ROMANTIC RUSSIANS OPEN SINFONIA TORONTO’S NEW SEASON

Sinfonia Toronto will open its 18th season with a brilliant concert titled ‘Romantic Russians’ featuring the extraordinary Toronto pianist Sheng Cai on Friday, October 21, 8 pm. Music Director Nurhan Arman will conduct the program consisting two of the most romantic compositions of the Russian repertoire - Tchaikovsky’s favourite ‘Serenade’ and the ultimate romantic work Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. The concert is in George Weston Recital Hall at the Toronto Centre for the Arts.

Award-winning pianist Sheng Cai has embraced the keyboard tradition which epitomizes the greatness of the romantic virtuoso. His performances have touched audiences and won the praise of critics on three continents. Of his Chopin 1st piano concerto the Toronto Star headlined: "Young pianist impresses at debut" and continued "a young man with real talent... from a clear, singing tone to a subtle sense of rubato to a judicious choice of tempi... some of the same qualities embodied in Pollini's approach". Honored with a number of prizes and awards, Sheng Cai has been described as a pianist "with great confidence... lucidity, breath, color and power" by the Birmingham News.

Now in its 18th season, Sinfonia Toronto has toured in United States and twice in Europe, receiving glowing reviews. It has released four CD’s, including a JUNO Award winner, and performs in many Ontario cities. Its extensive repertoire includes all the major string orchestra works of the 18th through 21st centuries, and it has premiered many new works. Under the baton of Nurhan Arman the orchestra’s performances present outstanding international guest artists and prominent Canadian musicians.

Nurhan Arman has conducted throughout Europe, Asia, South America, Canada and the United States, returning regularly to many orchestras in Europe. Among the orchestras Maestro Arman has conducted are the Moscow Philharmonic, Deutsches Kammerorchester Frankfurt, Filarmonica Italiana, St. Petersburg State Hermitage Orchestra, Orchestre Regional d’Ile de France, Hungarian Symphony, Milano Classica and Belgrade Philharmonic.

Tickets are $42 adult; $35 senior and $15 student. They can be purchased by phone at 416-250-3708 or toll free 1-855-985-2787 or online at http://www.sinfoniatoronto.com/

Subscriptions to Sinfonia Toronto’s seven-concert Masterpiece Series are available from http://www.sinfoniatoronto.com/ or from 416-499-0403 with an additional $10 per subscription for phone orders.

Details at a glance:

Friday October 21 8 pm

Toronto Centre for the Arts

Opening concert of the 2016-17 Masterpiece Series

ROMANTIC RUSSIANS

SHENG CAI Pianist

SINFONIA TORONTO / NURHAN ARMAN Conductor

A favourite serenade and the ultimate romantic piano concerto

RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 2

TCHAIKOVSKY Serenade

Tickets: $42 ad; $35 senior; $15 student 416-250-3708 or toll free 1-855-985-2787

or online at http://www.sinfoniatoronto.com/