WCU’s Wells School of Music Presents the 10th Annual Concert on the Quad on Friday, September 11
Free Outdoor Concert Celebrates 100 Years of Jazz, America’s 250th Anniversary, and
Kicks Off Festivities
Surrounding WCU’s First Home Football Game
Bring your lawn chairs, snacks, and dancing shoes! West Chester University’s (WCU) Wells School of Music presents the tenth annual Concert on the Quad on Friday, September 11, from 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. The festive outdoor concert is FREE and open to all students, faculty, staff, and community members. Music will take place on the Quad, just outside of Main Hall, 720 S. High Street, West Chester, PA.
Now in its 10th year, Concert on the Quad returns to the start of the fall semester following the success of last year’s inaugural September concert. It also launches a new season of public concerts and programs at the Wells School of Music, while celebrating music, school spirit, community, and the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Directed by Wells School of Music faculty member and WCU Symphony Orchestra Director Paul Bryan and WCU Professor of Jazz Studies and Director of the Criterions Jazz Ensemble Jonathan Ragonese, the concert will feature performances by the WCU Symphony Orchestra, The Criterions Jazz Ensemble, and the Incomparable Golden Rams Marching Band, who will bring the energy and spirit of WCU to the Quad as the University kicks off a weekend of festivities surrounding WCU’s first home football game of the 2026 season.
The WCU Symphony Orchestra will present music connected to America’s 250, including Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, commemorating the 25th anniversary of 9/11, and Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait, narrated by West Chester University President Laurie Bernotsky.
“Concert on the Quad is a wonderful way to bring our campus and community together through music,” says Bryan.
“This year’s program celebrates the rich history of jazz, reflects on important moments in our nation’s history, and looks ahead to the next century of music-making at West Chester University. It’s also a great way to kick off the excitement surrounding the first home football game of the season.”
Bryan adds, “Last year’s Friday night Concert on the Quad saw hundreds of community members coming out to enjoy music in a bucolic, open-air setting.”
This year’s concert is especially significant as the Wells School of Music will celebrate 100 years of Jazz in November, marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of The Criterions Jazz Ensemble, hailed as the longest-running university jazz band in the country.
Concert on the Quad continues WCU’s commitment to accessibility and inclusion as part of the Neuro-Inclusive Campus Environment (N.I.C.E.) Program. Attendees can expect ASL interpretation, trained volunteers, large print and digital programs, therapy dogs, an instrument “petting zoo,” and a visit from WCU’s beloved mascot, Rammy. The event will also feature clear signage for accessibility to ensure that all community members feel welcome.
Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets, snacks, and friends and family for this free community celebration. In the case of inclement weather, the concert will be relocated to Asplundh Hall.
For more information about Concert on the Quad and the Wells School of Music’s 2026–27 concert season, visit the Wells School of Music events calendar.