The new Pennsylvania Academy of Music at 42 N. Prince St. — and its Steinman Recital Hall — is ready for the inaugural concert season, which begins tonight and runs through May 3.
La Bernardinia kicks off Academy of Music's concert series tonight.
"We are very excited," says Frances Veri, the founder of the academy along with her husband, Michael Jamanis.
"The ambiance of the recital hall is really wonderful. It just envelops you with a wonderful sound. And there's a professionalism to the whole thing, which you should expect when you go to a concert hall."
The $25-million project was completed in June, and a summer music series helped get the public acquainted with the new school building and recital hall.
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Three new concert series have been added in addition to the longstanding Next Generation Chamber Music Series and the Twilight Concert Series, which opens tonight at 8 p.m..
Tonight's concert will feature Ensemble La Bernardinia, a quartet specializing in baroque music. The musicians play a recorder, baroque oboe, viola da gamba and harpsichord.
The concert will feature works by Telemann, Bach, Vivaldi and others.
Tickets are $25 for adults and $12.50 for students with I.D.
The Twilight series features both academy artists and guest performers from around the world on select Fridays throughout the year.
The American Inspired Series will feature concerts and multi-media programs focusing on American composers. To kick off the series, Veri and Jamanis will perform an all- Gershwin program on Sept. 26, which is the 110th anniversary of George Gershwin's birth.
The Beethoven Piano and Colloquia Series will feature eight concerts featuring all 32 of Beethoven's piano sonatas performed by Ann Koscielny. It will be held the first Sunday of the month from October through May.
"She is world renowned for her Beethoven," says Veri.
The Jazz at the Academy series will kick off on Dec. 6 with the Mitchell-Ruff Jazz Duo and will feature two other concerts.
And the students of the academy will be featured in the Next Generation Chamber Music series, with concerts held in November and December.
Call 399-9733 for more information about the concerts. Or go to
www.pamusacad.org.
Staff writer Jane Holahan can be reached at jholahan@LNPnews.com or 481-6016.
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