With a repertoire specially prepared for the occasion, the cast begins a new cycle of performances where the participation of excellent soloists and internationally recognized directors stands out.

The Gala Concert offered by the La Serena University Symphony Orchestra, on the occasion of the XXXIII anniversary of the university, will be conducted by maestro Marnix Willem Steffen, who began his musical studies at the Higher Conservatory of Rotterdam, Holland. After his excellent debut in South America with the Ciudad de los Reyes Orchestra in Lima, Marnix Willen Steffen has been invited to become its new Principal Conductor, starting in 2012. In parallel, he has worked with the National Symphony Orchestra and the Cuenca Symphony, and for the next seasons he has commitments with the main orchestras of Peru and Ecuador, as well as with several other orchestras in South and Central America, Spain, Russia and Korea.

Considering his many future commitments in South America, Maestro Steffen now resides in Lima, where he accepted to be part of the National Conservatory of Music as Musical Director and Associate Director of the National Network of Youth Symphony Orchestras of Peru.

He is currently in the Coquimbo Region rehearsing with the OSULS for the long-awaited presentation on March 21, at 20:00 p.m., at the Municipal Theater of La Serena, located at Benavente Street No. 580. On the occasion, he will perform as soloist of the first Violoncello of the La Serena University Symphony Orchestra, VÍctor Araya Altamirano, recognized for his natural talent and who began his musical studies in 1996, at the Claudio Arrau school in Coquimbo. In 1999 he entered the Jorge Peña Hen Experimental School of Music where he continued his cello studies with Professor Rodrigo Díaz Cuevas. In 2004, Araya Altamirano entered the University of La Serena and later attended the Universidad Mayor where he continued his cello studies with Professor Nelson Campos Videla. He has participated in orchestral ensembles of the Jorge Peña Hen Experimental School of Music and the National Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Copiapó Municipal Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of the Universidad Mayor.

Since 2010 he has been a stable member of the La Serena University Symphony Orchestra and since 2011 he has served as First Cello leader of the OSULS. He has performed as a soloist with the ULS University Orchestra and is currently teaching in children's and youth orchestras in the area. 

Music and talent will come together in a great meeting with the best regional exponents, in the concert commemorating the new anniversary of the only state university in the Coquimbo Region.

The inauguration will take place on Tuesday, March 18 at 18:00 p.m. 

Science and rock
The ULS academics Lina Barrientos and Omar Sabaj are the next guests to the radio space, which has also had a free magazine since 2013.

On Wednesday, March 12, always at 20:00 p.m., the new season of El Club Cuántico begins, a program led by the academic of the Department of Mathematics of the University of La Serena, Dr. Marco Corgini Videla, and which is broadcast biweekly by Radio Universitaria FM, the station of this house of higher education.

This month's programming includes the visit of the academic from the ULS Department of Music, Lina Barrientos, in the first episode. On this occasion, the topic will be the recovery of the sounds of history, commenting for example on his work in the ACHALAI project, made up of researchers from Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Spain, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela and Chile, who managed to rescue the sounds of aerophone instruments such as the Antara paracas (Peru), which dates back to the years 200 BC and 150 AD

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, March 23, the guest will be Dr. Omar Sabaj, linguist from the Department of Arts and Letters of the University of La Serena, who will refer to language from the point of view of its historical development and applications. that he has carried out in his work of characterization of scientific articles, among other aspects.

“We are very happy with the impact that both the radio program and all the related activities included in the general project The Quantum Club have had over the last two years,” says the director and host of the space, Dr. Marco Corgini. 

Likewise, he mentions that “it is clear that the dissemination of culture is a fundamental task of a university and in that we contribute our grain of sand through the institutional radio station. However, this initiative will grow over time, this is our purpose and that is what we are preparing for, especially with regard to the acquisition of top-level equipment through the project's own resources. In the near future we will have new surprises for our followers.” 

Likewise, the journalistic editor, Ingrid Torres, highlights that the program has had a great reception from the public through radio broadcasts and also in the multiple media used to publicize it, such as Twitter (@elclubcuantico), YouTube (http://youtube.com/elclubcuantico), goear (http://goear.com/elclubcuantico) and blogspot (http://elclubcuantico.blogspot.com), reaching very varied audiences.

