Silver Roots chamber trio at Penn State Behrend

January 30, 2012 – Silver Roots’ musical roots run deep, spanning 400 years of classical music and folk traditions drawn from 15 countries.

The trio will bring their far-ranging repertoire to Music at Noon, The Logan Series at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, on Wednesday, Feb. 29. The performance begins at noon in the McGarvey Commons of the Reed Union Building; admission is free and open to the public, and reserved parking will be available in the Reed lot.

Juilliard graduates Shawn Wyckoff on flute, violinist Maria Millar and cellist Michael Haas also are composers, making Silver Roots a pioneering voice in the world of classical fusion. In addition to their roles as musicians, the three also draw upon backgrounds in acting, singing, dancing and improvisation to turn a Silver Roots concert into an unforgettable performance experience.

Silver Roots was the recipient of a 2011 Canada Council for the Arts Composition Grant as well as a 2010 Chamber Music America Residency Grant. Since 2009, Silver Roots has premiered concert programs that include “Echoing Voices: A Musical History of America” at Lincoln Center, “Japan Meets World,” performed for The Japan Foundation in Toronto, Ontario, and “Ancient Dances” at the Irish Arts Center in New York City.

Founded at Penn State Behrend by Warren philanthropist and arts advocate Kay Logan, the Logan Series’ unique musical outreach has been honored with an Adventurous Programming Award by Chamber Music America and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. The series receives major support from the Kay Logan Trust and additional funding from the Penn State Behrend Student Activity Fee, Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts and the Erie Arts Endowment of ArtsErie. The final performer of the spring will be the Walden Chamber Players on Thursday, March 29.

For more information about The Logan Series or Silver Roots’ appearance, contact Logan Series director Dr. Gary Viebranz at 814-898-6289 or e-mail gav3@psu.edu.