Nittany Valley Symphony to perform Rachmaninoff, Dvořák in ‘From the New World’ at Eisenhower Auditorium

The Nittany Valley Symphony will perform two celebrated orchestral works at Penn State next week as part of its 60th anniversary season.

The concert, titled “From the New World,” is set to begin at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12, at Eisenhower Auditorium. It will feature Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, also known as the “New World” Symphony.

The program is part of the orchestra’s celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, presenting works influenced by the composers’ experiences in the United States.

Tickets cost $34 for adults and $9 for students and children 18 years or younger. Tickets are available through the Arts Ticket Center online, by phone at 814-863-0255 or in person at Eisenhower Auditorium from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Purchasing by phone or in person saves $4 per ticket.

Visitors with valid Penn State University Park faculty, staff or student parking permits can park at the Eisenhower Parking Deck without paying an event parking fee. Other visitors can reserve parking for $5.60 per vehicle in advance through ParkWhiz. Day-of parking reservations cost $10 through Honk, beginning at midnight on Nov. 12, and are available until 10 a.m. or until spaces sell out.

Pianist Ian Duh will make his solo debut with the symphony during the performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. According to the Center for Performing Arts, the piece moves between darker, introspective passages and more hopeful melodies while showcasing the technical demands on the piano solo.

The orchestra will perform all four movements of Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9. Written following the composer’s time in the United States, the work draws on musical influences he encountered here, including African American spirituals and Native American musical traditions. Its melodies reflect his interpretation of the country’s musical and cultural landscape.

The Nittany Valley Symphony was established in 1967 as a nonprofit organization and performs with a mix of professional and amateur musicians. The orchestra is led by Music Director and Conductor Timothy Farrand, with Rebecca Richards serving as executive director. Its mission is to provide live symphonic music and enrich the State College community.

The concert is part of a busy season at Eisenhower Auditorium, with several other performances scheduled in the coming months. Upcoming November performances include Shanghai Ballet’s production of “Giselle” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5 and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8. Penn State’s Philharmonic Orchestra is set to take the stage on Nov. 10, followed by The Nittany Valley Symphony on Nov. 12 and Penn State’s campus orchestra on Nov. 16.

The auditorium’s schedule also includes the annual “Mosaic” concert on Dec. 6, Nittany Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” on Dec. 12 and 13, the Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Concert on Jan. 23 and the Broadway musical “Shucked” on Feb. 2.

More information about the concert, parking and accessibility services is available at nvs.org and cpa.psu.edu.