A musical premiere from the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra will be performed tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. in Talbot Theater.

The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, directed by Carlos Miguel Prieto, is performing their world premiere of “Shadows,” a new piano piece and orchestra by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. Jeffrey Biegel, acclaimed pianist, will play the new piano piece.

Musicians from the former New Orleans Symphony founded the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra in 1991. It is the only musician-owned and collaboratively managed professional symphony in the United States.

There will be a lecture and a question and answer session from 6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. with the composer and the pianist in 215 Talbot.

“We are honored that they contacted us to have their premiere here,” Carol Britt, head of the Department of Music, said. “There are a lot of other places that they could have gone, and they decided to come here. We are building a relationship where they can bring more things to Nicholls.”

The orchestra recognized Nicholls for being an “all Steinway school.” The music department was recently granted 21 Steinway pianos. Nicholls is the only public school in the state to have them.

“A Steinway piano is the piano to have,” Britt said. “It is known all over the world as the finest piano.”

The orchestra will also perform “Symphony No. 5” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and “Les offrandes oubliees” by Oliver Messiaen.

“The pieces are of three different centuries that represent classical music,” Britt said. “It will all be a pleasant evening for our audience. I am glad to bring it all here in Thibodaux, so it is very convenient.”

The orchestra has collaborated with Nicholls before on joint projects. The last major performance they celebrated with Nicholls was in 2003 for the Louisiana Purchase event.

David Boudreaux, vice president for institutional advancement, managed to get funding for the orchestra event.

“He is a wonderful fundraiser for special activities at Nicholls,” Britt said. “I worked with him and the general director of the orchestra to get this thing going.”

The orchestra is open to all people in the Nicholls community who want to attend.

“Just the fact that we will have an orchestra here gives a new experience for so many people,” Britt said. “Also, having the piano with the orchestra is exciting. People will not believe it when they see the conductor, Carlos Prieto, get the most amazing music from this orchestra.”

Music students are looking forward to seeing the orchestra perform as well.

“I am excited about it,” Brittany James, sociology sophomore from New Orleans, said. “As a music minor and beginner, I can learn a lot of from their presence and music because I just started.”

The show will be a new experience for many. The audience will get a live view of what an orchestra performance is really like.

“The audience should come kind of knowing what an orchestra concert will sound like,” Britt said. “They will be thrilled when they realize what the evening is going to be.”

General admission is $20, and the event is general seating. Student tickets are free if students visit Dana Aucoin in 241 Talbot for a promotional code to enter online at www.lpomusic.com/nicholls. Tickets will also be sold at the door.

For more information about the orchestra, go online to www.lpomusic.com.