Park University’s International Center for Music continues its series of student orchestral concerts on February 25^th, at 7:30pm in the Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel. The program features 17 of the ICM students performing five baroque concertos. The concert is open to the public and admission is free.

Under the direction of Steven McDonald the concert will present works from Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, Georg Philipp Telemann, and George Frideric Handel. The selections represent an offering for both the classical music aficionado, but more importantly for those new to the orchestra as well.

“You have great variety,” McDonald said, “and there’s no one piece that is so long you will lose your interest. It is a parade of student soloists. The concertos are for all different instruments, one for piano, one for viola, one for two cellos, and one for two violins, so you have a variety of sound. Also, the entire length of the concert is very manageable, coming in at under an hour and fifteen minutes.”

Students come from around the world to study at the ICM, with its world renown staff and European apprenticeship tradition, the ICM is truly an international school. Students represent the United States, as well as Russia, China, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Moldova and Korea.

The caliber of the program is something that lives largely under the radar. The combination of the instructors, directors, and students bring together a nationally awarded group of talent that is housed within the grounds of the Parkville campus, offering rich experiences for the local community throughout the year.

When asked about what he wants the Park community to take away from these concerts, “I want them to say, I had no idea that we had this here,” McDonald said, “that it is so good, it’s enjoyable, it’s free and it’s part of my university experience.”