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Positively Philadelphia: Philadelphia Orchestra Concert Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King

By Lauren Lipton

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — There are many ways you can celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and one of them is to attend a free, late afternoon concert by the Philadelphia Orchestra.

"There is none more special to many of us than Dr. King's holiday," says Allison Vulgamore, president and CEO of the orchestra.   "It's a chance to both join community together with a vision that was inspired, originally, somewhat by the music in Dr. King's life."

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(Allison Vulgamore. File photo provided)

Vulgamore (right) says the King legacy is important to her and the entire orchestra.

"I came to Philadelphia from Atlanta and knew the King family," she tells KYW Newsradio.   "And it's a beautiful signature that coming together is still important, sharing time and an experience is important.  And what will be most important about this concert is what we all take with us in our hearts after it's over and back in our day-to-day lives here in Philadelphia."

The concert begins at 4pm at Martin Luther King High School, and the orchestra's new music director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, will be there.

"Yannick wanted to come and be a part of this concert that gathers community, celebrates a national hero, (and) really asks us to live that memory together and make Philadelphia stronger," Vulgamore says.

Hear the extended interview in this CBS Philly podcast (runs 3:42)...

Positively Philadelphia, Jan. 20-21, 2013

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The concert is free but tickets are required.  For more information go to philorch.org.

And, for this week, that's "Positively Philadelphia!"

"Positively Philadelphia" main page

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