UNIVERSITY PARK — The Nittany Valley Symphony will present “America at 250,” a concert celebrating America’s vast musical heritage, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19, in Penn State’s Eisenhower Auditorium.
Tickets are $29 including fees for adults, and $9 including fees for students and youth, and may be purchased at https://bit.ly/NVS_America250_tickets or by calling 814-231-8224.
The program will feature a range of American musical idioms — including jazz, classical, film music, musical theater and the symphonic tradition — that highlight how American music shaped the 20th century. Included in the program will be Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Suite from “On the Waterfront” and William Grant Still’s Poem for Orchestra, in addition to works by Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and John Williams.
“In 2026, the United States marks its 250th anniversary, a milestone that invites a celebration of the American voices that have shaped the cultural imagination both at home and abroad,” said
Timothy Farrand, the orchestra’s music director and conductor. “For this concert, I chose works by some of those voices that influenced our musical evolution over a period in which American composers helped redefine the global artistic landscape.”
Among the composers and musical traditions highlighted will be:
Cole Porter and the Golden Age of Broadway, with selections from Anything Goes and Kiss Me, Kate;
Irving Berlin, whose popular show tunes such as “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “Easter Parade” and “White Christmas” will appear on this program alongside “God Bless America,” Berlin's poignant prayer for peace and guidance in uncertain times;
William Grant Still, whose Poem for Orchestra offers a moving orchestral meditation on hope and resilience;
John Williams, whose scores for films such as Jurassic Park profoundly shaped modern cinematic sound by reintroducing symphonic grandeur to audiences; and
Leonard Bernstein, whose music for Candide and On the Waterfront helped cement his status as one of America’s most electrifying musical figures.
“This program has a little bit of something for everyone. That is the beauty of American music: it is a mix of many different styles and genres,” said Farrand. “From jazz to popular song, from Broadway to Hollywood, this program highlights the many corners of our diverse musical culture in this country.”
Parking is $5.60 per vehicle when reserved in advance or $10 starting at midnight on the day of the performance. Patrons may make a reservation through the parking start time (typically two hours prior to the event) or until reservations have sold out. Parking is assigned for a deck near the event and will be searchable by that event. Visit https://cpa.psu.edu/parking for more details about parking.
The Nittany Valley Symphony relies on support from generous donors and sponsors to help cover the costs involved in presenting both our performances and our educational and community engagement programming. Thank you to our season sponsor, Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, and to all of our contributors for their selfless investment in our tradition of artistic excellence and community service. Learn more at https://www.nvs.org/ or contact Executive Director Rebecca Richards at 814-231-8224 or rebecca@nvs.org.
