The end of MSU's sesquicentennial celebrations will take place far away from East Lansing this weekend — almost a year after they began.
MSU alumni who have ventured to the West Coast will get the chance to hear from MSU's School of Music on Sunday at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles as a final 150th birthday event.
It will showcase classical, jazz and pop music performances from 25 students and faculty members and help bolster support for the school.
About 250 MSU alumni and supporters are expected to attend — including Eli Broad and Earvin "Magic" Johnson — along with MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon, Trustee Dee Cook and the school's music director James Forger.
The event was organized by the MSU West Coast Regional Council, a group composed of MSU alumni and supporters who are key fundraisers for the university in the western United States.
Council members thought it would be good to bring sesquicentennial celebrations to the West Coast with the large contingent of alumi in the region, said councilmember Craig Murray, who helped plan the event.
"The MSU presence in southern California is huge," Murray said. "Everywhere you turn here, there are MSU alums. It makes an event like this make a lot of sense."
Alumni and supporters must purchase tickets to attend the event, which cost $250 or $750 per person.
The money raised from ticket sales will fund the trip for faculty and students of the school.
The event also gives those who have been away from the university a chance to connect with MSU through an avenue other than sports, Murray said.
"The idea is to both celebrate sesquicentennial and expose the best of MSU to potential major donors and alums out here," Murray said.
Building a strong alumni base on the West Coast could strengthen the university and help attract more students to MSU, he said.
"Any great international university, such as Michigan State, always has to look beyond its own campus, not only for financial support, but for opinion, feedback and ideas," Murray said.
Forger said the event will be a focal point for alumni on the West Coast.
"It will be a celebration of the qualities that exist across the institution, and the best way to connect with alums is through students and faculty," he said. "Any time we have an opportunity to showcase some of the best talent, it's a chance for people to recognize the excellence on campus."
Cook said it could help to cultivate an interest in the School of Music and projects within the school.
"It's always important to reach out to people and make sure they stay connected," Cook said. "Those that have contact with the university continue to support the university after graduation."
Cook said she hopes the event will spur attendees to support MSU and the school.
"After people have graduated from the university, they may come to a point where they're financially comfortable and the time wasn't right before, but now they might say: 'It's time for me to give back to MSU,'" she said.
Simon said the event is a way to bring the university to graduates and supporters on the West Coast.
"Music is portable in that regard," Simon said. "We can take a small group of faculty and students and have a big impact."
The performances will bring good exposure to MSU through the School of Music, Simon said, adding that MSU graduates provided a majority of the funding for the building of Disney Hall, where the event will be held.
"It showcases MSU in a facility that's known for superb musical performances, and we want to connect MSU and great music in one breath," Simon said.
"This is going to be a world-class performance and will rebound positively for the School of Music and carry over to the university."
