American conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong will make his San Francisco Symphony debut on June 6 – 8 at Davies Symphony Hall. Lecce-Chong, Music Director of both the Eugene and Santa Rosa symphonies, will lead a programme featuring David Fray performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor. The programme also includes Verdi’s Overture to I vespri siciliani, Elgar’s In the South (Alassio) and Mozart rarity, the Ballet Music from Idomeneo.
Lecce-Chong has earned acclaim for his dynamic performances combined with a deep commitment to nurturing the art form. Described by critics as a “fast rising talent in the music world” with “the real gift,” he has appeared with orchestras around the world including the National Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Toronto Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, and Hong Kong Philharmonic while collaborating with renowned soloists such as Renée Fleming and Itzhak Perlman.
In addition to San Francisco, the 2018/19 season sees his subscription debus with Colorado Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Louisiana Philharmonic and Xi’An Symphony in China and returns to the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Milwaukee and San Diego Symphonies.
Lecce-Chong is the recipient of several distinctions, including the prestigious Solti Foundation Award. Trained also as a pianist and composer, he completed his studies at the Curtis Institute of Music with Otto-Werner Mueller after attending the Mannes College of Music and Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Italy.
Described by the press as the “perfect example of a thinking musician” (Die Welt) and acclaimed for his interpretations of music from Bach to Boulez, David Fray continues to thrill audiences worldwide as a recitalist, soloist and chamber musician.
This season, the Théâtre des Champs Elysées presents a Bach cycle with Fray performing the concerti for two, three and four pianos, Sonatas with Renaud Capuçon and Goldberg Variations. He returns to North America with the Chicago Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, the Dallas Symphony and the National Arts Centre Orchestra. He gives recitals in Amsterdam, Budapest, Dresden, Milan, Istanbul and tours South Korea and Russia. He partners again with the violinist Renaud Capuçon for a series of duo recitals throughout Europe. Orchestral collaborations include the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Vienna Radio Symphony and play-directing the Casa da Musica Orchestra in Porto.
David Fray holds multiple awards including the German Echo Klassik Prize for Instrumentalist of the Year and the Young Talent Award from the Ruhr Piano Festival. In 2008 he was named Newcomer of the Year by the BBC Music Magazine. At the 2004 Montreal International Music Competition, he received both the Second Grand Prize and the Prize for the best interpretation of a Canadian work. His most recent album, Bach: Sonatas with Renaud Capuçon is available in stores and online from Erato Classics
Please visit www.sfsymphony.org for more information and to purchase tickets.
