On Thursday, March 27 at 6 p.m. Dr. James Lentini, senior vice president of academic affairs and provost, and other OU faculty will be performing as part of the Thursday Arts-After-Noon concert series in Varner Recital Hall.

The performers are Lentini, guitarist; Dana Lentini, soprano; James VanValkenburg, viola; String Ensemble with conductor Terry Herald; and Kerstin Allvin, harpist.

Allvin, an adjunct professor in OU’s music department and winter of the Music Alumni MaTilDa award this year, is performing one of Lentini’s compositions. The piece, “El Signo del Angel”, is a piece for harp and viola, with VanValkenburg accompanying.

“I’ve known Professor Lentini for a very long time, since he was at Wayne State University,” Allvin said. “He’s extremely talented not only as a composer but as a performer himself. I think it’s thrilling for the arts to have him there.”

Lentini will be performing some of his compositions as well.

“I’m performing some pieces for solo classical guitar,” Lentini said. “I am also performing with my wife, who’s name is Dana. She’s a soprano, so we do some pieces for guitar and voice.”

There will be a 12-piece string ensemble with Lentini and a concerto for string and orchestra as well.

According to Lentini, the program will feature a mixture of his compositions and some classical repertoire and “everything from Renaissance to Broadway.”

“I think they (people who haven’t heard a lot of classical music) would find it enjoyable because it’s a real mixture of guitar music and a repertoire that I think people can enjoy,” Lentini said.

After several months of practice and preparation, Lentini said he is feeling good about the show.

“It’s nice to be able to connect to my creative outlet,” Lentini said. “One of the fun things to put together is this guitar concerto because it hasn’t been put together in many years. And performing with my wife is always fun.”

“Just in general I think the concert will be really really great,” Allvin said. “I think it would be very great for anyone to come.”

To listen to Allvin’s or Lentini’s music visit www.kerstinallvin.com or www.jameslentini.net.

For more information visit oakland.edu/mtd. Tickets are pay-what-you-wish and will support “student performance opportunities”, according to the MTD department’s website.