southeast Missouri State University. For the past seven years she has been a student of Professor Mimi Zweig at Indiana University-Bloomington. As a testimony of her talent and hard work, she was the 1998 recipient of the Young Achievers Dare to Lead Award-Performing Arts Citation for the International Leadership Network and was presented with a $1,000 savings bond. She returned in October of this year to receive the Encore Presentation award and a $500 savings bond.

Schoenberger's talent has taken her to numerous states and to Europe. She will return to Europe to perform during the summer of 2000."I've followed her since they moved to the area," said Vernice Baumstark, a patient of Liesl Schoenberger's father, Dr. John Schoenberger. "She's just so in command of that violin. It does just what she wants it to."