Former Assistant Conductor Kensho Watanabe Returns
Concert Launches the 2019–20 Season of the eZseatU College Student Ticket Program
(Philadelphia, September 16, 2019)—The return of a beloved conductor. Photobooth fun. Mingling with musicians. And, of course, an incredible concert … all for FREE! University and college students in the Philadelphia region will want to save the date for The Philadelphia Orchestra’s twelfth annual Free College Concert on Thursday, October 3, at 7:30 PM, at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets for the event, which kicks off the 2019–20 season of the eZseatU student ticket program, are available to all full-time college students in the Greater Philadelphia region at www.philorch.org (college ID must be presented at the event).
Beloved former Assistant Conductor Kensho Watanabe will return to lead a program featuring double bassist Gabriel Polinsky, the senior division winner of The Philadelphia Orchestra’s 2019 Albert M. Greenfield Student Competition, in the first Philadelphia Orchestra performance of Tubin’s Double Bass Concerto. The evening will conclude with a performance of Brahms’s Symphony No. 2.
Early arrival is encouraged for pre-concert entertainment beginning at 6:30 PM, including a photobooth, raffles to win prizes, a performance by the University of Pennsylvania Marching Band, and the opportunity to mix and mingle with musicians from Your Philadelphia Orchestra. Campus Philly, the Philadelphia Film Society, and Fringe Arts, among others, will also join in the fun, with representatives on site to share information with students.
eZseatU, now in its 12th season, offers full-time college students the opportunity to attend unlimited Philadelphia Orchestra performances all season long for an annual fee of $25. Annual eZseatU memberships can be purchased at www.philorch.org. Members can reserve spots online beginning each Tuesday for that week’s concerts and print the free ticket required for entry. Students must also present a valid student ID to gain admission. Additional tickets for up to four full-time student guests are available for $8 each for most performances.
The eZseatU program falls under the Access branch of The Philadelphia Orchestra’s HEAR initiative, a portfolio of programs that promotes Health and wellness, champions music Education, eliminates barriers to Accessing the Orchestra, and maximizes impact through Research. Generous support is provided by the Amy P. Goldman Foundation and an anonymous donor. For more information, visit www.philorch.org/eZseatU.
Free College Concert
October 3 at 7:30 PM––Thursday evening––Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Kensho Watanabe Conductor
Gabriel Polinsky Double Bass
Tubin Double Bass Concerto—First Philadelphia Orchestra Performance
Brahms Symphony No. 2
Every year, a free concert just for college students kicks off The Philadelphia Orchestra’s eZseatU program, where thousands of students fill Verizon Hall to experience the famous Philadelphia Sound. Pre-concert festivities are held in the Kimmel Center’s Commonwealth Plaza. A ticket, as well as a full-time college student ID, is required for entrance to the concert.
Tickets for the Free College Concert can be reserved online at www.philorch.org.
About The Philadelphia Orchestra
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CONTACTS:
Ashley Berke
215.893.1939
aberke@philorch.org
Natalie Lewis
215.893.3136
nlewis@philorch.org