Gannon University’s Erie Chamber Orchestra (ECO) has an amazing week planned to help close out a very successful 2012-2013 season. From May 31st through June 7th, ECO has activities planned across the city.

  • Friday, May 31st, members of ECO will present an Instrumental Petting Zoo for students at the Barber National Institute. Each student in attendance will have the opportunity to physically touch, hold, feel and play a violin, viola and cello. These activities will be lead by General Manager Steve Weiser, as well as violinists Howard Lyon and Lou Nicolia, violist Jennifer Jansen and cellist Ruth Ann Scanzillo. During this special event, the ECO will also be donating an upright piano at 9 a.m. to the senior center at the Barber National Institute. All transportation and tuning fees will be paid for by the ECO, and the orchestra will be in charge of maintaining the piano throughout the year.
  • Monday, June 3rd, at 2pm, the Orchestra will present a concert of silent film music for residents at the Springhill Retirement Community. This event, entitled ECO(s) of the Past, features music from the silent film era arranged for violin, clarinet, trombone, marimba and piano. A majority of this music has not been heard live in more than 75 years!
  • Tuesday, June 4th, from 8:20 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., members of Gannon University’s Erie Chamber Orchestra (ECO) in collaboration with Gannon’s Erie-GAINS initiative will present a second Instrumental Petting Zoo, this time at Pfeiffer-Burleigh Elementary School. Each student in attendance will have the opportunity to physically touch, hold, feel and play a violin, viola or cello. These activities will again lead by general manager Steve Weiser, as well as violinists Howard Lyon and Lou Nicolia, violist Jennifer Jansen and cellist Ruth Ann Scanzillo.
  • Thursday, June 6th, nationally recognized classical guitar soloist Nicholas Goluses will be presenting in-school music classes to students at Perry Elementary School. These visits will feature Goluses performing for the students, as well as interactive discussions, question and answer sessions, and much more. At the conclusion of these classes, the ECO will be donating aner upright piano to the music department at Perry Elementary. All transportation and tuning fees will be paid for by the ECO, and the orchestra will be in charge of maintaining the piano throughout the year.

    Friday, June 7th at McDowell Intermediate High School from 1-2:20 p.m., guitar soloist Nicholas Goluses will be working with students from the guitar class taught by Leslie Weber. Mr. Goluses will perform excerpts from his concerto Joaquin Rodrigo’s Fantasia para un gentilhombre, as well as offer technique and musical advice in a master class setting for the students.

    To conclude this amazing week, on Friday, June 7th at 7:30 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 707 Sassafras Street, Gannon University’s Erie Chamber Orchestra (ECO) will be presenting its season finale concert, A Night in Espana. This program, led by music director Matthew Kraemer, features nationally recognized classical guitar soloist Nicholas Goluses performing Rodrigo’s Fantasia para un gentilhombre. Music from de Falla, Turina and Halffter will round out this exciting event. For an added surprise event, the ECO will also be releasing its newly created app for Apple’s App Store live during the concert!