From Beethoven to the Beatles, Canadian Brass will present an eclectic blend of music tonight at Eisenhower Auditorium as part of its interactive show.

Bernhard Scully, the brass quintet's French horn player, said students should come to the concert because it will be a great evening of fun.

"We love playing for the audience. We put our whole hearts and minds into the concerts, and we hope the students get something out of it," he said. "Plus, it should be a lot of fun."

Scully said the group would play all different kinds of music for the concert.

"We play a combination of all styles," he said. "It's what I would want to hear if I went a concert -- it makes it more interesting."

George Trudeau, director of the Center for the Performing Arts, said the variety of music the band plays is one of the main reasons the center brought it in to perform.

"No matter what your musical taste, you're going to find something you like at the concert," Trudeau said. "They are always wonderful, and they have the widest variety of songs. Like I always say, they play everything from Bach to the Beatles."

In addition to the band's repertoire, Trudeau said he chose Canadian Brass because the group is of the highest caliber and has a lot of fun at the same time.

"Individually, they are terrific, and together they are musically fabulous. On top of that, they have a great time and are extremely entertaining," Trudeau said. "The whole performance, they talk with the audience, tell jokes and even go down into the aisles."

Scully said he is looking forward to the show.

"I'm really excited to come to Penn State to perform. I've never been, but it has such a great reputation," he said.

Lisa Bontrager, a Penn State School of Music horn professor, said she is thrilled that the band is performing here because of all it has done for the music community.

"I'm just delighted that they are here," Bontrager said. "They are forerunners for the brass quintet. They really laid down the road -- they are the ones who made brass quintets a household word."

Another contribution the band has made is that it has helped rejuvenate the classical music genre, Bontrager said.

"They've really made classical music more appealing, accessible and entertaining," she said.

Trudeau said one reason Canadian Brass is so important is that it is really the first brass quintet to become internationally known.

"They've traveled the world, won Grammys and been on all the biggest TV stations," he said. "They are terrifically successful -- I've even lost count of how many records they've released."

Although the band itself has been around for more than three decades, the members come and go. Scully is one of the newer additions, and he said he brings his own sound to mix into the well-established band.

"It was a little overwhelming at first, coming into a tradition, especially since it has such a distinctive sound," he said. "But now I'm starting to understand the style and can bring new things to the group. I think I have a fairly unique sound, and I hope I can help change the band for the better."

Trudeau said students who attend the concert will have an amazing experience.

"I have great confidence the audience will have a terrific evening," he said.