NAPLES, Fla. (February 8, 2022) – Two world renowned performers headline the next Naples Community Orchestra performance on Saturday, March 5, 3:00 PM at Moorings Presbyterian Church, 791 Harbour Drive in Naples. The concert will feature Radu Paponiu as guest conductor along with Naples’ own Alexandra Carlson, an award winning piano soloist. Paponiu is Naples Philharmonic associate conductor. The musical program includes Debussy, Petite Suite, orchestra followed by Chopin, variations of La ci darem la mano with Carlson on piano accompanying the orchestra. The concert will conclude with Mozart Symphony no. 41 Jupiter.
Immediately following the concert, all concert attendees are invited to attend NCO’s complimentary Wine & Cheese Community Partnership Celebration in the Moorings Presbyterian Church outdoor courtyard. Guests will hear remarks from both Kathleen van Bergen, CEO and president Artis-Naples, and new NCO president, Janice Mintel Jack.
Ticket reservations can be made online at naplescommunityorchestra.org. Complimentary tickets are available for students with valid student identification. Electronic tickets will be sent by email. Ticket holders may print them out or have them available on a smartphone to scan at the door. The concerts will also be live streamed. Contact tkingnco@gmail.com for more information.
Carlson grew up in the cultural capital of Russia and earned both her Master of Piano Performance and her Doctorate of Musical Arts, cum laude, from the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in St. Petersburg. Performing throughout Europe and Russia she was featured at the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Hall, the Mariinsky Theatre Concert Hall, and on TVRC “Petersburg” radio. Carlson won prizes at the Valentino Bucci (Italy), the Maria Yudina (Russia), the “Hopes, Talents, Masters” (Bulgaria) and the London International Piano Competitions. The New Horizons Project (U.S.) awarded her a fellowship with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Carlson recently released two albums on the Luna Classic Records label, Parallax (with violinist Daniela Shtereva) and Shades of White. Hailed as “an excellent recording” by the American Record Guide, Carlson can be also heard on the award-winning album, Radiance, with trumpeters Mary Bowden and David Bilger. A passionate educator, Carlson teaches piano performance and chamber music at Ave Maria University (U.S.).
Radu Paponiu is the Associate Conductor of the Naples Philharmonic and Director of the Naples Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. Since 2017, Radu has conducted the Naples Philharmonic in nearly forty different classical, education, and pops programs. As a guest conductor, Radu has appeared with the Transylvania State Philharmonic in Romania, Southwest Florida Symphony, Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony, and National Repertory Orchestra. Radu has served as cover conductor on multiple occasions with the Dallas Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, and Konzerthaus Orchestra Berlin, and has assisted conductors including Andrey Boreyko, Iván Fischer, Stéphane Denève, Hans Graf, Donald Runnicles, Cristian Măcelaru, Bernard Labadie, and Leonidas Kavakos.
NCO’s 2022 concert series is inspired by the community partnerships the orchestra has forged with Artis—Naples, Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) and Collier County Public Schools (CCPS). The orchestra welcomes the participation of student musicians from both FGCU and CCPS high schools. NCO’s partnership with Artis—Naples provides musicians for conducting, sectional rehearsals, soloists, and rehearsal and event space.
Several safety measures are in place to protect concert goers, performers and volunteers. Masks are required to be worn in the sanctuary. Attendees are expected to have been vaccinated or be COVID negative. Capacity in the concert venue is limited to 300 in order to provide sufficient social distancing. As guests enter the sanctuary, they will space themselves appropriately. Ushers will be present to assist guests to available seats.
Naples Community Orchestra’s 2022 performance schedule also includes concerts April 9 and April 29-30. The show on Saturday, April 9 will be conducted by Kyle Szabo, Florida Gulf Coast University’s director of orchestral studies. The featured soloist will be Ryan Little, Naples Philharmonic principal horn.The program will include performances of music composed by Mozart, Strauss and more.
Finally, on Friday, April 29 at 7 PM and Saturday April 30 a pops concert will conclude the season series. Naples’ own Jodie DeSalvo will be the guest conductor and pianist, and Broadway star tenor soloist Jonathan Zeng will perform several of America’s favorites including music composed by Cole Porter, George Gershwin, John Williams and more.
