Editor's Note: This story originally appeared in AlumnInsider, the Penn State Alumni Association's monthly member e-newsletter. You can click here for information on becoming a member, and you can follow the Alumni Association on Facebook and Twitter for more stories and updates on events.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The 10th annual Penn State President’s Concert is scheduled for March 1 at the Forum Auditorium in Harrisburg. Admission to the concert is free and does not require registration, although registration is open for the pre-concert reception in the Main Rotunda at the State Capitol Building.The concert will feature performances by Penn State’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Centre Dimensions jazz ensemble, and Concert Choir, and will begin at 7:30 p.m. in The Forum Auditorium. Admission is complimentary.
The Symphonic Wind Ensemble is the premier wind/percussion ensemble in the School of Music, with the 40-member ensemble comprising the finest wind and percussion instrumentalists on the University Park campus. Centre Dimensions, the premier 20-piece jazz ensemble at Penn State, performs frequently on campus and tours throughout Pennsylvania and the East. The Concert Choir has performed extensively within Pennsylvania and has also undertaken numerous overseas tours to countries including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Great Britain and Australia.
Details and registration information are available on the Penn State Alumni Association website, with Alumni Association members receiving a discount for the pre-concert reception. Special seating for the concert will also be reserved for reception attendees.
The concert atmosphere is a combination of Penn Staters hearing the students for the first time in interesting venues and faculty members familiar with the students having an opportunity to support them on the road, said Director of the School of Music Sue Haug, adding that the outstanding venues provide such great acoustics that people who’ve already heard the students say it’s like seeing them perform for the first time again.
For their part, the students become inspired, Haug said, given the surroundings and their audience.
“Performing for alumni and friends of the University is part of what creates this unique Penn State family, and students recognize that they are part of a great community,” she said. “Many in the audience, of course, are family and friends of the performers, but many others are simply loyal Penn State alumni who appreciate the opportunity to support Penn State.”
Penn State’s School of Music started this annual event a decade ago, with strong support from the President’s office and in partnership with the Alumni Association, Haug said. The concerts provide an opportunity for music enthusiasts and University supporters to meet and hear talent from Penn State, in addition to the performances doubling as a recruiting opportunity for future students.
Previously, the President’s Concert has been held in Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York, with this year marking the first visit to Harrisburg.
Below is more information on how to attend the upcoming President’s Concert and pre-concert reception on March 1 in Harrisburg.
Pre-concert reception detailsThe Alumni Association will host a reception from 6-7 p.m. in the Main Rotunda of the State Capitol Building. Alumni and friends can enjoy hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, and socializing with other Penn Staters.Admission to the reception is $35 for Alumni Association members; $50 for non-members; $10 for students ages 6-17; and free for children age 5 and under. Please register by Feb. 23. Those attending the reception will be escorted to reserved seating for the President's Concert.
For more details, click here. To register for the pre-concert reception, click here.