Book lovers browse one of three rooms full of titles up for grabs at Studio 2880         250News photo

Prince George, BC – As the Prince George Symphony Orchestra's season draws to a close, city residents have a two days left to support the PGSO's annual Book Sale fundraiser, and two opportunities to take in some music…

The Book Sale has taken over three rooms at the Studio 2880 offices on 15th Avenue – your selections can be taken home for a donation.  It runs from 8am until 4pm today and tomorrow.

Also on tomorrow afternoon, is the final free family-friendly concert at the Two Rivers Art Gallery, between 2pm and 4pm.  This is the first year members of the symphony have offered up the once-monthly concerts and PGSO General Manager, Marnie Hamagami, says, "The idea behind it was to expose, particularly, children to classical music."

"Most in the symphony are parents or educators, or both," she says, "And we know that kids 5, 6, 7, and 8 aren't going to sit for 25-minutes or two hours, so we wanted to create an informal environment where they could walk in and walk out."

Hamagami says there's typically been anywhere from 50 to 100 people dropping in over the course of each of the past seven concerts.  Admission to the art gallery is also free and there's often an art activity also going on for the kids upstairs.  "I'd say the averate listener doesn't last longer than, I'd say, 10-minutes because people have their kids – they come in, they go out, they go upstairs, but it's been a good way for us to get community exposure."

The GM says the symphony has plans to offer the family concerts again next year, but will spread the music around, by moving to the library.

Meantime, the final Salon concert of the season at Ohh Chocolat goes May 30, with an evening of chamber music.  Tickets are $10 and are available at the cafe.