The Sonoma State University Department of Music will offer an eight-concert subscription package this semester to its premiere ensembles, guest artists and faculty recital performances in the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Hall at the Green Music Center.

Set to open its doors on Sept. 30, Weill Hall is acoustically designed to rival the world’s premier venues, including Boston’s Symphony Hall and Vienna’s Musikverein.

The fall season package includes four faculty and guest artist recitals and four major ensemble concerts. Admission to all eight concerts is $96 general admission; $80 faculty, alumni and staff; and $64 seniors and students. The single ticket series prices are  $120, $96 and $80.

Tickets are on sale now at www.sonoma.edu/music/performances/subscription.html or by calling the School of Performing Arts Box Office at 664-2353. The schedule includes:
 
• Latin Band and Jazz Orchestra, Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m.: Kendrick Freeman and Doug Leibinger direct the debut of SSU's two large jazz ensembles. The SSU Latin Band, led by percussionist Freeman, will take the audience on a musical tour of the Caribbean and South America. The 18-piece SSU Jazz Orchestra, by Leibinger, will offer a classic to modern big band repertoire.

• Songs of Peace and Thanksgiving, Oct. 21, 4 p.m.: The Sonoma State University Symphonic Chorus, Chambers Singers, and Regional High School Honor Choir will be under the baton of Choral Activities Director Jenny Bent for a gala choral event to benefit the Redwood Empire Food Bank.
 
• Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Traveler, Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m.: Andy Collinsworth, conductor with the Santa Rosa Junior College Concert Band, and conductor Joseph Perea, lead a program that includes Ryan George’s new impressionist piece, “Firefly,” Darius Milhaud’s classic post-WWII “Suite Française,” David Maslanka’s “Traveler,” Michael Gandolfi’s “Vientos y Tangos,” and John Philip Sousa’s march, “The Pathfinder of Panama.”
 
• Faculty Jazz Ensemble, Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m.: The SSU faculty jazz ensemble is an assembly of some of the finest musicians in the Bay Area, including Kasey Knudsen, saxophone; Dave Scott, trumpet; Randy Vincent, guitar; Ken Cook, piano; George Marsh, drums; Cliff Hugo, bass; and Leibinger, trombone. The group uses improvisational games to bring a level of spontaneity to their music.

• Laxmi G. Tewari –North Indian Vocalist (faculty recital), Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m.: “The most important thing about my music," says Pandit Laxmi Ganesh Tewari, "is how you feel when you listen to it." Tewari, a leading exponent of the Gwalior gharana tradition of Indian vocal music, sings classical Hindustani songs accompanied by his ensemble playing tabla, tambura and harmonium.

• Mårten Falk (guest artist recital), Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m.: Swedish classical guitarist Mårten Falk has given more than 70 world premieres, and composers from Sweden, Italy, Chile, Japan and Canada have dedicated guitar compositions to him. Says Sonoloco Record review: “Mårten Falk’s CD, “The Eclectric Experience” is a major contribution to contemporary music.”
 
• Navarro Chamber Players (faculty recital), Nov. 18, 4 p.m.: This performance is a juxtaposition of vocal and instrumental chamber pieces, including three Tangos by Brian S. Wilson and the Piano Quintet by Robert Schumann. Two icons of the North Bay chamber scene, Marilyn Thompson and Carol Menke, lead this performance.
 
• Symphonic Wind Ensemble (collaborations), Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m.: World-renowned saxophonist and clinician Otis Murphy joins the SSU and San Francisco State University wind ensembles for “Fantasia for Alto Saxophone” (1983) by Claude T. Smith. The program also includes two classic pieces for band from the 1950s – “Four Scottish Dances” by Malcolm Arnold and “Psalm for Band” by Vincent Persichetti.
 
Call 664-2324 or visit www.sonoma.edu/music for more information.