Wynton Marsalis’ Final Tour With Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra to Stop at Penn State 

Legendary musician Wynton Marsalis will bring the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra to Penn State next week for a performance as part of  his final season leading the renowned ensemble. 

The orchestra will perform “Marsalis’ Swinging Cities” at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, in Eisenhower Auditorium as part of a national tour celebrating the global influence of jazz. The program features original compositions inspired by Marsalis’ travels and experiences in cities across the world. 

Tickets are $69 for adults, $14 for University Park students and $23 for people 18 and younger. A VIP experience is also available. Tickets can be purchased online through the Arts Ticket Center. Buyers can avoid the $4 online fee by calling 814-863-0255 or visiting the Eisenhower Auditorium box office on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

The concert’s program draws inspiration from three international destinations: Vitoria in Spain’s Basque region, Shanghai in China and Marciac, a medieval town in southwestern France. Each location helped shape compositions that reflect the musical traditions, people and experiences Marsalis encountered during his decades on the road. 

“This is a celebration of the uncommon embrace and unflagging support I have received from different cities during my nearly five decades on the road,” Marsalis said in a statement. 

The tour comes during Marsalis’ final season as artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center and music director of the orchestra. He has been a leading figure in the organization for decades, helping promote jazz through performances, education and programming. 

The Penn State performance will mark the orchestra’s eighth appearance at the university. Marsalis has also performed at Eisenhower Auditorium with a sextet and appeared in a 2020 virtual performance of “The Democracy Suite!” with his septet. 

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra is a 15-member ensemble based in New York City. Its repertoire spans traditional jazz standards and original compositions, with performances highlighting the genre’s history and continued influence. 

Marsalis is a Grammy-winning trumpeter and composer who has helped bring jazz to audiences around the world. In 1997, he became the first jazz musician to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music for his composition “Blood on the Fields.” 

Eisenhower Auditorium is certified by KultureCity as a sensory-friendly venue. Guests can use a designated quiet space on the lounge level or borrow items such as noise-reducing earmuffs, anti-strobe glasses, lap pads and other sensory tools. The KultureCity app provides a pre-visit social story to help guests prepare for their visit. 

More information about the performance, accessibility services, VIP experience and post-event activities is available through the Center for the Performing Arts.