PIANIST DANIEL DEL PINO MAKES HIS MONTEREY SYMPHONY DEBUT ON JANUARY 19, 20, 21, 2008 WITH MUSIC DIRECTOR MAX BRAGADO CONDUCTING.

December 19, 2007, Carmel, California: The Monterey Symphony will present talented Spanish pianist Daniel del Pino performing Chopin's beloved Second Piano Concerto on January 19, 20, and 21, 2008. Monterey Symphony music director Max Bragado-Darman will conduct the program that includes Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture and Beethoven's Eroica Symphony.

These performances will be dedicated to the late Jennifer Alexander, American Ballet Theater dancer who was killed in a tragic accident on December 2, 2007. Ms. Alexander was married to fellow ABT dancer Julio Bragado, son of the orchestra's music director. Both dancers appeared on stage with the Monterey Symphony in January 2007 to rave reviews. The couple had been married in Carmel Valley in July 2007. Julio Bragado sustained a broken leg in the same accident.

Single tickets for the Saturday, January 19, 8:00 p.m. performance at Salinas' Sherwood Hall are $38, $28, $18 and $16 students. For the Stage Door Performance at 3:00 p.m. (final rehearsal) tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door. Single tickets for the Sunday, January 20, 3:00 p.m. and Monday, January 21, 8:00 p.m. concerts at Carmel's Sunset Theater are $60, $55, $50, $45, and $35—not including Sunset Center's Facility Use Fee. Visa and MasterCard are accepted. Ticket buyers are urged to call immediately for tickets as the likelihood of sold-out performances is great. Call 831-624-8511 extension "0," for exact seat locations.

Pianist Daniel del Pino has established himself as one of the leading Spanish concert pianists on the international scene. His performances as a recitalist and in conjunction with symphony orchestras have been heard in the most prestigious concert halls throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and North and South America. He has been particularly prominent on the seasons of all orchestras in Spain as well as several European and American orchestras. His career has been championed by Max Bragado-Darman.

He has won six First Prizes at National Piano Competition, as well as First Prizes at International Piano Competitions "Nueva Acrópolis", "Ciudad de Ferrol" with the Audience Prize, "Fundacion Guerrero" and the "Grand Prize from Her Majesty Princess Lalla Meriem" with the Chopin Prize in Morocco. His interpretation of Spanish music has always received recognition being awarded Special Prizes in International Piano Competition "Ciudad de Ferrol", Jeunesses Musicales du Maroc, "Fundacion Guerrero" and "Premio Jaen."

Daniel del Pino was born in Lebanon in 1972 of Spanish parents and studied piano with Julian Lopez-Gimeno at the Real Conservatorio Superior de Musica of Madrid (Spain). He holds a Master's degree in piano performance from Yale University where he studied with Peter Frankl graduating in 1997 and receiving the Elizabeth Parisot Prize as well as the Ellsworth Gruman Prizes to an outstanding pianist. From 1998 to 2000 he studied with Joaquin Achucarro in the Artist Certificate program at Southern Methodist University winning the Concerto Competition in his first year. From 2002 to 2005, he was a Piano Professor at the Toledo Conservatory in Spain. He is currently part of the Faculty at Musikene (Superior Conservatory of the Basque Country).

The Monterey Symphony last performed Mendelssohn's atmosphere Hebrides Overture in January of 2001, Beethoven's Eroica Symphony in October 2000, and Chopin's Second Piano Concerto in October 2002 with Oliver Kern, piano. All performances were conducted by former music director Kate Tamarkin.

The Monterey Symphony, under the artistic leadership of Max Bragado, is the only fully-professional orchestra serving the communities of the Monterey Bay, Salinas, Salinas Valley, Big Sur, and San Benito County. It provides triple performances of a seven-concert subscription series at Carmel's Sunset Theater and Salinas' Sherwood Hall, annual holiday concerts, and an extensive youth activities program, including more than 200 visits to classrooms by musicians, which culminates in concerts by the full orchestra for school children.

The Monterey Symphony is a nonprofit, public benefit corporation, supported, in part, through the fundraising efforts of the Friends of the Monterey Symphony; and grants from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, The Harden Foundation, The Robert and Virginia Stanton Fund at the Community Foundation for Monterey County, The William and Flora Hewlitt Foundation, The Monterey Peninsula Foundation, The General Endowment Fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County, The Chapman Foundation, The Communities Advancing the Arts Initiative of the Community Foundation of Monterey County, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Graniterock Company, The Nunes Company, Upjohn California Fund, and many other generous foundations and individual donors.

The next performances by the Monterey Symphony will take place on February 16, 17, and 18, and feature guest conductor Christoph Campestrini conducting music by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms. For additional information, please call 831-624-8511 or visit our web site:

www.montereysymphony.org.

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MONTEREY SYMPHONY 62^nd SUBSCRIPTION SEASON 2007-2008

Max Bragado-Darman, conductor

Daniel del Pino, piano

Saturday, January 19, 2008, 8:00 p.m. Sherwood Hall, Salinas

Sunday, January 20, 2008, 3:00 p.m. Sunset Theater, Carmel

Monday, January 21, 2008, 8:00 p.m. Sunset Theater, Carmel

PROGRAM

　

Felix Mendelssohn The Hebrides Overture, Op.26 "Fingal's Cave"

(1809-1847)

Frederic Chopin Piano Concerto No.2 in F minor, Op.21

(1810-1849)

 I. Maestoso

Daniel del Pino, piano

　

Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No.3 in E-flat major, Op.55 "Eroica"

(1770-1827) I. Allegro con brio

This program is dedicated to the memory of Jennifer Alexander Bragado, a beloved dancer with the American Ballet Theater who graced our stages so beautifully one year ago and made our lives so enjoyable.

This program will be broadcast on KUSP 88.9 FM on Sunday, February 3, 2008, 11:00　a.m.