Rossen Milanov Marks PSO Debut With Beethoven's Fifth, Pianist Dominic Cheli Performs Brahms

At Princeton Symphony Orchestra's Edward T. Cone Concert on Saturday, February 2 at 8 pm and Sunday, February 3 at 4 pm, PSO Music Director Rossen Milanov conducts Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67, a work he led at his PSO debut 10 years ago. Paired with this iconic symphony is Johannes Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15, featuring emerging star pianist Dominic Cheli. Maestro Milanov hosts Mr. Cheli at a pre-concert discussion of the program one hour before each concert in Richardson Auditorium.

Rossen Milanov was appointed music director of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra in 2009. With an impressive pedigree, including positions at the Philadelphia Orchestra, he has galvanized the PSO with his energetic and exacting conducting. He also helms the Columbus Symphony, the Chautauqua Symphony, and the Orquesta Sinf nica del Principado de Asturias in Oviedo, Spain. At the PSO, his programming embraces the standard repertoire, rarities, and premieres performed by emerging and superstar soloists and featuring celebrated American composers. Mr. Milanov looks forward to his 2019-2020 Tenth Anniversary Season with the PSO, to be announced in March.

Dominic Cheli is First Prize winner of the 2017 Concert Artists Guild Competition. Earlier in 2017, Naxos released his debut CD, and he won the Music Academy of the West Concerto Competition, leading to a critically acclaimed performance of Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Festival Orchestra. His rapidly advancing career includes a European concerto debut in Germany, as well as debut appearances at the Ravinia and Mostly Mozart Festivals in summer 2018. Highlights of Dominic's 2018-19 season include his New York recital debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall on the CAG New York series, and his Disney Hall concerto debut in Los Angeles with the Colburn Orchestra, led by Valery Gergiev.

Beethoven's Fifth Symphony opens with an iconic four-note figure which the composer allegedly described as Fate knocking at the door. The symphony grows organically from the initial measures into one of Beethoven's greatest and most personal works. Heavily influenced by Beethoven early in his career, Brahms composed his romantic first piano concerto in equally titanic style.

The Edward T. Cone Concert is given as an annual tribute to the memory of this remarkable and generous man who guided and sustained the development of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra since its inception.

Tickets ($96, $80, $62, $35, and $28-youth) for Beethoven's Fifth and other PSO Classical Series concerts are available at princetonsymphony.org or by calling 609 497-0020. Pricing includes admission to the Pre-Concert Talk, held one hour prior to concert start times.