RIT Orchestra Teams up with Legendary Rockers Kansas for Sept. 25 concert

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The legendary classic-rock band Kansas will perform at Rochester’s Main Street Armory on Sept. 25 with student musicians from the RIT Orchestra.

SEPT. 16 UPDATE: This event has been postponed. Watch for more information as it becomes available.

Student musicians in Rochester Institute of Technology’s orchestra come from a variety of majors and musical backgrounds, and their love of music will give them the opportunity to perform alongside one of the best-loved classic-rock bands in musical history.

The RIT Orchestra teams up with legendary band Kansas for a musical showcase 8 p.m. Sept. 25 at the Main Street Armory, 900 East Main St., in downtown Rochester.

Kansas, best known for their hit songs “Dust in the Wind,” “Carry on Wayward Son” and “Point of Know Return,” performs with the RIT Orchestra as part of its 2011 Collegiate Symphony Tour to raise funds and awareness for college and university music programs. The collegiate tour began last year.

According to Phil Ehart, an original band member and drummer, performing with college musical groups is a way of giving something back to those responsible for continuing the education of our country’s music students.

“As far as our RIT students are concerned, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be on stage with one of the most innovative rock bands of the last 40 years,” says Michael Ruhling, professor of fine arts and music in RIT’s College of Liberal Arts and music director of the RIT Orchestra. “The music is quite interesting, and certainly not as easy as one might expect. The benefits of this concert to the RIT Orchestra and RIT music program will no doubt go well beyond the generous support of Kansas and the tour’s sponsor, D’Addario. It will draw the attention of an entirely new audience to the fine level of performing arts that are available to RIT students and the RIT community.”

Tickets—ranging from $25 for general admission seating to $40 for reserved seating—are available at eventbrite website or by calling 1-877-4-FLYTIX.