The World Music Center in West Virginia Universitys College of Creative Arts will present its third annual Youth World Music Concert Thursday (March 6).

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre of WVU s Creative Arts Center on the Evansdale Campus. It will feature world music ensembles from local schools in Morgantown and surrounding areas. Other special guests include The Blueberry Pickers and Friends, an old-time mountain music group from the Morgantown area.

In addition, a special free 9:30 a.m. performance for Monongalia County school children will take place Thursday in the Clay Concert Theatre.Directed by Gordon Nunn, music professor and director of WVU s World Music Center, the concert will include the Morgantown High School Taiko (Japanese drum) Ensemble, Sky View Elementary African Ensemble, University High School African Ensemble, Westwood Middle School Panhandlers (steel band) and African Ensemble, St. Francis Catholic Childrens Choir from Morgantown, Bruceton School African Ensemble from Bruceton Mills and Waynesburg High School African Ensemble from Waynesburg, Pa.

The students will perform a variety of world music and dance they have been rehearsing at their schools this year.The World Music Center has often featured youth world music ensembles from Morgantown-area elementary, middle and high schools along with the WVU African and Steel ensembles in concerts at the Creative Arts Center. Now, these youth ensembles and performers will be featured in their own concert.

These talented youths have emerged as a result of various influences, including the outreach program established by the World Music Center, local music teachers who have established world music programs in their respective schools and young people in the community with musical interests in various forms of vernacular music,Nunn said.

For tickets and information, contact the Mountainlair and Creative Arts Center box offices at 304-293-SHOW.