ABOUT LU PHIL:

Orchestra History

The highly acclaimed Lehigh University Philharmonic is a group of talented musicians, most of whom are undergraduate students majoring in disciplines outside of music. They regularly perform at their home in the Zoellner Arts Center on the campus of Lehigh University, and have performed at various international venues in Europe, Asia, and South America, and Africa.

The central mission of the Lehigh University Orchestra Program is to provide a meaningful and unique musical experience of the highest caliber to its members and our audiences. The hallmarks of the orchestra’s successes have been its unique programming style, innovative pedagogical approach, critically acclaimed performances, and international tours. In developing and growing the program from its inception for thirteen years, founder and former director Paul Chou emphasized the importance of using music to teach life skills using the "orchestra classroom" to develop analytical skills, communication and critical thinking skills. The program also provides an environment which cultivates a sense of community through the orchestra’s various outreach programs. As a result, members, as part of their educational experience at Lehigh, develop the necessary skills to succeed in life while simultaneously acquiring a deep appreciation for music and lifelong commitment to the arts.

Since its inception in 1993 the program has grown tremendously, and now engages engineering and students majoring in diverse disciplines, music students, faculty at large, staff, music faculty, high school students, community members, as well as professional musicians who are involved in the flagship LU Philharmonic Orchestra, the LU Camerata and the LU Chamber Music Collegium. In addition to offering programs featuring traditional orchestral literature, LPO performances have also included collaborations with the shadow puppets from the Boston Underground Railway Theater, narratives and dance performances provided by local artists as part of our Fables and Folklore concerts, and children’s programs with Touchstone Theater. The orchestra has also sponsored panel discussions and pre-concert lectures involving other Lehigh faculty, students and guest artists.

Concert tickets available at www.zoellnerartscenter.org
 
 

About the director:

Award-winning musician Eugene Albulescu joined the LU Philharmonic as artistic director and chief conductor in 2007. He started his piano studies in Romania at age six, at the Enescu Music School in Bucharest. His family moved to New Zealand in 1984 to escape Romania's Communist regime. He completed his musical studies at Indiana University, becoming the youngest person ever to teach there as an assistant instructor. His emergence on the international scene came in 1994, when his debut recording (Albulescu Plays Liszt) earned him the International Grand Prix du Disque Liszt. Since then Mr. Albulescu has maintained a successful career in the United States and abroad. He performed in New York at BargeMusic in 1996, and later gave his Carnegie Hall debut in 2001, having been a guest soloist and conductor at the Festival of the Atlantic. He performed at the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, and was invited to perform at the White House for the Millenium celebrations. Albulescu is a Steinway Artist who has taught on the music faculty at Lehigh for the past 10 years.