Pianist Ingrid Fliter Makes BSO Debut with Chopin's Second Piano Concerto, February 18-19

Program also includes Rossini's rousing William Tell Overture

Baltimore, Md. (February 1, 2011) - Argentine pianist Ingrid Fliter makes her Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) debut, under the direction of Hans Graf, in a performance of Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 on Friday, February 18 at 8 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and Saturday, February 19 at 8 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore. Maestro Hans Graf will also lead the BSO in Rossini's William Tell Overture and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 2, "Little Russian." Please see below for complete program details.

The opera William Tell is one of Rossini's most notable works and was also to be his final composition, when he self-imposed his retirement at age 37. The opera contains some of Rossini's most popular tunes, but is rarely performed due to its length. However, the overture to William Tell has remained among his most popular works, containing his famous calling-card melody.

Internationally acclaimed Argentine pianist Ingrid Fliter makes her BSO debut performing Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2. A recipient of the 2006 Gilmore Artist Award, Gramophone magazine hails Ms. Fliter's previous interpretations of Chopin as "perfection" and asserts that she "never loses sight of Chopin the poet."

Tchaikovsky infused his jubilant Symphony No. 2 with Russian and Ukrainian folk-tunes, earning it the nickname "Little Russian." Tchaikovsky was often at odds with his Russian composer peer-group known as the "Mighty Handful," who believed that in order to achieve a national sound, Russian composers must base all compositions on their native folk music. Tchaikovsky, in contrast, believed folk music composed using Western European techniques could still be authentically Russian. Happily, his Russian peers ecstatically praised the symphony for its fusion of Western techniques with Russian folk songs. The public agreed, enthusiastically receiving the symphony when it premiered in Moscow in 1873.

Hans Graf, conductor
Hans Graf, the distinguished Austrian conductor, is known for his wide range of repertoire and creative programming, making him one of today's most highly respected musicians. Mr. Graf began his tenure with the Houston Symphony Orchestra in September 2001. Prior to his appointment in Houston, he was the music director of the Calgary Philharmonic for eight seasons and held the same post with the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine for six years. He also led the Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra from 1984 to 1994. He served as music director of the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra in Baghdad during the 1975-1976 season and the following year began coaching at the Vienna State Opera. His international career was launched in 1979 when he was awarded first prize at the Karl Böhm Competition.

His recent and upcoming guest engagements include appearancees with the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics, the Cleveland, Philadelphia, San Francisco, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Detroit, Dallas, Baltimore, Vancouver, Atlanta and National symphony orchestras and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. Over the past decade, he developed a close relationship with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and has appeared regularly with the orchestra during the subscription season and at the Tanglewood Music Festival.

He made his Carnegie Hall debut with the Houston Symphony in January 2006 and returned to Carnegie leading the Orchestra of St. Luke's in March 2007. He and the Houston Symphony were invited to appear at Carnegie Hall once again in January 2010 to present the New York premiere of The Planets - An HD Odyssey, featuring exclusive high definition images from NASA's exploration of the solar system accompanied by Holst's famous work, The Planets.

In October 2010, Mr. Graf led the Houston Symphony on a tour of the UK, including performances in Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester and two performances at the Barbican in London.

Ingrid Fliter, piano
Ingrid Fliter made her American orchestra debut with the Atlanta Symphony in January 2006, just days after she won the Gilmore Award. Since then she has appeared with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Cleveland, Minnesota, San Francisco, St. Louis, Toronto, Detroit, National, Cincinnati, Houston and Seattle symphony orchestras, the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.

Equally busy as a recitalist, Ms. Fliter recently performed in New York at Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Museum, at Chicago's Orchestra Hall, in Boston, San Francisco, Detroit and Baltimore and for the Van Cliburn Foundation in Fort Worth.

In Europe and Asia, Ms. Fliter has performed with orchestra and in recital in Amsterdam, Tokyo, Frankfurt, Salzburg, Cologne, St. Petersburg and Berlin and participated in festivals such as La Roque D'Antheron, Prague Autumn and The World Pianist Series in Tokyo. Recent engagements abroad included appearances with the Rotterdam, Israel and Royal Liverpool Philharmonics, the BBC Symphony, Royal Scottish National and the Gulbenkian Symphony Orchestra; recitals in Paris, Barcelona and Milan, three recitals at London's Wigmore Hall and a tour of Spain with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra.

Highlights of her 2010-2011 season include debuts with the Baltimore, Utah and Kansas City symphony orchestras and with the Stockholm Philharmonic, Sydney Symphony and London's Philharmonia. Re-engagements include the Dallas, Atlanta and Indianapolis symphony orchestras and the Rotterdam Philharmonic. She gives recitals in London at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Tokyo, Sydney, Vancouver and at New York's 92nd Street Y.

An exclusive EMI recording artist, her first CD, an all-Chopin disc, was released in April 2008. Her complete Chopin Waltzes was released in the fall of 2009 and she recorded an all-Beethoven CD in January 2011.

COMPLETE PROGRAM INFORMATION
BSO Classical Concert: Ingrid Fliter Plays Chopin
Friday, February 18, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. - Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Saturday, February 19, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. - The Music Center at Strathmore

Hans Graf, conductor
Ingrid Fliter, piano †

Rossini: William Tell Overture
Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2, "Little Russian"

† Denotes a BSO artist debut

Tickets range from $28 to $88. Tickets are available through the BSO Ticket Office, 877.BSO.1444, 410.783.8000 or BSOmusic.org.