MIT Orchestra

A new professional 48-piece orchestra comprised of students, alumni and other professional players will make its national debut in New York City March 27, to benefit the Portuguese Cancer Society.

The "New Orchestra of Boston" will perform under the guidance of Music Director David Epstein, Epstein, professor of music at MIT since 1956, also conducts the MIT Symphony Orchestra.

According to Epstein, "The time had come to create a legitimate outlet for the increasing number of high quality players at MIT." He added that there was "internal pressure for this outlet by a number of students who had been freelancing professionally in Boston."

After the concert in New York, the New Orchestra will spend a month at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria this summer, said Epstein. He called Salzburg "the musical Capital of Europe in the summer," and said that the Mozarten is the most prestigious music school in Europe.

Epstein said that while the New Orchestra will not try to compete with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, "it will be going to smaller places where the BSO can't go."

A spokesman said funding for the New Orchestra comes almost entirely from MIT. She added that three MIT students are playing with the New Orchestra.