UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — When the Smithsonian Academy Orchestra visits Penn State's University Park campus on Oct. 11, it will play symphonies by Haydn and Beethoven using replica 18th- and early 19-century instruments, including valveless horns, sheepskin kettledrums, and violins strung with sheep intestines. This concert represents a rare opportunity to hear these historic works on the instruments for which they were originally conceived.

The performance will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 11 in the Recital Hall. Admission is free.
 
The Smithsonian Academy Orchestra brings together top young early music professionals in the exploration of late 18th- and early 19th-century repertoire, using period instruments and tuning. Under the direction of Kenneth Slowik, performers delve into classical performance practice and attend lectures by esteemed musicologists, deepening their understanding of the repertoire's historical context.
 
As a part of its inaugural project, the Academy Orchestra performs works by Haydn and Beethoven. The 33-piece ensemble mirrors the size of the ensemble that premiered Beethoven's Fourth Symphony, providing audience members a similar experience to those who witnessed its first performance in 1807.