Media Contact: Pat JaCoby, (858) 534-7404 

UCSD'S PREUSS SCHOOL TO HOLD FIRST ANNUAL WINTER CONCERT

Forty-eight young students attending the Preuss School at the University of California, San Diego, will present their first annual Winter Concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 14 in the Walton Center on the new Preuss School grounds, Genesee Ave. and Campus Point Dr.

The public is invited to join the school's 431 students and their parents for the musical event, featuring both sacred and secular music.

Performing will be 14 sixth and seventh graders in the beginning chorus, 22 eighth and ninth graders in the advanced chorus, and seven boys in the Preuss Boys Ensemble. Music has been offered as an elective at the two-year-old school for the first time this year, and is under the direction of Mercy Hwong. Piano accompanist is Kendro Calica, a Preuss School student.

Piano solos will be offered by Khang Nguyen, Eric Samatua and Calica. Also presenting instrumental solos will be Gregory McKinney, bass guitar, and Christina Nguyen, violin.

The Preuss School opened its doors at UCSD in the fall of 1999 in temporary quarters, and moved into its new $13.1 million campus in October, 2000. The school's mission is to prepare low income and educationally underserved students for admission to, and graduation from, a university. The school has a longer school day, longer class periods, and a longer school year than is traditional. Classes ranged from 20 to 25 students.