June 1, 1999

Michael Mewhinney

NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA

(Phone: 650/604-3937)

mmewhinney@mail.arc.nasa.gov

SAN JOSE SYMPHONY TO PERFORM FREE CONCERT AT FLINT CENTER

In celebration of NASA Ames Research Center's 60th anniversary, the highly acclaimed San Jose Symphony will perform a free concert on Saturday, June 5, at 7:00 p.m. PDT in the Flint Center for Performing Arts located at DeAnza College, 21250 Stevens Creek Boulevard, Cupertino, CA.

Providing a dramatic demonstration of the successful collaboration of the arts and sciences, the symphony will perform "The Planets," a powerful composition that frequently accompanies productions of astronomical forms and phenomena. The symphony will perform "The Planets" in conjunction with the premiere of an exciting, new NASA video that presents an artistic interpretation of our evolving knowledge of the planets in our solar system. The performance and video are part of a community outreach activity by NASA and the San Jose Symphony.

Composed by Gustav Holst between 1914 and 1916, this beautiful classical symphony consists of seven individual sections, one for each planet except Earth and Pluto, which was not discovered until 1930. The individual pieces include: "Mars, The Bringer of War;" "Venus, the Bringer of Peace;" "Mercury, the Winged Messenger;" "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity;" "Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age;" "Uranus, the Magician;" and "Neptune, the Mystic."

Dr. Seth Shostak, a well-known scientist from the SETI Institute (the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) in Mountain View, will serve as master of ceremonies for the evening concert. NASA Ames Center Director Dr. Henry McDonald and Jack Boyd, his executive assistant, will be featured speakers and discuss highlights of the center's 60-year history. A cake commemorating the anniversary will be cut and distributed to the guests in attendance. Due to limited seating, (2,500 maximum capacity) guests are advised to arrive early for the free performance.

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