Pianist Alexander Schimpf Performs with the Las Vegas Philharmonic Tonight

One of Tchaikovsky's most beloved concertos and Sibelius's Second Symphony, two masterworks that have not been performed by the Las Vegas Philharmonic in 10 years, feature on the orchestra's "Rising Star" concert program tonight, March 8th at 7:30 p.m. at The Smith Center conducted by David Lockington.

Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23 is one of the most beloved and performed piano works in the classical repertoire. It is a dazzling showcase for the soloist and also an exhilarating work for the orchestra musicians and the audience. The Las Vegas Philharmonic last performed this concerto in 2004.

Award-winning German pianist Alexander Schimpf will perform with the Las Vegas Philharmonic as the concert's "Rising Star." Each season the orchestra showcases an up-and-coming star of the international classical music scene. Mr. Schimpf (33) has risen to prominence by winning a series of prestigious international piano competitions. In 2008 he won the German Music Competition, the first pianist to win in 14 years, and in 2009 he won First Prize at the International Beethoven Competition in Vienna. In 2011 he became the first German pianist to ever win First Prize at the Cleveland International Piano Competition. His final round performance at Severance Hall with the Cleveland Orchestra was given a standing ovation and also garnered the Audience Favorite Prize.

The Masterworks Series concert will open with a work by another Russian composer, Mussorgsky's Prelude to Khovanchchina, "Dawn on the Moscow River," a series of tone color variations on a folk theme written for an opera the composer never completed. The concert concludes with Sibelius's Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43. It will be the first Las Vegas Philharmonic performance of the Mussorgsky work and the orchestra's first performance of the Sibelius symphony in 10 years.

Guest conductor David Lockington led the Las Vegas Philharmonic's season finale concert, "Celestial Bodies," in May 2013. Of this performance, the Las Vegas Review-Journal said: "His conducting technique is restrained but clearly crafted to communicate the full force of his own emotional being to the orchestra and, through its players, to his audience. This is an exceptional conductor of whom it would be well to see more."

Mr. Lockington has served as the Music Director of the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra since January 1999 and has held the same position with the Modesto Symphony since May 2007. In March 2013, Mr. Lockington was appointed Music Director of the Pasadena Symphony. He also has a close relationship with the Orquesta Sinfonica del Principado de Asturias in Spain and is currently the orchestra's Principal Guest Conductor. He will give a pre-concert talk ahead of the "Rising Star" concert at 6:45 p.m. that is free and open to all ticket-holders to attend.

Tickets: The Las Vegas Philharmonic offers $25 tickets for balcony seating at all of its 2013-14 season concerts. Seats in other sections are priced $46, $64 and $94. Tickets are available from The Smith Center Box Office, phone 702.749.2000 or online from lvphil.org. A 50% student discount is available on all single ticket purchases (ID required.) Group sales are available by calling the Las Vegas Philharmonic.

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