The evening concert will be the marquee event for the Music Instruction Building's grand opening festivities. It will also kick off the hall's concert series, funded by Ball State's Arts Alive funds and featuring performances by pianist Krystian Zimerman and the Tokyo String Quartet.

"In the past, we would not have been able to attract musicians like these to Muncie, but they are drawn here by the opportunity to perform in our state-of-the-art and acoustically dynamic hall," said Robert Kvam, dean of Ball State's College of Fine Arts. "It's the goal of the College of Fine Arts to have an annual series of world-class performers who bring their unique talents to the hall."

Midori is heralded as one of the world's foremost violinists. She has played the great concert halls of Europe, Asia and North America and has performed with many prestigious ensembles around the world. During her 20-year career, she has worked with Claudio Abbado, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Isaac Stern, Leonard Bernstein and Yo-Yo Ma.

She has also appeared on many recordings, including the Paganini Caprices for Solo Violin, which was nominated for a Grammy in 1990.

Midori frequently performs with award-winning pianist Robert McDonald. McDonald has performed extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Latin America and the Far East as a solo recitalist and recital partner to violinists Midori and Isaac Stern.

The talented pianist has won the Busoni International Piano Competition in Italy, the William Kapell International Competition and the Washington International Competition.

"Midori and McDonald are musical gifts to the world," said Peter McAllister, director of Ball State's School of Music. "I can't think of a better way to open the performance hall than to share these gifts with Ball State and the Muncie community."

German pianist Krystian Zimerman, who was the last, and for some time also the only, pianist to perform under Leonard Bernstein, will appear Nov. 18.  The Tokyo String Quartet, one of the supreme chamber ensembles in the world, will perform Jan. 25.  

The inaugural music series will showcase the $21 million Music Instruction Building. Ball State's newest building has 73,000 square feet of academic space, a cutting-edge digital recording studio and the 600-seat, "tuneable" David and Mary Jane Sursa Performance Hall.

Los Angeles-based acoustician Roger Noppe designed the hall with panels that can be adjusted to deflect or absorb sound, ensuring each concert will have the best possible acoustics.

Tickets for the concert series will cost $80 and will go on sale at a date to be announced. Concerts will begin at 7:30 or 8 p.m. and times will be announced later this summer.

(Note to Editors: For more information, contact McAllister at (765) 285-5402 or pmcallis@bsu.edu.)