Alumni Association event to showcase student talent

Alumni Association event to showcase student talent

School of Music students in the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, top left, Concert Choir, top right, Centre Dimensions, bottom left, and Philharmonic Orchestra, bottom right, will perform in the City Lights President's Concert at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh on March 3.

University Park, Pa. -- Several of the School of Music's top performing ensembles will hit the road for a special performance March 3 at Pittsburgh's Heinz Hall. The Penn State President's Concert, hosted by President Graham B. Spanier, is part of the Penn State Alumni Association's City Lights program. The evening will showcase students in the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, conducted by Dennis Glocke; Concert Choir, conducted by Lynn Drafall; Centre Dimensions jazz ensemble, conducted by Dan Yoder; and Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Gerardo Edelstein, performing Bach to Stravinsky, lively jazz to grand opera overtures.

Prior to the concert, attendees can join the Penn State Alumni Association for a pre-concert reception and short presentation on the highlights of the evening's program. Also prior to the concert, the School of Music and Penn State Admissions will hold informational sessions in Heinz Hall for students interested in attending Penn State. Contact the School of Music or visit the Web at http://www.music.psu.edu for details.

The Penn State School of Music offers a comprehensive music program including a wide range of degrees. It also features more than 150 concerts each semester, on campus and in the community. In addition, student ensembles and faculty perform throughout the Commonwealth, nation and abroad.

The President's Concert is one in a series of City Lights events organized by the Penn State Alumni Association. From February through June, the City Lights program will reach out to Penn Staters in four major East Coast cities with some of the highest concentrations of alumni -- Philadelphia (75,000), the New York metro area (22,000), Pittsburgh (41,000) and Baltimore/Washington, D.C. (26,000).

In addition to the March 3 President's Concert, the Alumni Association has the following City Lights programs planned:

-- On Feb. 14, Penn Staters will have a special viewing of Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs exhibit at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. Before the 8 p.m. tour, Penn State's internationally renowned Egyptologist Donald Redford will discuss ancient Egypt and King Tut at a dessert reception. This program already is at capacity, although those interested in attending can join a waiting list.

-- A week later, City Lights moves to Manhattan for a reception on Wall Street. During the Feb. 21 networking event at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, J. Randall Woolridge, the Goldman Sachs and Frank B. Smeal endowed University Fellow and professor of finance, will discuss strategic investing.

-- Penn State Day at the National Aquarium in Baltimore on Feb. 24 will be the third City Lights event. Early entry, special family activities, resume reviews and networking events will be part of this program.

-- Penn State Stars is on April 5 at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh. Distinguished members of the astronomy faculty will discuss in layman's terms the latest research on black holes, quasars, the search for extra-solar planets and the Swift satellite. A reception is included.

-- Penn State Night on May 5 at the Pittsburgh Symphony in Heinz Hall will feature a pre-concert "Penn State Insiders" program and reception. Part of the Mellon Grand Classics series, the symphony will perform Gershwin's "An American in Paris" conducted by Principal Guest Conductor Yan Pascal Tortelier.

-- Family Day at Longwood Gardens is on June 10 in the Philadelphia area. Penn Staters can visit 40 outdoor and indoor gardens including a popular children's garden along with Penn State's Agricultural Sciences dean and faculty members.

All City Lights events are open to Penn State alumni and friends and vary widely in terms of ticket prices, with some City Lights events being free with pre-registration. For more information, including exact times and ticket prices for each event, or to register, go to http://www.alumni.psu.edu/events/ or call 800-548-LION, option 5.

The Penn State Alumni Association is the largest dues-paying alumni association in the world with more than 159,000 members. Established in 1870, the Alumni Association connects alumni to the University and to each other, provides valuable benefits to members and supports the University's mission of teaching, research and service. The Penn State Alumni Association oversees hundreds of annual programs and events designed to inform, involve and inspire Penn State alumni. For more information on the Alumni Association, go to http://www.alumni.psu.edu online.