Natasha Merchant never had any aspirations to play the oboe.  She began playing piano at age 5, and when it came time to pick an instrument for 6th grade band, no one else wanted to try.  Her band director handed her the oboe; so “I tried it and kind of liked it,” says Natasha. Of course, in the beginning, no…

Many people have expressed an interest in learning what it’s actually like to BE a musician.  We thought we would share some stories and profiles of our musicians so you can learn how our day-to-day lives work.  Here Ruth Ann Ritchie, our Executive Director, shares her thoughts:   My “day job,” like that of many musicians, is teaching music lessons. …

Astraios is the grateful recipient of a challenge grant!  During December, all donations up to $5,000 will be matched, which means that every donation you make can go twice as far.    Every little bit helps our 2012 season and furthering our goals of connecting audiences and performers.  And since Astraios is a non-profit organization, don’t forget to get your donation…

           Many, many thanks to everyone who came to hear our August 27th concert! You may remember that we announced that this was the inaugural concert of “The August Winds,” even though many of you saw us perform in the summer of 2010.  Here’s the history of our 11-year-old quintet:  The five members of the August Winds originally…

One of the newest improvements to the Astraios website is our new blog.  Here we’ll be featuring profiles of Astraios musicians, commenting on the music world around us, and keeping you up-to-date with all the Astraios news.  We hope you’ll find this a fun and entertaining read.  Feel free to contact us if you have suggestions on any topics! As…

Our new website is up and running! In addition to being able to find the same info and music as before, in a quicker and more streamlined fashion, you’ll also have the ability to stay up to date with our current activities, with easier access to our updates on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. We’ll also be able…