By Cecil Giltz

Lifetimes staff writer

The 33rd annual Evening With the Orchestra benefit dinner concert featuring the Kent State University Orchestra, directed by Dr. Frank Wiley, was held recently at the Kent Student Center Ballroom.

The event raised more than $10,000 through its attendance, its Conduct-the-Orchestra Auction, and its scholarship auction, led by auctioneer Tommy Scott. Later in the evening, as a guest artist, Scott, vocalist and pianist, also joined the orchestra for a performance of jazz standards from "The Great American Songbook."

The orchestra opened the program for 375 people with the final movement of the "Symphony No. 8 in G Major" by Antonín Dvorák.

One of the highlights of the evening was Dr. Lawrence Oswick, winner of the Conduct-the-Orchestra Auction, as he conducted Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Overture to The Marriage of Figaro."

Interest in Conducting-the-Orchestra has grown over the past nine years. Previous winners include Judge Jerry Hayes; Dr. Ann Waters, emeritus professor of music, Salem Campus; Dr. Larry Andrews, dean of the Honors College, with Jane Lanctôt of St. Paul, Minn., electrical engineer; Alfred Cavaretta, KSU professor of mathematics; Dr. Terry Kuhn, dean of undergraduate studies; Dr. Robert Blacklow, director of the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy in Rootstown; David Nolin, attorney at Timken Co.; Harold Hall, former superintendent of Portage County Schools and tuba player for the Stan Hywet Goodyear Concert Band; and Maryalice Seaholts, 28-year vocal music teacher in Kent City Schools and 22-year president of the Orchestra Society.

Orchestra Society Scholars and graduating orchestra members were recognized.

The 2007-08 Benjamin and Marie McGinnis Chair was shared by concertmasters Isaac Allen and Soo-Hyun Bae. The 2007-08 Frank Elgin Cello Chair was held by John Marietta.

This year's Leopold Sipe Award was awarded to Jonathan Milton, principal trumpet. The Sipe Award is given to an orchestra member selected by the orchestra director, based on nominations from orchestra members.

The program closed with a performance of the final movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's "Fifth Symphony."

Seaholts led the audience in a light-hearted song of farewell for Wiley. She said, "Frank Wiley is one of the most talented and versatile musicians I have ever known. In his 14 years as director of the KSU Orchestra, he has brought it to a very high level of performance. He is a caring and supportive mentor who encourages his students to realize their full potential. I am very saddened that he is stepping down, but understand and appreciate his need to devote more time to his composing. He will be sorely missed."

An evening of dancing followed the concert, with music provided by the KSU Jazz Ensemble, directed by Chas Baker.