While strolling down Locust Walk in Hamilton Village, few people would notice a possible concert hall.
However, recent Law School graduate Peter Cobb did just that -- in the form of St. Mary's Episcopal Church.
Cobb, who has played saxophone since age 8, recently approached the administration at St. Mary's with the idea of a concert series that would showcase musicians from Penn and the local community. According to Cobb, the goal of this venture is "to give musicians who are very creative a chance to play when they might not otherwise have a chance to do that."
Fortunately, the people at St. Mary's, including Rev. James Littrell -- rector of St. Mary's and Episcopal chaplain to Penn -- responded enthusiastically to Cobb's proposal.
"The idea is simple, really," Littrell said in a press release that appeared on the church's Web site. "There are many more talented artists in this city than there are venues to perform."
"We're hoping to introduce members of the community to music they might not otherwise hear, while giving musicians a chance to further develop their art," he added.
"This is the kind of thing that St. Mary's has been looking to do," said Alison Williams, administrator at the church. "Music is definitely an integral part of life here at St. Mary's."
Inspired by the success of a community jazz program he helped start as an AmeriCorps volunteer in N.J., Cobb saw the concert series as a chance way to boost interaction between Penn and the surrounding community.
The collaboration thus seemed like a perfect marriage -- as Littrell describes St. Mary's as being the place "where campus and community meet."
The sanctuary, which boasts impressive stained glass windows and a pipe organ, hosted members of the Penn community for the first concert on May 16. Also, a number of visitors on campus for various commencement ceremonies were drawn into the church by the music, which filtered through open doors onto Locust Walk.
The church building also happened to be extremely conducive to playing music.
"Acoustically, it's an amazing space," Cobb said.
During the first concert, musicians in Cobb's band -- The Steve Giordano Quintet -- found that there was no need for microphones because each instrument could be heard clearly inside the sanctuary.
"I couldn't have been more pleased," Cobb said of the opening performance.
Now begins the process of gathering acts to play in what Cobb hopes will be a weekly concert series, beginning in July.
According to Cobb, the summer will serve as an experimental period, and by Sept., he'd like to have Penn groups such as Penn Jazz performing. However, Cobb said that the concert series is not limited to jazz musicians -- performers of many genres of music are welcome.
With ticket prices at just a few dollars per concert and an easily accessible campus location, Cobb and the people of St. Mary's Church said they are optimistic that the concert series will thrive well into the academic year.
