The talented, multicultural Harlem Quartet will perform at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, next month as part of Music at Noon: The Logan Series.

Harlem Quartet’s FREE performance begins at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 5. It is open to the public and will be held in the McGarvey Commons of the Reed Union Building.

The Harlem Quartet features a changing line-up of African American and Latino string instrumentalists who also are First Place Laureates in the Sphinx Competition, an annual juried performance competition held in Detroit, Mich., to encourage, develop and recognize classical music talent in the black and Latino communities.

While in Erie, Harlem Quartet also will give two mini-concerts for students at Diehl Elementary, Penn State Behrend’s Adopt A School partner. While Diehl performances are required of each Logan ensemble, the Quartet is particularly comfortable playing to schoolchildren, says Gary Viebranz, Logan Series director. “Harlem Quartet’s passion and mission is to advance diversity in classical music,” he notes. “The Quartet prides itself on seeking out new, youthful audiences that will respond to a repertoire that highlights works by minority composers. The Quartet’s presentation is sensational, so I expect both the Diehl students and noontime audience to be captivated by these exciting performers.”

Performing in Erie will be violinists Ilmar Gavilan and Melissa White, violist Juan-Miguel Hernandez, and cellist Desmond Neysmith. In addition to their touring schedule, Harlem Quartet members serve as the principal faculty at the Sphinx Performance Academy at Walnut Hill School in Massachusetts, one of the premier independent arts preparatory schools in the world, and as visiting faculty at the Sphinx Preparatory Music Institute at Wayne State University in Detroit.

Music at Noon, an innovative program to introduce classical music in an informal atmosphere rather than an intimidating concert hall, was founded at Penn State Behrend in 1989 by Warren philanthropist and arts advocate Kay Logan. Its unique music outreach efforts were honored with an Adventurous Programming Award given by Chamber Music America and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. The series receives major support from the Kay Logan Trust and additional funding from the Penn State Behrend Student Activity Fee, Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts and the Erie Arts Endowment of the Arts Council of Erie.

Additional performers in the 2008-09 Logan Series will be Asteria on Thursday, Jan. 29, The Albers Trio on Tuesday, March 31, and Hot 8 Brass Band on Tuesday, April 14.

For more information about The Logan Series or The Harlem Quartet’s appearance, contact Viebranz at 814-898-6289.