Nittany Valley Symphony to host free concert Feb. 24 in Eisenhower Auditorium

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Nittany Valley Symphony invites casual and serious listeners of symphonic works to attend its annual Family Concert at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, in Eisenhower Auditorium. Accomplished musicians from the Centre Region will perform a live concert featuring some of the most recognizable pieces in the classical music storybook genre.

The general-admission family concert is free and open to the public; no registration is required. The concert will be livestreamed on the symphony’s website for those who can’t attend in person.

Parking is $5.50 per vehicle when reserved in advance or $10 starting at midnight on the day of the performance. Visit the Parking website for more details about parking and to make a reservation.

Call 814-231-8224 or visit Nittany Valley Symphony online for more information about the concert or to access the livestream.

“For this concert, I designed a one-hour program to keep it accessible for younger audiences,” Nittany Valley Symphony Music Director Timothy Farrand said.

The symphony conductor and Penn State School of Music graduate said the program is designed to delight audiences with selections featuring shorter movements with plenty of symphonic contrast, including:

• Maurice Ravel’s "Mother Goose Suite," a magical journey through beloved fairy tales brought to life with shimmering orchestral colors and charm.
• The first movement of George Gershwin’s "Piano Concerto in F," a virtuosic and jazz-infused blend of rhythmic energy and classical brilliance, performed by Anh Nguyen, this year’s Ann Keller Young Soloist Competition Winner.
• Sergei Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf,” a captivating musical tale where each instrument brings the characters to life, narrated by Jill Campbell.

A concert for everyone

Farrand said there are strong pop-culture connections in the program that audiences of all ages will recognize and enjoy.

“Ravel transformed classic French fairy tales into musical storytelling,” he said, in a piece that sets to classical music children’s tales including “Beauty and the Beast,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Tom Thumb” and more.

“‘Peter and the Wolf’ has been featured in numerous films and TV shows, including ‘A Christmas Story,’” Farrand said. “These references offer a fun way for kids to connect the music to stories they already know and love.”

Another appeal for some attendees or families with young children is that everyone gets to witness truly local, quality talent performing accessible classical music in about an hour and with no intermission, said Nancy VanLandingham, symphony marketing spokesperson and longtime ensemble violinist.

“It’s never too soon to start introducing children to music,” she said. “It is thrilling to see so many children and multi-generational families in our audience.”

Farrand said he sees a variety of new and familiar faces at the family concerts.

“I often see parents who are slightly nervous about how their children will behave,” he said. “But every time I conduct a family program, I watch kids become completely mesmerized by the orchestra—the sheer scale of the ensemble, the lighting, the venue, the storytelling, and, of course, the beauty and energy of the music itself.”

Parking details

Parking is $5.50 per vehicle when reserved in advance or $10 starting at midnight on the day of the performance. You can make a reservation until 10 a.m. the day of the performance or until reservations have sold out. Parking is assigned for a deck near the event and will be searchable by that event. Visit Parkmobile online to reserve parking.

Visit Parking online for more details about parking.

Sensory accommodations

Eisenhower Auditorium is certified by KultureCity as a sensory-friendly venue, which welcome to patrons of all sensory sensitivities at its performances. Upon request, patrons can sign out a variety of items to accommodate your visit, including noise-reducing earmuffs, anti-strobe glasses, lap pads and fidget toys.

Learn more about the some of the available Accessibility services.

Find us

Learn more at Nittany Valley Symphony, or contact marketing spokesperson Nancy VanLandingham at nancy@nancyvl.com.