PHOTO PROVIDED Sonia De Los Santos will kick off the return of daytime events at the Center for the Performing Arts.

UNIVERSITY PARK — Charismatic, Grammy Award-nominated family-music singer-songwriter Sonia De Los Santos will kick off the long-awaited return of the School-Time Matinee series at the Center for the Performing Arts.

As a way to share the excitement and to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, the community is invited to the 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 23, bilingual Spanish-English performance in Eisenhower Auditorium.

General-admission tickets are $8. Purchase your tickets online, by phone at 814-863-0255, or in person (10 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays) at the Arts Ticket Center in Eisenhower Auditorium. The $4-per-ticket service charge will be waived for phone and in-person purchases. The Arts Ticket Center is the only authorized outlet for individual tickets for events presented by the Center for the Performing Arts.

“We have been thinking about how we make our programs accessible to everyone, and one way to do that is to open our morning performance by Sonia De Los Santos to the public,” said Amy Dupain Vashaw, the audience and program development director at the Center for the Performing Arts. “Perhaps there are folks who don’t want to drive in the dark or who work at night. This way, they have an option to attend with their children, grandchildren, neighbor kids or just come themselves.”

De Los Santos and her band will play their jarana, leona, accordion, drums, trumpet, and other traditional Mexican instruments in a joyous bilingual concert that shares the artists’ love for music with a younger generation.

“We hope to see some Penn State faculty members take advantage of this opportunity to involve their Spanish-language learners and elementary education students,” Vashaw said.

Visit Sonia De Los Santos online for more information about the ticketed event and a free community activity.

With her experiences bridging Latin America and her new home in New York, De Los Santos uses her love of music to share her perspective that celebrates the memories and heritage that connects us all.

“My band and I are so excited to play these songs for you while we explore together many different countries, rhythms and sounds from the Americas,” she said.

Her family-music album, “Mi Viaje: De Nuevo Leon to the New York Island,” features song-stories of her experiences growing up in Mexico, moving to another country, learning about other cultures and connecting to her own heritage.

“‘Mi Viaje’ means my journey,” De Los Santos said. “This incredible journey is filled with many adventures that are personal, and yet universal.

ACCESSIBILITY

Eisenhower Auditorium is a KultureCity-certified sensory-friendly performing-arts destination. The Center for the Performing Arts welcomes patrons of all sensory sensitivities to its performances.

Before you arrive, familiarize yourself with the auditorium with a pre-visit social story, When you get here, upon request, you can sign out a variety of items to help create an accommodating experience–including noise-reducing earmuffs, anti-strobe glasses, lap pads and fidget toys.

Learn more about the center’s available Accessibility services.