After winning the Naumburg International Piano Competition in New York City in 1997, Molinaro became an overnight sensation. A Chicago native and former Canton resident, this famous pianist performed Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto with the Canton Symphony Orchestra in 1998. Molinaro visited Canton in his 1997-98 tour directly after his victory and performed all over the country in places including Maui, Las Vegas, and New York City. Today, Molinaro continues to perform on stage and is an assistant professor of Music at Loyola University in Chicago.