In the near future, local orchestra lovers will have a musical treat should the Pittsburgh Symphony elect to make State College its permanent summer home.

The Pittsburgh Symphony will decide on its permanent summer festival site early this year, said Sylvia Turner, director of public information for the symphony. She said "no proposed date" has been set for the board of directors to make a decision on the residency program, but that deliberation has focused specifically on Bedford and State College.

"It's not a closed issue," Turner said. "I think that the board also has its eyes open (for other locations)."

However, during the last informational meeting, held in December, Turner said the two top places being considered were Bedford and State College.

David Christopher, symphony board president; Gideon Toeplitz, board vice president and managing director; and Rod Hohl, vice president of North American Realty Advisory Service are scheduled to meet at Toftrees Resort today for deliberations with a State College committee. Headed by Rep. Lynn Herman (R--Centre), the committee is composed of state, community and University leaders.

Bob Potter, board president of the Nittany Valley Symphony, said the meeting will be a culmination of an evolving process beginning with letters, numerous phone calls and meetings over the past year.

"It's just another visit. There have been several in the past and it's another in a series of meetings to understand what it is they're looking for. We're trying to offer a comprehensive look at the area," Potter said.

Turner said the board was looking for a site outside the Pittsburgh metropolitan area where a permanent performance facility could be built for the symphony's international festival, held every summer. Aside from a significant financial return, the board also hopes the site will broaden the symphony's audience and involve educational opportunities. Summer residencies are a typical practice of many large orchestras, she said.

In 1982 the symphony began to consider locations for a permanent summer home, Turner said. Previously, the symphony held summer festivals near the Ambler campus of Temple University in 1982 and as far away as Mansfield, Mass., in 1986.

Potter cited State College's summer arts festivals and local symphony as qualities he said prove State College's "great track record of success" in artistic pursuits.

"(The symphony) would add to the overall climate and ambience, and it would certainly be an attraction to people visiting State College over the summer," Potter said.

He said the symphony is interested in fashioning the proposed summer home into a park-like outdoor "shed" so that students can study while listening to the symphony.