A musical tribute to composer Irving Berlin, to celebrate his 100th birthday, will be performed today in the Recital Hall of the Music Building at 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

“A Tribute to Irving Berlin” will be presented by the Opera Workshop of NIU’s music school.

Although the workshop consists mainly of students from the school of music, graduate and undergraduate students from across NIU’s campus are also involved in the program.

The idea for the tribute comes from Elwood Smith, conductor of the NIU concert choir and madrigal singers, and Lee Strawn of the NIU voice faculty.

Each year the opera workshop does an evening of songs from a broadway show, says Smith.

This year Irving Berlin was chosen because of his songs and the fact that he is still alive, he said.

The songs the workshop will perform were written from 1909 to 1962, Smith said.

This includes some of Berlin’s more popular songs like “God Bless America,” “I’ll be Loving You Always,” and “This is the Army, Mr. Jones.”

The only problem with putting this program together was, according to a press release, choosing from all of the great songs Berlin wrote.

It’s hard to imagine America without some of Berlin’s most treasured songs like “White Christmas,” and “The Easter Parade,” stated the press release.

The recital is free and open to the public.