The Noon Concert Series, sponsored by the Schoolcraft Liberal Arts Office and the Schoolcraft Music Department, is today, January 29, from noon to 1:15 p.m. in Kehrl Auditorium in the VisTaTech Center. Featured artist is pianist Garik Pedersen, who will perform selections from The Victory Vertical Project, which Pedersen launched in 2017.

This initiative tells the amazing and little-known story of how piano company Steinway contributed to the effort in World War II by designing lightweight pianos that were shipped to combat zones – sometimes literally parachuted to the front lines – so that music could be used to lift morale among the soldiers.

Pedersen, a Steinway artist, performs a diverse array of music, including Samuel Barber, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Roy Harris, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Glenn Miller and many more, celebrating the power of music to bring people together.

The concert is free and open to the public. Donations are gratefully accepted at the door and will be used to fund student scholarships.