"Coming to America" May 3, 2009

Pianist Robert Thies Performs Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with the Santa Cecilia Orchestra

Santa Cecilia Orchestra, an orchestra with a special mission to serve the Latino community, presents “Coming To America”. Under the baton of Sonia Marie De Léon de Vega, the Santa Cecilia Orchestra and guest pianist Robert Thies will perform May 3, 2009. The program will include Thies performing Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Opus 43, as well as Buxtehude’s Chaconne arranged by Carlos Chavez and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 “New World”.

Serge Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Opus 43, was premiered with the composer as soloist with Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra in Baltimore on November 7, 1934. A masterful display of virtuosity and late-Romantic expression, the Rhapsody begins with a brief introduction that leads directly to the first variation. The theme follows, appropriately played by the violins. Amid the brief variations, No. 18 stands out as one of the greatest "purple patches" in the repertoire. Rachmaninoff himself recognized the appeal of this variation saying, "This one is for my agent."

Robert Edward Thies is an artist renowned for his consummate musicianship and poetic temperament. He first captured worldwide attention in 1995 when he won the Gold Medal at the Second International Prokofiev Competition in St. Petersburg, Russia. With this victory, Thies became the only American pianist to win first prize in a Russian piano competition since Van Cliburn’s famed triumph in Moscow in 1958. Praised for his “thoughtful and intensely moving interpretations” Thies enjoys a diverse career as an orchestral soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. He has already performed over 35 concertos with orchestras all over the world. In one season alone he performed thirteen different concertos, garnering consistent critical acclaim. He has appeared with such orchestras as the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic, Liepāja Symphony (Latvia), Mexico City Philharmonic, the National Symphony of Mexico, Auckland Philharmonia (New Zealand), Louisville Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony, Pasadena Symphony, and the Naples Philharmonic. His concerts have been broadcast throughout the United States, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Bolivia, Hungary, Mexico, and New Zealand.

Sonia Marie De Léon de Vega, noted symphony and opera conductor has achieved distinction as a creative and consummate musician, as a woman in a groundbreaking career role, and as a leading influence in the growing Latino culture in the United States. Her musical talents have inspired a large following in Southern California through live orchestral presentations, as well as an international audience through televised performances in the United States, Latin America and Europe. She was the first woman in history to receive a Vatican invitation to conduct a symphony orchestra at a Papal Mass.
De Leon de Vega is most closely associated with the Santa Cecilia Orchestra. She is celebrated in educational circles for creating the dynamic Discovering Music program that takes orchestra members into elementary schools in underserved Latino neighborhoods to introduce children to classical music and the instruments of the orchestra.

The concert will take place at Occidental College’s Thorne Hall, 1600 Campus Rd., Los Angeles on May 3, 2009 at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. There will be one performance only of this program. Tickets priced at $26, $20 and $7 (youth and under) are available by calling the Santa Cecilia Orchestra office at (323) 259-3011 or logging on to scorchestra.org.

Ticket Information: Call (323) 259-3011 or logon to www.scorchestra.org