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The 2015 Westminster Choir College Art Song Festival will focus on the life and music of Franz Schubert in celebration of the 200th anniversary of his “Year of Song,” considered to be the most prolific year of his life as a composer.  Festival performances and lectures will be presented Friday, February 20 and Saturday, February 21 on the campus of Westminster Choir College of С����Ƶ in Princeton, N.J.

The performances on Friday, February 20 and Saturday, February 21 will feature Schubert’s art songs performed by Westminster Choir College students, accompanied by J. J. Penna, in Hillman Performance Hall at 8 p.m. Professor Lindsey Christiansen will present a pre-performance lecture at 7:15 p.m. on both evenings.  Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors.

Saturday, February 21 at 10 a.m. in Hillman Performance Hall, Westminster Choir College will present a symposium titled, “Schubert’s Vienna 1815,” featuring presentations and a discussion about Schubert’s life and music. Presenters include Princeton University’s professor of Music Scott Burnham; С����Ƶ professor emeritus of Political Science Barry Seldes, associate professor of Piano J. J. Penna and professor of Voice Lindsey Christiansen, both from Westminster Choir College; and Westminster Choir College students Scott Purcell and Dov Rosenchein. Admission is free. 

One of the most gifted collaborative pianists of his generation, J. J. Penna has performed in recital with such notable singers as Kathleen Battle, Harolyn Blackwell, Measha Brueggergosman, William Burden, David Daniels, Elem Eley, Faith Esham, Denyce Graves, Kevin McMillan, Florence Quivar, Sharon Sweet, Chris Pedro Trakas, Indra Thomas and Ying Huang. Mr. Penna has been heard at Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.; Weill Hall, Zankel Hall and Merkin Recital Hall in New York City; the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City; Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood; Wigmore Hall in London; as well as on concert tours throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, the Far East, South America and the former Soviet Union. A member of Westminster’s faculty since 1996, Dr. Penna devotes much of his time to the teaching of art song literature.

Lindsey Christiansen is a life-long student and lover of the music of Franz Schubert. She was a participant in the Aston Magna Academy on "Schubert's World" and later presented a paper on Schubert and Friedrich Schlegel for the Northeast Modern Language Association. She has twice been artist-in-residence for voice study for the prestigious Franz-Schubert-Institut in Baden bei Wien, Austria. Her students and former students have sung in opera houses around the world including The Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, Paris Opera, Glyndebourne Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, San Francisco Opera and Seattle Opera. They have been prize winners in major competitions including The Metropolitan Opera Auditions, Mario Lanza Competition, National Opera Association Competition, Philadelphia Orchestra Competition, Whittaker Competition, New York Oratorio Society Competition and NATS Artist Award Competition.

Tickets for the February 20 and 21 performances can be purchased at the door, through the Westminster box office at 609-921-2663 or online at .