D2

For the Daily Gleaner
Make room for little brother.

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First, 17-year-old viola player David Murray got the nod to join the Long Island Youth Orchestra's (LIYO) North Atlantic Circle Tour and was busy preparing to join rehearsals in New York in mid-June.

Enlarge Photo

Music: Violist David Murray, left, along with his brother, violinist Christopher Murray, right, take a break from rehearsals with the Long Island Youth Orchestra recently in New York. At centre is director Martin Dreiwitz, LIYO founder and director.

Then, through a series of fast-moving and fortunate events, David's 13-year-old brother Christopher was also invited to join the summer tour with his violin.

The Fredericton brothers are currently in Long Island, N.Y., rehearsing with the 55-member youth orchestra, along with four other New Brunswick musicians.

"This is going to be a really big trip for me," said Christopher. "After more than two weeks of rehearsing and sightseeing in New York, we'll be touring the Maritimes, Denmark, Norway and Iceland. It's kind of unreal."

The boys' father, Jim Murray, had previously volunteered to drive the New Brunswick contingent to Long Island on June 13.

"During that last week before our departure, I was on the phone almost every night with the LIYO director, Martin Dreiwitz, discussing logistics and details of our trip down to Long Island," he said. "During one of those conversations, Martin learned that David had a younger brother who plays violin. It so happened that the LIYO needed another violinist.

"Martin chatted with Christopher and then asked permission to call his violin teacher, Aida Tisler. Before the end of the night, Christopher was on the tour."

The first stop and only New Brunswick concert will take place at the Imperial Theatre in Saint John today. Then it's on to P.E.I., Cape Breton, and Wolfville, N.S., before flying from Halifax to Copenhagen on July 11.

"Four days in Denmark, eight days in Norway, four days in Iceland - it's really going to be an awesome experience," Christopher said. "After the Maritimes, we're going to tour and perform in Copenhagen, Bergen, Sogndal, Oslo, Reykjavik and Skalholt.

"The highlight for me will probably be visiting the Viking Ships Museum in Oslo," he said.

Christopher is both mature and methodical in how he views the exciting summer before him.

"I'm happy I'll actually be able to spend Canada Day in Fredericton," he said. "July will be all about the tour and playing violin. August will be all about family vacation, hanging out with friends, maybe playing some football.

"Then in September, I'll be thinking about a whole new adventure," he said. "High school."