Peter Bay makes a Guest Appearance at the CSO
Peter Bay served as a guest conductor for the CSO’s 1991-1992 season. Peter Bay started his successful career by winning first prize in the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Youth Conductors Competition in 1980. From there until 1990, he was part of the Aspen Music Festival’s conducting staff then later left to be featured in over eighty different orchestras from across the US and Europe including Hawaii, Germany, and Portugal. In 2016, he was inducted in the Austin Arts Hall of Fame. Today, he is the Music Director for the Austin Symphony Orchestra.
The CSO’s Steel Band Class Was Created
In a partnership with the Cultural Center’s Children’s Arts Connection outreach program, the Canton Symphony Orchestra opened a free Steel Drum Band course to Canton schoolchildren. Once a week for six weeks, CSO percussionists met with the students, teaching them the ins and outs of what it means to be a musician. This program continued until 1999 and was expanded to people of all ages.
Leila Josefowicz opens the CSO’s 61st season
The American-Canadian violinist Leila Josefowicz opened the CSO’s 61st season performing Hovhaness’ Mysterious Mountain, Symphony No. 2. In 1990, the young musician started her career with a debut in London with the Academy of St. Martin and Sir Neville Marriner. At the young age of 15 Leila performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra when it was Conducted by Gerhardt Zimmermann in 1993. The violinist also received the Avery Fisher Grant, toured Japan, and was featured on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Leila was also nominated for the Grammy Awards after her recording of Scheherazade No. 2 with the St. Louis Symphony.
Anthony Molinaro performs with the Canton Symphony Orchestra
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.
