Youth Arts Plays Blues in New Rochelle

Young people playing blues will liven up the grounds of Saturday and Sunday as the Youth Arts Forum raises money to fight cystic fibrosis.

About 20 musicians will be performing at the from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at Wildcliff, which is located at 44 Wildcliff Rd. in New Rochelle.

Cortlandt Manor 14-year-old resident Christopher McGinnis, a pianist and singer/songwriter, will be performing on Saturday.

He will be playing a variety of songs, including some original music and some by Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock.

McGinnis said he likes to do concerts that are for a cause.

"It makes me happy to help out," he said. "It can't get any better than playing music and helping people out."

Barry Salottolo, the director and founder of Youth Arts Forum, said the weekend's programs are part of a series of concerts his organization has done of the the last three to four years.

He said it was a natural for the young people to want to help the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation because a couple of the forum's members have the disease.

"It much closer to home," Salottolo said.

He said the nonprofit organization engages young people from all over Westchester County locally and the United States and South America as well.

Salottolo said the organization is always looking to get more young people involved in the arts, especially since more and more school programs are cutting back on art and music programs.

"When young people come and see the kids perform, they get interested in the joining," he said.

Tickets can be purchased at www.youthartsinfo.com or at the gate the days of the performances. The concert is inconjunction with Incoming Tide Entertainment.