Symphony of the Americas: Presents a Musical Tribute to Concertmaster Bogden Chruszcz

Symphony of the Americas Artistic Director Pablo Mielgo presents an evening tribute honoring Concertmaster Bogdan Chruszcz, and welcomes incoming Concertmaster, Scott Flavin. The presentation will take place Sunday, March 13, with a 5:00 p.m. reception followed by the 6:00 p.m. specially-curated performance by Flavin and a post-performance dessert in the Mary Porter Ballroom at Broward Center for the Performing Arts.

Chruszcz' distinguished career has spanned more than 40 years, and he has been the Symphony of Americas' concertmaster since 1983.

As a concertmaster since 1978, Chruszcz has served under the baton of such renowned conductors as Aaron Copland, Igor Stravinsky, Leonard Bernstein, Alain Lombard, James Conlon, and Stanislav Skrovacewsky. His career also encompassed live performances and recordings with great artists from both the classical and popular music worlds, including Luciano Pavarotti, Issac Stern, and Mstislav Rostropovich as well as Frank Sinatra, Julio Iglesias, John Denver, Peter Nero, and Willy Chirino. Chruszcz and his wife, pianist Velia Yedra, have also received international acclaim throughout their many years of performing as a duo.

Chruszcz has held assignments with such prestigious cultural arts organizations as Miami Philharmonic, Miami City Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Palm Beach Opera, and National Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, and was founding concertmaster of Florida Philharmonic, and Florida Grand Opera. He is also the founder of the first Miami String Quartet.

As Scott Flavin steps into the position of concertmaster, he brings with him a versatile career of conducting classical symphonies, accompanying the world's greatest jazz stars, and premiering new works.

As Resident Conductor for The Henry Mancini Institute, Flavin has appeared on the podium with such diverse artists as soprano Denyce Graves, The Beach Boys, Chick Corea, and Dave Grusin, among many others. He has also appeared as guest conductor for the Alhambra Orchestra and on the JazzRoots concert series and The HMI Chamber Orchestra, under his direction, received the 2013 Downbeat Magazine award for outstanding classical group. His nationally-broadcast conducting debut, for the PBS television special, "Jazz and the Philharmonic", aired in January of 2014.

He has conducted in summer festivals including the University of New Hampshire's Summer Youth Music School, the Pine Mountain Music Festival (for which he is the newly-appointed Artistic Director), and is on the conducting faculty for Eastern Music Festival, where he teaches alongside renowned conductor Gerard Schwarz.

An avid educator, he is a Professor of Violin and chamber music at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music, where he also teaches orchestral conducting.

Tickets for the evening: $250.00 per person. To purchase in advance call 954-335-7002. Your ticket includes a VIP reception with an open bar, heavy hors d'oeuvres, and desserts.

Venue: The Mary Porter Ballroom is located at Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW 5th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312