Los Medanos Honors Program and Music Department students will get the rare opportunity to meet with music composer Adrienne Albert at “An Afternoon with Adriene Albert” Thursday, Sept. 21 at 4 p.m.

The free event with Albert will celebrate the 99th birthday of the famous composer Leonard Bernstein. Achieving worldwide acclaim for his compositions, Bernstein has also had success with conducting, music lecturing and playing piano. He has composed numerous pieces for films, opera and musicals including the well-known Broadway musical “West Side Story.”

While this event celebrates Bernstein and his accomplishments, it will also focus on another successful composer.

Studying music composition since the age of 10, Albert’s own compositions now reach a broad audience in countries such as the United States, China, South Africa and Europe. Albert studied music performance at UCLA and also attended the Aspen Music School before spending the majority of her music career performing music in both Los Angeles and New York.

Albert has also worked along side very famous music composers such as Igor Stravinsky and Leonard Bernstein and after many years in the field, she has become very experienced.

Dr. Luis Zuniga an LMC music professor has worked with Albert off and on for ten years and stresses the importance of students taking advantage of this rare opportunity.

“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity. It’s worth it for people to be able to see her,” said Zuniga. “It’s quite unique to get to meet someone who’s worked with Stravinsky and Bernstein.”

Aside from Albert’s talent and experience in the music field, Zuniga also thinks highly of her in other regards stating that she is a “radiant, energized, beautiful musician.”

For more information on “An Afternoon with Adrienne Albert,” contact Zuniga at 437-7805 or via email at [email protected].

— Kimberly Stelly contributed to this report