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Raffaele Ponti,
Music Director
Winning
admirers and exciting audiences is why conductor
Raffaele Ponti is known as an artist of dynamic
personality, charismatic performances, and superb
musicianship.
Diana
Eblen of the Austin Symphony writes: “Maestro Ponti 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 and
the symphony to the people, no matter what the age or
orchestral series,” -- his personal motto. 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 is reflected in outstanding
programming.”
Raffaele’s
engaging personality, passionate pursuit of musical
excellence and elegant style reflect his extensive
conducting experience in Europe and North America. With
an increasing artistic reputation built solidly on
audience success, he now divides his time between Italy
and the United States, conducting many of the world's
finest orchestras and soloists.
He
began his training on the violin, piano and trumpet. His
trumpet teachers were Armando Ghitalla and Bernard
Adelstein. By the age of 17 he was performing with the
Rochester Philharmonic with David Zinman. At age 19 he
was performing as assistant principal trumpet to Bernard
Adelstein of the Cleveland Orchestra with conductor,
Lorin Maazel. He also performed as principal trumpet
with the Mantovani Orchestra, Eastern Brass Quintet,
Metropolitan Brass Quintet, and at the Casals Music
Festival.
Working
with renowned conductors Lorin Maazel, Yoel Levi, Klaus
Tennstedt, Sir Colin Davis and David Zinman is what
inspired Raffaele to pursue a conducting career. His
conducting teachers include Giuseppe Sinopoli, Klaus
Tennstedt, Jorge Mester and Paul Vermel. Mr. Ponti is a
graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Raffaele
has won numerous awards including prize-winner of the
Mario Gusella International Conductors Competition in
Pescara, Italy; Italian Man of the Year; and the Bernard
Adelstein Prize from the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Mr.
Ponti’s current professional associations include,
Director: Festival di Musica da Camera, Principal Guest
Conductor: Italia Konzert Opera, Regular Guest
Conductor: Austin Symphony Orchestra, Regular Guest
Conductor: Toscana Opera Festival, Artistic Director and
Conductor: Empire State Lyric Theatre, Artistic Director
and Conductor: Rochester Sinfonietta, Music Director:
Genesee Valley Orchestra and Chorus, Music Director:
Genesee Symphony Orchestra.
Recent
and forthcoming appearances include the, Austin Symphony
Orchestra, Sofia Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonica di
Pescara, ltalia Konzert Opera, Orchestra Sinfonica di
Siena, Musica da Camera di Pescara, Sofia Opera
Orchestra, Teatro Lirico di Europe, Varna State Opera
Orchestra, Elgin Symphony Orchestra, Rochester
Philharmonic Orchestra, Toscana Opera Festival, Billings
Symphony Orchestra, Empire State Lyric Theatre
Orchestra, and the Eastman School of Music. In Italy the
orchestras of Roma, Siena, Arezzo, Pistoia, Lucca, Pisa,
Firenze, Grosseto, Venezia, Padova, Treviso, Milano,
Perugia, Massa and Terni.
Mr.
Ponti has worked with world class artists David Kim,
Ilya Kaler, Dave Mancini, Phillipe Quint, Paola Romano,
Vittorio Grigolo, Maurizio Graziani, Stefano Algieri,
Mariana Paunova, Silvja dalla Benetta, Ettore Nova,
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.
His
opera triumphs with the Italian public have included
performances of: Tosca, Il Trovatore, Nabucco, Madama
Butterfly, L’Elisir d’amore, Carmen, Aida, La Boheme
and Rigoletto.
Isabelle
Aubin, Pianist and Vocal Coach
 Canadian
pianist and opera coach Isabelle Aubin was trained in
the Conservatoire of Quebec, Canada, and Montreal
University. She furthered her studies with Denise Massé,
Graham Johnson, Marin Katz, Nathalie Pépin and Jean
Barr. "She sings through the piano," is why
Isabelle is in high demand as a collaborative pianist
with professional singers.
Having
performed all through Italy, Isabelle was selected to
teach and perform in the famed Siena Summer program with
a program she designed entitled, The Art of
Accompaniment. From this she created Festival di Musica
da Camera, an Italian music institute that is held in
Canada, United States and Italy.
Isabelle’s
love of languages makes her a very sympathetic
collaborator, working in French, Italian, German and
English. The nuance of the word and its relationship
with the sound are very important in her
interpretations. She strives to unveil the true essence
and meaning of each note and phrase - always striving to
fulfill the composers’ intentions, thoughts and dreams.
Isabelle's
current positions are Pianist and Vocal Coach, Festival
di Musica da Camera; Vocal Coach, Buffalo State College;
French Diction Professor, Nazareth College; Pianist and
Vocal Coach, Nazareth College; Vocal Coach, Empire State
Lyric Theatre; Pianist and Vocal Coach, Genesee Valley
Orchestra and Chorus. She has held similar positions
with the College d'Alma, and Société d'arts lyriques
du Royaume in Quebec, Canada.
She has
worked and performed in Austria, Italy, Canada and
United States with international vocalists Ettore Nova,
Ambra Vespesiani, Karina Gauvin, Stefano Algieri, Hugues
St-Gelais, Mariana Paunova, Claudine Côté and
Marie-Nicole Lemieux.
She has
performed as soloist with the Austin Symphony Orchestra,
Genesee Symphony Orchestra, Empire State Lyric Theatre,
and Genesee Valley Orchestra and Chorus.
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