To celebrate the 80th birthday of famed composer George Crumb, who taught at Penn for more than 30 years, Philadelphia’s Orchestra 2001 will present a special concert at the Kimmel Center on Friday, Sept. 25.

“George Turns 80 and Music at Penn,” will salute Crumb’s work, including excerpts from his American Songbook series, written for Orchestra 2001. It also will feature works by Penn music composition faculty members—Four Sacred Songs by James Primosch; Chesapeake Rhythms by Jay Reise and the premiere of The First Letter by Anna Weesner.

Crumb’s name is synonymous with Penn’s Music Department. The famed composer taught at the University for more than 30 years. In 1997, he retired as the Walter H. Annenberg Professor Emeritus in the Humanities, respected and beloved by former students, colleagues, and music lovers around the world. Click here to listen to a sample of his work.

In 1968, Crumb won a Pulitzer Prize for Echoes of Time and the River. He was awarded a Grammy for Star-Child in 2001. His other honors include fellowships from the Rockefeller Foundation, Koussevitzky Foundation, National Institute of Arts and Letters and the Guggenheim Foundation. In May of this year, Crumb was awarded an honorary doctor of music degree from Penn.

 “George Turns 80 and Music at Penn,” is scheduled for 8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 25, at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, 260 S. Broad St. in Philadelphia. A second performance is slated for 3 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 27, at the Lang Concert Hall of Swarthmore College. Tickets are available online at www.ticketphiladelphia.org.  College students get free admission with a valid student identification. For more information call the Orchestra 2001 office at 215-687-6243.