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The ������Ƶ Orchestra and Chapel Band will tour the Bay Area during President’s Weekend, Feb. 18-22, with stops in San Francisco and Willow Glen. The 58-member orchestra and six-member chapel band will also perform in Arroyo Grande, Chowchilla and Watsonville. All performances are free and open to the public except for a fundraiser for Old Skool Cafe at the Bayview Opera House in San Francisco, Saturday, Feb. 19, at 1 p.m., which has a suggested donation of $30. To reserve tickets, please go to http://oldskoolcafeteasalon.eventbrite.com.

Michael Shasberger, Adams professor of music and worship, Philip Ficsor, ������Ƶ professor of violin, Joel Patterson, ������Ƶ director of music and worship, and Sarah Scripsky, ������Ƶ English professor and French hornist, will accompany the musicians.

“It’s important and formative for the students as they develop a greater depth of performance discipline, strengthen their sense of community and connect to the global imperative in the college’s mission,” Shasberger says.

The orchestra will perform Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Rondo Capriccioso,” featuring junior violin soloist Emily McClean, Maurice Ravel’s “Menuet Antique,” Edvard Grieg’s “Peer Gynt Suite,” Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Forza Del Destino,” Ronan Hardiman’s “Lord of the Dance” and Georges Bizet’s L’arelsienne Suite #2. The Chapel Band with the orchestra will perform worships songs and hymns, such as “Be Thou My Vision.”

The students will be performing at St. John’s Lutheran in Arroyo Grande Friday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m.; Bayside Community Church in Willow Glen Sunday, Feb. 20, at 6 p.m.; Cornerstone Community Church in Chowchilla Monday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m.; and chapel performances at Monte Vista Christian High School in Watsonville Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 10:44 a.m. and 11:32 a.m.

The tour is supported by student fund raising and donors who participate in the annual orchestra patron program. For more information, contact Trinity Hokama in the music department at (805) 565-6040 or thokama@westmont.edu.