Precisely through blogspot, in 2013 El Club Cuántico Magazine joined this varied proposal for scientific dissemination, which brings together articles prepared by academics from different areas, as well as by the guests themselves on the radio, as a way of disseminating their work. and topics of national and international interest in the various areas they develop in science, technology, arts and much more. This magazine is available free of charge at http://elclubcuantico.blogspot.com and, as Dr. Marco Corgini highlights, its first five issues exceed 2.700 downloads.

The Quantum Club began in April 2012 and, to date, has a total of 36 programs that have had the presence of academics from the ULS and other universities, national and foreign, who have shared their knowledge of mathematics with the community, physics, biology, astronomy, philosophy, anthropology, history, psychology and kinesiology.

The chosen place has the purpose of giving greater coverage to the general public and inviting the whole family to this great activity.

AstroDay Chile in its 8th version will open its doors to the community in the Plaza de Armas of La Serena, next Saturday, March 15 at 17 p.m. Simultaneously, at the Extension Center of the University of La Serena, various talks will be presented, in addition to the mobile planetarium. 

AstroDay Chile is a scientific fair that is organized annually by the Gemini Observatory, in conjunction with the Extension Directorate of the University of La Serena and the Illustrious Municipality of La Serena and allows the community to visit and see an exhibition with the scientific observatories for free. stationed in Chile, the tourist observatories of the Coquimbo Region and the Chilean universities that offer physics and astronomy degrees. 

This year, 22 institutions will be present, offering an information and educational space for the whole family, as well as conferences, workshops and the traditional mobile planetarium. 

Among the new features for the year, AstroDay Chile will have the international presence of North American astronomer David Yenerall, ambassador of the NASA Van Allen Probes project, who will offer a motor rocket construction and launch workshop for students from La Serena, in addition to a talk called “Scientific errors in Science fiction films”, where it will address, among others, the recently awarded film “Gravity”. Likewise, for the little ones this year there will be the presence of professor “Tuerca Loca”, who will show live a series of physics experiments that, without a doubt, will delight the entire community.

In order to encourage students to visit AstroDay Chile 2014, a delegation of scientists will be touring the Sagrados Corazones, Seminario Conciliar, San Joaquín and José Manuel Balmaceda Schools in La Serena during Thursday, March 13 and Friday, March 14, carrying a sample of what will be the official event on March 15 in the Plaza de Armas, which will remain open until midnight. 

Extension Center of the University of La Serena

Parallel to the development of the fair in the Plaza de Armas, presentations of the Mobile Planetarium will be held at the Extension Center of the University of La Serena from 18 to 22 p.m., along with the following talks:

18:00 Abdo Campillay, graduate in ULS physics, Las Campanas “Constellations” Observatory. 

19:00 José Luis Nilo, astronomer University of La Serena “The Yellow Universe: Springfield, the Simpsons and their Undercover Astronomy.”

20:00 Basilio Solís, astronomer,“Astronomy in Star Wars.”

21:00 David Yenerall, NASA astronomer “Scientific errors in science fiction films” (with translation).

22:00 Professor “Crazy Nut”with the theme “Science for All”. 

It is important to inform that people interested in attending both the Planetarium and the scientific talks for free must go to the Extension Center of the University of La Serena, located at Prat 446 to register in advance. The talks are designed for audiences over 10 years old and the planetarium for ages 4 and up, and places are limited to the capacity of the spaces.

The institutions present are GAULS, Astronomy Group of the Physics Department of the University of La Serena, ALMA, NASA Van Allen Probes Project, AURA with its Gemini, Cerro Tololo, SOAR and LSST observatories, Las Campanas, OPCC, Mamalluca, Cruz del South, Cerro Mayu, Pangue, Cancana, Collowara, Valle del Sol Carén, ROAN-JASE Tourist, Astronomical and Educational Observatory, Dept. Astronomy University of Chile (DAS), Astronomical Community Chilean Amateurs ALFA ALDEA Astromania, Dept. of Tourism Municipality of La Serena and USACH with its Exhibition of prints “The Universe in the South of the World, Our Celestial Heritage”.

Paulina Elgueta is the name of the Chilean violinist who performed with Rod Stewart in the show held at the Viña del Mar Festival 2014.

The British artist who excelled in his performance was accompanied by the local artist who is currently part of the Symphony Orchestra of the University of La Serena.

On the occasion, Paulina was able to demonstrate all her talent along with the rest of the musicians who accompany the British singer's show.

Paulina Elgueta has a degree from the University of La Serena and also works as a teacher in the Music Department of the ULS.