Anyone within earshot of the University of Rhode Island Quad between 6:15-7:00 pm on Sept. 25 was treated to a free concert from a 65-member orchestra.

The wind ensemble AkaBlas visited URI from the International Engineering Program’s (IEP) partner university in Braunschweig, Germany. Their two-day stay also included a performance in URI’s Fine Arts Center and the German American Cultural Society in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

Most of the members of the group were students at the University of Braunschweig, with a few faculty members and staff mixed in. The university is known for its outstanding engineering program and other science-related programs. None of the students were music majors.

The URI visit was just one stop along the orchestra’s two-week tour.

“In celebration of our 55th anniversary, we decided to tour the East Coast of the United States, switching cities every other day,” said conductor/director Benedikt Hampel. “We wanted to make sure that at each stop, including URI, we had enough time to give a concert, meet with students and possibly do some sightseeing.”