The National Symphony Orchestra performed at Carnegie Hall the evening before they set off for a week-long residency in South Carolina that will begin in Clover.

The National Symphony, under the baton of music director Leonard Slatkin, will present a concert Saturday, Feb. 9, at 8 p.m. at Clover School District Auditorium . Tickets are $15.

The symphony announced that they had accepted the South Carolina Arts Commission's invitation for its 2008 American Residency at a news conference celebrating the Arts Commission's 40th anniversary early last fall. Since 1992, the orchestra has accepted one invitation a year, making a state or region the focus of its American Residencies project.

The Clover concert is the first of five concerts and dozens of educational and outreach activities to take place across the state. Prior to the concert, a clinic will be presented by members of the orchestra for Clover Junior High and Clover High band students. Associate conductor Emil de Cou will lead a discussion on conducting with music students from Winthrop University.

Concerts scheduled in South Carolina in addition to the performance in Clover are The Peace Center Concert Hall in Greenville, The Brooks Center for the Performing Arts at Clemson University, the Koger Center for the Performing Arts in Columbia, and the University of South Carolina-Aiken Convocation Center.

"We are really excited about hosting the National Symphony Orchestra," said David Yandle, CSDA program director. "It's an honor to have them come to Clover and play for the community and surrounding areas."

For ticket information call 803-222-8018.