6th Annual Youth Chess Tournament

SIXTH ANNUAL YOUTH CHESS TOURNAMENT
WITH FIDE MASTER ALEC GETZ, 14

New York, NY – September 8, 2008 — The Central Park Conservancy, New York City Department of Parks &Recreation and Pegasus Media Productions announce the FREE 6th Annual Youth Chess Tournament on Sunday, September 21st, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., at the Chess and Checkers House in Central Park with FIDE Master Alec Getz, 14. Following the tournament and lecture, there will be a “Simul” (simultaneous chess play wherein Getz will move from board to board, making one move at a time) available to the first 15 registered participants. This is a a three-round rated, Game 20 tournament open to children (K-9). Only the first 70 players registered will be able to participate in the three section tournament: Open, Under 1000 and Non-Rated. There will also be a celebration party during the lunch break featuring musical guest, Violinist Christina Sunnerstam. A complimentary lunch will be served.

FIDE Master Alec Getz, 14, was the Gold Medal winner at the 2008 Pan-American Youth Championship (Boys Under 16 section) in Argentina. The U.S. team won 7 medals but Getz was the only team member to win a Gold Medal. Getz was automatically awarded the FIDE Master title and earned an International Master Norm for his performance at the Pan-American Youth event.

Getz is in the 9th grade at Hunter College High School in New York City. In kindergarten, he began his keen interest in chess under the guidance of Hunter’s renowned chess instructor, Sunil Weeramantry. Getz has won three New York Scholastic Championships, four New York State Scholastic Championships, four National Scholastic Championships and since 2004, he was a member of the All American Chess Team four times. He became a National Master when he was only 13½ and currently holds a U.S. Chess Federation rating of 2242. Getz aspires to become a Grandmaster. Aside from chess, Getz enjoys handball, tennis and playing guitar and the piano. He resides in New York City with his parents, Deren and Barbara, and younger brother, Anders.

Violinist Christina Sunnerstam performed last month at the Koupio Festival in Finland. Sunnerstam, who is also a Conductor, led the Koupio Chamber Orchestra. She has performed Stephen Sondheim’s Solo Violin Sonata at the Barbican Hall in the New York Premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music for the Wall to Wall Sondheim Festival. Sunnerstam has recorded the complete chamber music of Eric Wolfgang Korngold. Passionate about contemporary composers, Sunnerstam has performed Aaron J. Kernis and Richard Einhorn on Italian and Swiss Television. Currently, Sunnerstam is collaborating with Ned Rorem on a special Chamber Orchestra version of his Violin Concerto created expressly for her. An accomplished soloist, Suunerstam has performed with the New York Pops, including solo performances at Avery Fisher and Alice Tully Hall. A student of Sven Karpe at the Swedish Royal Academy, Sunnerstam has had master classes with Max Rostal. As the principal violinists of the White Oak Dance Company, Sunnerstam toured with Mikhail Baryshnikov throughout Europe. She currently resides in New York City with her husband, Conductor Charles Prince and son, Felix.

Space is limited and registration is required. Only the first 15 registered participants will be able to participate in the Simul and only the first 70 registered will participate in the 6th Annual Youth Chess Tournament. To register, www.crossgenerationchess.com, crossgeneration@aol.com or (917) 822-3141.

About the Central Park Conservancy
The mission of the Central Park Conservancy is to restore, manage, and preserve Central Park, in partnership with the public, for the enjoyment of current and future generations. Since its founding in 1980, the Conservancy has developed and implemented a major management and restoration plan; performed major capital improvements; created programs for volunteers and visitors; built an endowment to ensure continued Park maintenance; and set new standards of excellence in Park care.

About the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
Parks & Recreation is the steward of almost 29,000 acres of land–14 percent of New York City–including more than 4,000 individual properties ranging from Yankee Stadium and Central Park to community gardens and Greenstreets. We operate more than 800 athletic fields and nearly 1,000 playgrounds. We manage four major stadia, 550 tennis courts, 52 public pools, 48 recreational facilities, 17 nature centers, 13 golf courses, and 14 miles of beaches. We care for 1,200 monuments and 22 historic house museums. We look after 600,000 street trees, and two million more in parks. We are New York City’s principal providers of athletic facilities. We are home to free concerts, world-class sports events, and cultural festivals. For more information about Parks, visit our website: www.nyc.gov/parks.

About Pegasus Media Productions
Pegasus Media Productions, Inc. is a company that promotes non-profit chess events, produces television musical events, radio and children’s programs. Pegasus is focused on promoting community-based projects for positive initiatives, changes and building a more harmonious, civil society.