The 29th season of Restoration Concerts opens with a piano and violin duo on Sunday, September 15, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.  Roger Wilkie – violin and Rudolfo Leone – piano will be performing music by Poulenc-Heifetz, Fauré, Debussy, and Saint-Saëns.  Tickets will be available at the door for $25 or online at https://www.friendsofsopaslibrary.org/restoration-concerts. The concert will be held in the beautiful historic Library Community Room at 1115 El Centro St. in South Pasadena.

Southern California native, violinist Roger Wilkie, has enjoyed a rich and varied musical life. He has been the beloved concertmaster of the Long Beach Symphony for over 27 years and has appeared as a soloist throughout his career with the Symphony, performing the concertos of Brahms, Mendelssohn, Bruch, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, and Sibelius to critical acclaim. Mr. Wilkie’s professional career began at age 21 when he joined the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, eventually being appointed Principal Second Violin, a position he held until 1989. He has since returned to the ensemble as Guest Concertmaster. He has also served as Guest Concertmaster with the LA Opera, Los Angeles Master Chorale, and the Real Filharmonia De Galicia, Spain under Music Director, Helmut Rilling. Mr. Wilkie is an accomplished and sought-after chamber musician and is the founding member of the Angeles String Quartet.  Mr. Wilkie’s career extends to the Hollywood Studios, where he has participated in the soundtracks of over 1000 films as well as television recordings.

The 29 year old Italian-born pianist Rodolfo Leone has already amassed a list of major international performances and was the First Prize Winner at the 15th International Beethoven Piano Competition Vienna in 2017.  His playing has been described as having “impeccable style” and “absolute technical control” with “hands that every pianist would like to have” (Il Nuovo Amico). He “plays with “a maturity and awareness that usually develops at a later age” (L’Eco di Bergamo).  He has appeared in major concert halls from Los Angeles to China. Rodolfo’s recent seasons include a collaboration with James Conlon and LA Opera and debuts with the San Diego Symphony (Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1) conducted by Michael Francis, Pasadena Symphony (Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21) with conductor David Lockington, and Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra (Beethoven’s Concerto No. 5, “Emperor”) with Sascha Goetzel; he also performed Beethoven’s Triple Concerto in Walt Disney Hall under the baton of Xian Zhang.

In addition to individual tickets available for purchase at the door, season tickets are now on sale for $160 for 8 concerts.  Purchasing the season saves concertgoers $40 over ticket prices at the door.  For more information, contact [email protected] or go to https://www.friendsofsopaslibrary.org/restoration-concerts.

The Restoration Concerts Committee, a committee of the non-profit organization, The Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library, has a goal to bring world-class music at an affordable price to the concertgoers in South Pasadena and surrounding communities. As the name suggests, net proceeds from the concerts provide for restorations, enhancements and other benefits to the South Pasadena Library and Community Room.

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