The Wabash Valley Music Association will present a very special concert opportunity for area students and adults alike. The Sphinx Virtuosi chamber orchestra will perform on Thurs., Oct. 9 at 10 a.m. on the Ford Theatre stage.

Admission for this rare performance is $1 per person and attendees will have the luxury of sitting up close and personal on the stage.

The Sphinx Virtuosi, led by the Catalyst Quartet, is one of the nation’s most dynamic professional chamber orchestras. Comprised of 18 of the nation’s top Black and Latino classical soloists, these alumni of the internationally renowned Sphinx Competition come together each fall as cultural ambassadors to reach new audiences. This unique ensemble earned rave reviews from The New York Times during its highly acclaimed debut at Carnegie Hall in December 2004. New York Times music critic Allan Kozinn described their performance as “first-rate in every way” and “the ensemble produced a more beautiful, precise and carefully shaped sound than some fully professional orchestras that come through Carnegie Hall in the course of the year.”

The Sphinx Virtuosi Tour offers a diverse program featuring well-known repertoire in addition to works by African-American and Latino composers, including works by Mozart, Piazzolla, Michael Abels, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, and others.

This year’s theme, Americana, celebrates the many sounds of American music. Throughout history, artists have depicted current events and paid tribute to their respective heritage through music. “Americana” attempts to paint the musical and societal landscape that comprises the diverse kaleidoscope that is this country. The audience will enjoy a musical voyage through an open prairie to the arctic regions of North America, then all the way to America’s South. They will also hear the sounds of country fiddling, be serenaded by “romanceros” and celebrate 200 years of the Star Spangled Banner!

Tickets may be purchased at the Honeywell Center box office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, by calling (260) 563-1102 or visiting www.honeywellcenter.org.

The Honeywell Center is north central Indiana’s premier arts and entertainment facility with more than 3,000 events and 150,000 visitors annually. Concerts, conferences, charity galas, art exhibits, and educational outreach programs are among the diverse events at the Honeywell Center. All programs and activities are supported by gifts from individuals, businesses, the Indiana Arts Commission (a state agency) and the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency). The Center is located at 275 W. Market Street, Wabash. For a complete program listing, visit the Honeywell Center Web site at www.honeywellcenter.org or call (260) 563-1102.