Virgin Entertainment Group Unveils Program in Boston to Support Student Musicians

Business Wire, April 8, 2002

Entertainment Editors

LOS ANGELES--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--April 8, 2002

Virgin Megastore, Boston and City Councilor Michael Ross

Present Music Scholarship Check While the Megastore Opens

its Doors to Showcase Local Talent

Virgin Entertainment Group, North America, announced today its Student Showcase Program that will start this week at Virgin Megastore Boston. The program will allow classical and jazz musicians from local Boston music colleges to perform mini-recitals in front of the Boston community every Thursday, starting April 11, 2002. The program will be kicked off this week as Virgin Entertainment Group presents a scholarship check to Berklee College of Music.

To show Virgin Entertainment Group's appreciation and support of classical and jazz music, Virgin Megastore Boston will host two-hour live performances showcasing students from Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory of Music and The Boston Conservatory, every Thursday afternoon from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

This Thursday, to celebrate the start of the Student Showcase Program, Boston City Councilor Mike Ross, and Greg Harrington, store manager, Virgin Megastore Boston, will present an oversized check in the amount of $1,000 to the director of corporate communications from Berklee College of Music, to be used towards scholarship funds, at 4:00 p.m.

The proceeds were raised at a silent auction held this past February at the grand opening reception of the Virgin Megastore Boston. VIPs bid `large and loud' on items including: an Aerosmith signed guitar and boxer shorts, signed Nine Inch Nails boxing gloves, Virgin Atlantic airline tickets, an X-Box console, a signed Rod Stewart soccer ball and more.

The Student Showcase recitals will christen the Virgin Megastore Steinway classical piano which will take place on the 3rd floor in Virgin Megastore's Classical/Jazz department.

"This program really advocates two of Virgin's missions to the Boston community," said Roger Ritchie, director of marketing, Virgin Entertainment Group, North America. "First, it will create a unique environment that will allow classical and jazz musicians an opportunity to showcase their talents center stage, and second, it gives something back to our customers -- live entertainment while they shop."

Every Thursday afternoon, a handful of student musicians will each have the chance to take the stage and perform original and vintage material in a 20-30 minute mini-recital to entertainment enthusiasts. The classical and jazz instrumental performance opportunities are open to all students from the colleges listed above, and the shows are free to the community.

Throughout April, as part of Virgin's `Find Your 3' promotion, customers can build their music collection as they choose from hundreds of specially priced classical and jazz titles when they purchase `3 CDs for $25.'

For more information on the scholarship check presentation, or to schedule an interview about the Student Showcase Program contact:

Krysty Walker
SJ Communications
818-881-3889, or email her at krystysjcomm@socal.rr.com

To participate in the Student Showcase Program contact:

Ned Arnold or Peter Laurence
Virgin Megastore Boston/Classical and Jazz Department
617-896-0950, Ext. 115

About Virgin Entertainment Group

Virgin Entertainment Group is the world's leading multi-channel music and entertainment retailer, providing customers with a range of superior entertainment experiences through a family of integrated Virgin-branded businesses. The "category killer" Virgin Megastores and Virgin Megastore Online at www.virginmega.com are integral parts of a strategy to provide entertainment customers with what they want, how they want it, and when they want it.

For more information, or to check out the location of the nearest Virgin retail go to www.virginmega.com.