Calling All College Students: Unlimited Philadelphia Orchestra Concerts For Just $25

Funded by PNC Arts Alive, eZseatU Makes the Arts Accessible: Kicks Off Fifth Season with  October 11 Free College Concert at the Kimmel Center

(Philadelphia, September 12, 2012)—The Philadelphia Orchestra today announced it will kick off its fifth season of the eZseatU membership program with a free concert on Thursday, October 11, at 8 PM at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. Students are invited to join Assistant Conductor Cristian Macelaru and The Philadelphia Orchestra as they gear up for an exciting 2012-13 concert season. This unforgettable performance will feature Liszt’s Les Préludes, Saint-Saëns’s Cello Concerto No. 1 (performed on tuba by Principal Tuba Carol Jantsch), City Scenes: Three Urban Dances for Orchestra by Karim Al-Zand, and Excerpts from Romeo and Juliet by Prokofiev.

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 towards full-time students who have an appreciation for the arts, but who may not have the means to enjoy them. Last year alone, over 2,000 college students took advantage of the Free College Concert, and over 4,800 eZseatU tickets were used throughout the concert season.

“As a music-lover, I was extremely excited to attend a university in Philadelphia, where I could take advantage of the art and culture in town,” commented Amalya Lehmann, a senior at the University of Pennsylvania. “Because my academic interests lie in opera and chamber music, I found myself automatically drawn to those types of performances. Thanks to eZseatU, ever since my freshman year I have found myself attending Philadelphia Orchestra concerts almost every week of the academic year. Not only do I have the chance to hear one of the best orchestras in the world perform weekly for free, but it is also a wonderful opportunity to attend a performance with friends and to meet fellow music-lovers.”

Purchasing an eZseatU annual membership has never been easier. Simply visit www.philorch.org/ezseatu to create an account, pay the one-time fee of $25, and free concert tickets are just a click away. Reserve your spot online each Tuesday before the concert of your choice, print the free ticket, and bring along with a valid student ID to gain admission. Additional tickets for up to four full-time student guests are available for just $8 each. The benefits to eZseatU are endless, with everything from discounts at area restaurants to exclusive access to post-concert events featuring live music, food, musician meet-and-greets, and more. 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.

For more information or to purchase a membership today, 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

Renowned for its distinctive sound, beloved for its keen ability to capture the hearts and imaginations of audiences, and admired for an unrivaled legacy of “firsts” in music-making, The Philadelphia Orchestra is one of the preeminent orchestras in the world.

The Philadelphia Orchestra has cultivated an extraordinary history of artistic leaders in its 112 seasons, including music directors Fritz Scheel, Carl Pohlig, Leopold Stokowski, Eugene Ormandy, Riccardo Muti, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Christoph Eschenbach, and Charles Dutoit, who served as chief conductor from 2008 to 2012. With the 2012-13 season, Yannick Nézet-Séguin becomes the eighth music director of The Philadelphia Orchestra. Named music director designate in 2010, Nézet-Séguin brings a vision that extends beyond symphonic music into the vivid world of opera and choral music.

Philadelphia is home and the Orchestra nurtures an important relationship not only with patrons who support the main season at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts 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—as it has since 1957.

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 Orchestra annually performs at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center while also enjoying a three-week residency in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and a strong partnership with the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival.

The ensemble maintains an important Philadelphia tradition of presenting educational programs for students of all ages. Today the Orchestra executes a myriad of education and community partnership programs serving over 45,000 annually, including its Neighborhood Concert Series, Sound All Around and Family Concerts, and eZseatU.

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

About PNC Arts Alive

PNC Arts Alive is a five-year, $5 million investment 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.