Promoroma Names CSO Music Director Riccardo Muti 'Ambassador of the Culture of Rome in the U.S.'

CHICAGO-Promoroma, the special agency of the Chamber of Commerce of Rome, announced today that it awarded the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's (CSO) eminent music director, Maestro Riccardo Muti, with the "Ambassador of the Culture of Rome in the U.S." award during a presentation recently at Symphony Center.

Maestro Muti was presented with his latest award by Mr. Marco Annarumi, president of Promoroma, who noted that in addition to his leadership role with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Maestro Muti is an Honorary Director for Life of the Teatro dell'Opera in Rome.

"Maestro Muti, with his genius and human stature, truly is a bright light and guide in a world that too many times focuses not on beauty and positivity, but on pettiness and negativity," Annarumi stated. "Maestro Muti teaches us constantly that human nature is made for true happiness and beauty, and for this we are immensely grateful to him."

The award is a unique, custom handmade sculpture exclusively designed for Maestro Muti by world renowned Roman artist Riccardo Monachesi. The handmade unique and exclusive piece is plaque named "Traguardi," which means "Finishing Lines." Monachesi created this sculpture for Maestro Muti with the intent to represent the emotional encounter between the two cultures-the Italian and American ones-that Maestro Muti so well represents with his dual responsibilities in Chicago and Rome.

About Riccardo Muti (www.RiccardoMutiMusic.com)
Riccardo Muti, born in Naples, Italy, is one of the preeminent conductors of our day. In 2010, when he became the tenth music director of the world-renowned Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO), he had more than forty years of experience at the helm of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence (1968-80); the Philharmonia Orchestra in London (1972-82); the Philadelphia Orchestra (1980-1992); and Teatro alla Scala in Milan (1986-2005). He continues to be in demand as a guest conductor for other great orchestras and opera houses: the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Munich, the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House in London, the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, and many others. He is an honorary member of the Vienna Philharmonic, which gave him its Golden Ring as a special sign of esteem and affection. He also is honorary director for life of the Rome Opera.

Muti has received innumerable honors from Italy, the United States, France, Germany, Austria, Great Britain, Israel, Spain, Russia, Sweden, and the Vatican as well as more than 20 honorary degrees from universities around the world. Passionate about teaching young musicians, Muti founded the Luigi Cherubini Youth Orchestra in 2004. Through Le vie dell'Amicizia (The Paths of Friendship), a project of the Ravenna Festival in Italy, he has conducted in many of the world's most troubled areas in order to bring attention to and advocate for civic and social issues. In greater Chicago and around the globe, Muti demonstrates his strong commitment to sharing classical music broadly by regularly offering free concerts and rehearsals to the public and by performing in schools, prisons, and other community venues.

Riccardo Muti's vast catalog of recordings, numbering in the hundreds, ranges from the traditional symphonic and operatic repertoires to contemporary works. He also has written two books, Verdi, l'italiano (published in Italian and German) and Riccardo Muti: An Autobiography: First the Music, Then the Words, which has been published in several languages.

About the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association (cso.org)
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is consistently hailed as one of the greatest orchestras in the world. Its music director since 2010 is Riccardo Muti, one of the preeminent conductors of our day. The venerable Pierre Boulez is the CSO's Helen Regenstein Conductor Emeritus. The renowned musicians of the CSO annually perform more than 150 concerts, most at Symphony Center in downtown Chicago and, in the summer, at the suburban Ravinia Festival. The CSO also appears in other U.S. cities and frequently tours internationally. Since its founding in 1891, the Orchestra has made 56 international tours, visiting 28 countries on five continents. At home and on tour, tickets are always in high demand and frequently sold out; occasional performances and rehearsals are free.

The CSO is part of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association (CSOA), which also includes the acclaimed Chicago Symphony Chorus; the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, a unique training orchestra; CSO Radio broadcasts and webcasts worldwide; and CSO Resound, a best-selling record label. Recordings by the CSO have won 62 Grammy Awards. Through its Symphony Center Presentsseries, the CSOA also offers dozens of performances each year by internationally known guest artists and ensembles of jazz, pop, contemporary, world, and classical music. Through its Institute for Learning, Access, and Training, the CSOA offers a variety of youth, community, and education programs, all of which are based on the concept of Citizen Musicianship, using and promoting the power of music to contribute to our culture, our communities, and the lives of others. Celebrated cellist Yo-Yo Ma is the CSOA's Judson and Joyce Green Creative Consultant; Deborah F. Rutter, a highly regarded arts executive, is the CSOA's president.

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