Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra and Lake Area United Way have announced two new initiatives intended to bring music to those in Northwest Indiana who may not be able to afford to attend a live symphony performance.

The Northwest Indiana Symphony will direct its subscribers and ticket holders who cannot utilize their pre-purchased Pops Series concert tickets to donate them directly to the Lake Area United Way. United Way will then send appropriate communications to member agencies about the availability of the tickets. The tickets can be given to reward, recognize, or acknowledge good efforts, behavior and achievement of children and valued volunteers.

In cooperation with the Star Plaza Theatre, designated Pops Series rehearsals will also be open to Lake Area United Way member agencies. The night before most symphony concerts, the full orchestra will conduct a full rehearsal of the program to be performed. Member agencies must apply to the United Way to be eligible to attend and hear the performance.

"This is a unique opportunity to enrich the lives of local kids who might never have a chance to be exposed to the arts," said Lake Area United Way President Lou Martinez. "We are proud to partner with the Northwest Indiana Symphony on this great project."

The Northwest Indiana Symphony is a nonprofit organization that produces an eight-concert season from September through May that consists of four classical and four pops concerts.

In addition, the symphony also introduced the new South Shore Summer Music Festival featuring free summer concerts in nine Northwest Indiana communities from this year. The symphony also conducts a number of educational programs for children from Northwest Indiana and south suburban Chicago including hands on instrument learning and educational themed concerts for elementary and middle school students.

The symphony also manages a Youth Orchestra and hosts an annual Young People's Competition, sponsored by NiSource.

For more information about these new initiatives, call Tula Gogolak at the Northwest Indiana Symphony at (219) 836-0525 or Bob Scott at Lake Area United Way at 923-2302.

- For The Times