Now Hear This: College Students Can Attend Unlimited Philadelphia Orchestra Concerts for $25

(Philadelphia, September 16, 2013)—College students from throughout the region can attend an unlimited number of concerts by the renowned Philadelphia Orchestra under the popular eZseatU membership program, one that is unmatched throughout the country.

The program kicks off Tuesday, October 15, at 8 PM, at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts with a Free College Concert led by Orchestra Associate Conductor Cristian Măcelaru. The performance includes Tchaikovsky’s Polonaise from Eugene Onegin; Strauss’s Don Juan; Abe’s Prism Rhapsody for marimba and orchestra, featuring Won Suk Lee, winner in the Senior Division of the Philadelphia Orchestra 2013 Albert M. Greenfield Student Competition; Falla’s Suite No. 2 from The Three-Cornered Hat; and Ravel’s Bolero.  

The program, now in its sixth season, also includes a performance by Temple University’s Diamond Marching Band performing outside the Kimmel Center before the concert, along with entertainment by local university mascots. After the concert, entertainment will be provided by jazz musician Luke Carlos O’Reilly in the Kimmel Center lobby during a party that includes free food and drinks and that will be attended by Orchestra musicians.

Designed for college students, the eZseatU membership program offers unprecedented access to in-demand concert tickets at a fraction of the cost. As an integral part of the Orchestra’s online college ticket program, eZseatU is geared toward full-time students who have an appreciation for the arts but who may not have the means to enjoy them. Last year alone, nearly 1,800 college students took advantage of the program and used approximately 5,230 eZseatU tickets throughout the concert season.

To purchase an eZseatU annual membership, visit www.philorch.org/ezseatu to create an account and pay the one-time fee of $25. Members then reserve spots online beginning each Tuesday for a concert that week and print the free ticket. Students must bring a valid student ID to gain admission. Additional tickets for up to four full-time student guests are available for just $8 each. If a concert sells out, there is still an opportunity to get in. Student rush tickets are available at the Box Office 90 minutes prior to the start of each performance for just $8.

The benefits to eZseatU are endless, with everything from discounts at area restaurants to access to post-concert events such as the popular College Art Night exhibition in the spring, a post-concert event featuring the artistic talents of students along with free food, drinks, live music, and the opportunity to mingle with musicians of The Philadelphia Orchestra.  

The eZseatU program is part of The Philadelphia Orchestra’s decades-long tradition of presenting learning and community engagement opportunities for listeners of all ages across the Delaware Valley. 

For more information or to purchase a membership, visit www.philorch.org/ezseatu.

About eZseatU

Funded by PNC Arts Alive, the eZseatU membership program provides full-time students access to all Philadelphia Orchestra Kimmel Center subscription performances for just $25 per year. Memberships are valid from October through May and must be renewed each year. Individuals must be full-time students and have a valid student ID to participate. Seating location is dependent on availability. eZseatU members must have access to the internet and a printer, as well as a valid credit card to participate.

About The Philadelphia Orchestra

The Philadelphia Orchestra is one of the preeminent orchestras in the world, renowned for its distinctive sound, desired for its keen ability to capture the hearts and imaginations of audiences, and admired for a legacy of innovation in music-making. The Orchestra is inspiring the future and transforming its rich tradition of achievement, sustaining the highest level of artistic quality, but also challenging—and exceeding—that level by creating powerful musical experiences for audiences at home and around the world.

Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin triumphantly opened his inaugural season as the eighth artistic leader of The Philadelphia Orchestra in the fall of 2012. His highly collaborative style, deeply-rooted musical curiosity, and boundless enthusiasm, paired with a fresh approach to orchestral programming, have been heralded by critics and audiences alike. The New York Times has called Nézet-Séguin “phenomenal,” adding that under his baton, “the ensemble … has never sounded better.” He is embraced by the musicians of the Orchestra, audiences, and the community itself. His concerts of diverse repertoire attract sold-out houses, and he has established a regular forum for connecting with concert-goers through Post-Concert Conversations.

Under Nézet-Séguin’s leadership the Orchestra returns to recording with a newly-released CD on the Deutsche Grammophon label of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and Leopold Stokowski transcriptions. In his inaugural season the Orchestra has also returned to the radio airwaves, with weekly Sunday afternoon broadcasts on WRTI-FM.

Philadelphia is home and the Orchestra nurtures an important relationship not only with patrons who support the main season at the Kimmel Center but also those who enjoy the Orchestra’s other area performances at the Mann Center, Penn’s Landing, and other venues. The Philadelphia Orchestra Association also continues to own the Academy of Music, a National Historic Landmark.

The Philadelphia Orchestra maintains a strong commitment to collaborations with cultural and community organizations on a regional and national level. Since Orchestra President and CEO Allison Vulgamore’s arrival in 2010 the Orchestra has reinvigorated or launched new partnerships with Opera Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Ballet, Philadelphia Live Arts (Fringe Festival), Philadanco, the Curtis Institute of Music, the Ridge Theater Company, and stage director James Alexander, among others.

Through concerts, tours, residencies, presentations, and recordings, the Orchestra is a global ambassador for Philadelphia and for the United States. Having been the first American orchestra to perform in China, in 1973 at the request of President Nixon, today The Philadelphia Orchestra boasts a new partnership with the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing. The ensemble annually performs at Carnegie Hall while also enjoying a three-week residency in Saratoga Springs, New York, and a strong partnership with the Bravo! Vail festival.

The Philadelphia Orchestra continues its decades-long tradition of presenting learning and community engagement opportunities for listeners of all ages across the Delaware Valley. Concerts for families and schoolchildren; eZseatU, which allows full-time college students to attend an unlimited number of Orchestra concerts for a $25 annual membership fee; free Neighborhood Concerts; and PreConcert Conversations before every subscription concert are only a few examples of ways in which the Orchestra introduces orchestral music to a new generation of listeners. Musician-led initiatives, including recent highly-successful Cello and Violin Play-Ins, shine a spotlight on the Orchestra’s musicians, as they spread out from the stage into the community, and serve a key role in growing young musician talent and a love of classical music in their own dedicated roles as teachers, coaches, and mentors.   

For more information on The Philadelphia Orchestra, please visit www.philorch.org.

About PNC Arts Alive

PNC Arts Alive is a multi-year, multi-million dollar initiative from the PNC Foundation that supports visual and performing arts groups with the goal of increasing arts access and engagement. For more information on PNC Arts Alive and the grant recipients, visit www.PNCARTSALIVE.com.