In a musical journey through the cosmos, the Cornell Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Gabriela Gómez Estévez will perform the world premiere of “Ex Terra, Ad Astra,” a new work by Cheryl Engelhardt ’02 commissioned especially for this year’s Young Person’s Concert.
Inspired by the wonders of space, the concert is a collaboration with the Carl Sagan Institute. It will take place Sunday, March 2 at 3 p.m. in Bailey Hall, with an instrumental petting zoo and Mars Rover exhibit before the concert, at 2 p.m. in the lower lobby of Bailey Hall. The concert is free and open to the public.
Attendees are also invited to participate in the related events hosted by the Cornell Astronomical Society on Friday, Feb. 28.
“We are thrilled to bring this unique collaboration with the Carl Sagan Institute to the stage, combining music, science, and stunning visuals for an immersive experience,” said Estévez, assistant professor of music and director of orchestras in the College of Arts and Sciences.
“This interdisciplinary performance celebrates the wonder of the cosmos, and we can’t wait to share it with the Cornell and Ithaca communities. It’s going to be an inspiring and unforgettable event.”
The program includes Missy Mazzoli’s “Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres),” selections from Holst’s “The Planets,” and Bruch’s “Scottish Fantasy,” featuring Dean Zhang ‘25, this year’s concerto competition winner in the Symphony Orchestra category. Zhang, a triple major in biological sciences, computer science, and music, serves as the concertmaster of the Cornell Symphony Orchestra and has won the Ellen Gussman Adelson Prize for excellence in musical performance.
Engelhardt is a Grammy-nominated, best-selling and award-winning New Age recording artist, and a composer for films, commercials, theater and social justice choirs. She's had more than 40 television and commercial placements of her music, toured the globe, and has over three million streams on Spotify.
The concert will also be livestreamed.
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