Concertmaster brings talents to SRU stage
SLIPPERY ROCK — Andres Cardenes, Grammy-nominee and soon-to-retire first chair and concertmaster with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, will join with Rodrigo Ojeda, principal pianist with the symphony, for a 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27 concert at Slippery Rock University.
The concert will be in Swope Music Hall.
Cardenes has served as artistic director and leader of the Pittsburgh Symphony Chamber Orchestra from its 1999 inception through 2009. He will retire from duties with the Pittsburgh Symphony at the end of the concert season to concentrate on being conductor of the Strings Music Festival in Steamboat Springs, Colo.
Cuban-born Cardenes has garnered international acclaim for his recorded performances.
Since gaining acclaim for capturing second prize in the 1982 Tchaikovsky International Violin Competition in Moscow, he has appeared as soloist with more than 100 orchestras on four continents.
In 2008, he and his wife, Monique Mead, were appointed music directors of Strings Music Festival, where he serves as Strings Festival Orchestra conductor.
Venezuelan born pianist Ojeda began his piano studies at age 10. He completed his bachelor's degree in piano performance at the Institute of Musical Studies in 1997 under Arnaldo Pizzolante. In 1999, he went on to complete his graduate studies at Carnegie Mellon University where he remained to complete his artist diploma certificate.
Tickets to the SRU concert are $20, or $35 for the performance and an after-concert reception. Reservations may be made by calling 724-738-2018.
