Ithaca College will hold its traditional Commencement Eve Concert on Saturday, May 16, in Glazer Arena in the Athletics and Events Center. The 8:30 p.m. performance is free and open to the public and will be followed by a fireworks display.
There is no longer an open public dress rehearsal for the concert held on Friday night. Interested members of the local community are instead invited to attend the Commencement Eve Concert and fireworks on Saturday.
The theme of this year’s concert is “Together We Rise,” featuring a soul-stirring celebration of tenacity and triumph by student ensembles and soloists from the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. It will be directed by Mike Titlebaum, director of Jazz Studies and professor of music performance.
The concert will feature the Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra, Choir, and Jazz Ensemble; the Meteor Quintet, and senior student soloists Julia Wolff, Kaden Hawkins, and Noah Schuster.
The program will include Jacob Collier’s choral opus “World O World,” the West African folk tale “Anansi the Spider,” selections from West Side Story and Company , and the crowd-pleasers “Sweet Georgia Brown” and “Rainbow Connection.” As always, the concert will conclude with the alma mater, “Ithaca Forever.”
Ithaca College’s 131st Commencement ceremony will take place on Sunday, May 17, beginning at 10 a.m. in Glazer Arena. Visit ithaca.edu/commencement for more information.