Carnegie Mellon University
April 26, 2012

Press Release: Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic Welcomes Ari Pelto as Guest Conductor for May 3 Concert

Contact: Dana Casto / 412-268-4921 / dcasto@cmu.edu
Pam Wigley / 412-268-1047 / pwigley@andrew.cmu.edu

PITTSBURGH—Under the direction of guest conductor Ari Pelto, the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic rounds out the 2011-2012 Carnegie Music Hall concert series 8 p.m. Thursday, May 3. With performances that have been called "poetic, earthy, vigorous and highly individual," Pelto is in demand at elite opera houses, ballets, symphonies and conservatories throughout the United States. He trained in violin performance at Oberlin Conservatory in Oberlin, Ohio, and in conducting at Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind.

He will conduct the Philharmonic on Samuel Barber's "Concerto for Violin and Orchestra" with Erica Hudson as soloist; Arthur Honegger's "Pacific 231;" Bohuslav Martinu's "Frescoes of Piero della Francesca;" and Frank Martin's "Concerto for 7 Winds, Strings and Percussion." The latter features soloists Catherine Gregory on flute; Miriam Friedman on oboe; Peter Kennedy on clarinet; Austin Way on bassoon; Mark Addleman on horn; Daniel Blumenfeld on trumpet; and Jeremy Smith on trombone.

Since his 2004 debut at New York City Opera with Verdi's "La traviata," Pelto has been engaged as a regular guest there, returning for "La bohème," "Carmen" and "Madama Butterfly," which the New York Sun heralded as "to die for." His performances have been widely celebrated from the East to West coasts, as well as in Europe.  He has served as a regular guest conductor of the Atlanta Ballet. This year, he is collaborating with Twyla Tharp on her world premiere, "The Princess and the Goblin." Additionally, Pelto works regularly within various prestigious young artist programs, including those of the San Francisco Opera, Wolf Trap in Vienna, Va., and the New National Theatre in Tokyo, where for eight years he has been engaged as a regular faculty member and conductor.

Tickets for the May 3 concert at Carnegie Music Hall are $5 (general admission), $4 for seniors and free for CMU students with ID.  For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: http://www.showclix.com/event/74514.

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