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 Raffaele Ponti, Music Director
PADUCAH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, Artistic Director & Conductor Hailed by the Chicago Courier News, "Maestro Ponti is a rising star, someone gaining international acclaim and attention. Ponti brings an exhilarating energy level to center stage. It's an electrifying swagger-- empowering and enabling him to pull music from light to darkness and back again. Fans worldwide say that his passion shows. It’s clear he has a tremendous zest for music, an exuberance recalling both the roar and rush of a roller coaster ride.” The Daily Herald of Chicago writes, “A bold yet sensitive conductor, Ponti highlights Brahms’ interplay between the instruments, expertly balancing the sections – emphasizing the delightful winds and fine trombones while holding in check ESO’s formidable string section – to illustrate the multiple layers that make this work so sublime.” After performing the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with David Kim, Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra, he writes, “Maestro Ponti is first and foremost, a wonderful and natural musician.” Henry Fogel, former President, Chicago Symphony writes, “Ponti’s conducting is expressive, clear, emotionally communicative - frankly all the things I look for in conductors…very impressive.” This season Raffaele made debuts with the Rochester Philharmonic, Erie Philharmonic, Binghamton Philharmonic, Paducah Symphony, Syracuse Symphony and the New York State All-State Orchestra. Next season he conducts the Kentucky All-State Symphony Orchestra and a return engagement with the Rochester Philharmonic. Other recent engagements include Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes, Utica Symphony, Schenectady Symphony, Montreal Opera Festival, Sofia Symphony, Pescara Symphony, Siena Symphony, Teatro Lirico di Europe, Varna State Opera, Elgin Symphony and the Billings Symphony. His musical studies began on violin, piano and trumpet. By age seventeen, he was performing in the trumpet section of the Rochester Philharmonic and two years later was asked to play assistant principal trumpet to Bernard Adelstein of the Cleveland Orchestra. He has worked with conducting greats Lorin Maazel, Yoel Levi, Klaus Tennstedt, David Zinman and Sir Colin Davis. He studied conducting in Rome, Italy with Maestro Giuseppe Sinopoli and the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. Raffaele Ponti’s name has become synonymous with imaginative and innovative programming proven by collaborations with David Kim, Allen Vizzutti, David Halen, Michael Ludwig, Juana Zayas, Phillippe Quint, Elena Urioste, Paola Romano, Vittorio Grigolo, Maurizio Graziani, Stefano Algieri, Mariana Paunova, Silvja dalla Benetta, Ettore Nova, Wilfredo Deglans, George Petean, Claudia Marchi, Salvador Carbo', Tatiana Lisnic, Carlos Almaguer, Patrizia Cigna, Michela Sburlati, Galina Kalinina, Mina Tasca, Stanislas Arraez, Alessandro Busi, Mauro Augustini and Ambra Vespasiani. POP’s artists Paul Anka, Engelbert Humperdinck, Robert Goulet, Eartha Kitt, Eddie Fisher, Tony Martin, Shields & Yarnell, Jimmy Dorsey, Lawrence Welk and Les Brown. Austin Symphony Management writes, “Raffaele is passionate about music and conducting and that passion shines through when he steps onto the podium, a living embodiment of ‘Connecting People to the Symphony.’ A dynamic personality with excellent people skills makes him a favorite with everyone, orchestra, audience, board members and sponsors. And his commitment to excellence is evident throughout his performances. His deep knowledge of repertoire and resourcefulness reflects his outstanding programming.” Eugene Gratovich, Associate Concertmaster of the Austin Symphony writes, “Maestro Raffaele Ponti is an outstanding musician and conductor. His gestures are always clear and expressive. He has the highest professional standards. He is a conductor with whom musicians wish to make music.” |
