Music director David Itkin will continue opening doors and exposing Texas’ youth to classical music through the 2008-2009 Discover Music Concerts for students. More than 5,600 students from Abilene and surrounding regions will travel to the Abilene Civic Center to learn about classical music Oct. 3 and 4.

Third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students from as far as Munday, Colorado City and Eastland will attend four special concerts presented by Itkin and the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra. Students are traveling from at least 16 school districts, along with private and home school students.

This year’s concerts, titled “Spooktacular,” will be “a celebration of mystery and magic in music,” said Itkin. “We will be exploring what makes music spooky, and what doesn’t. Sometimes it’s volume, sometimes harmony, sometimes particular instruments.”

The Discover Music education concerts are supported in part by Abilene Independent School District, Texas Commission on the Arts and the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council.