Electric Youth Ensemble Departs on European Tour Today

Electric Youth (EY), the international touring ensemble of singer-dancers trained at the Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA), departs today, June 19th for a three-week concert tour of Austria and Italy. The group's 11th European tour will include a return Fourth of July engagement at Aviano Air Force Base to entertain U.S. Troops and families stationed abroad.

Electric Youth is backed by an eight-piece band of Boston musicians who've performed, recorded and toured with such music legends as Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin, Dizzy Gillespie, B.B. King, Diana Ross, The Temptations and Van Morrison. EY's show offers high-energy family entertainment, delivering fully choreographed performances of classic rock, contemporary pop and Broadway hits for audiences of all ages. Audiences at Showcase Live will hear two full sets featuring the best of Aerosmith, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars, Frank Sinatra, Carrie Underwood and more.

The 12-concert tour will feature shows in Vienna, Melk and Steiermark, Austria, including a performance at Ehrenhausen Castle, benefit concert at Vienna's historic 19th century Odeon Theater and workshop with students at the Amadeus International School. Performances in Italy will include multiple shows in Lignano and Bibione along the Adriatic Coast, concerts in Todi and Montecatini within the Tuscany-Umbria region, and at Lake Como.

Prior to departure, Electric Youth will wrap up the group's 6th professional album. The ensemble and musicians have already laid tracks at Mansfield's MockingBird Recording Studio. As with EY shows, the studio album will include unique renditions of timeless hits.

"Several of the band members also write arrangements for EY that allow the group to take classic songs and make them their own," says Director Raye Lynn Mercer.

Electric Youth has launched a Kickstarter fundraising campaign to help cover costs associated with the album's mixing, mastering and distribution. Visit www.kickstarter.com and search the group's project to learn more.

Electric Youth 2014 debuted at Showcase Live on February 28. Selected by audition annually, EY members are chosen for superior musicianship, stage presence and triple threat accomplishments in voice, dance and acting. This season EY features 10 performers, including Madison Asgeirsson, 15, Kendra Dombroski, 15, Ali Funkhouser, 17, Graham Hancock, 17, Jocelyn Jones, 15, and Shaina McGillis, 15, from Franklin; Michael Fajardo, 15, from Hopkinton; Sam Evans, 14, from Medfield; Maddy Williams, 15, from Medway; and Jenna McDermott, 15, from Wrentham.

EY's show band features Kenny Hadley on drums, Arnie Krakowsky on tenor saxophone, Artie Montanaro on trombone, Walter Platt on trumpet, Bill Miele on bass, Ken Reid on baritone saxophone, Mark White on guitar and Mercer on piano. Under the direction of Mark Poniatowski, musical arrangers for Electric Youth are Rick Hammett, Jeff Perry, Walter Platt, Poniatowski, Mark White and Ben Whiting. Choreographers include Mercer, Cheryl Madeux, Nick Paone and Kellie Stamp.

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