Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Press Release
January 23, 2007

Tito Muñoz Marks Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Subscription Debut with Colorful Program

“Don Giovanni,” “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” and “The Firebird” tell musical stories

Celebrated violinist Chee-Yun returns to Music Hall stage for Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1

CINCINNATI — Tito Muñoz, the 23-year-old assistant conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, makes his CSO subscription debut at Music Hall on February 24 at 8 p.m. and February 25 at 3 p.m. with Korean violin star Chee-Yun as soloist. Mr. Muñoz replaces the previously announced guest conductor, Krzysztof Penderecki, who is recovering from surgery. This colorful program opens with Mozart’s Overture to Don Giovanni and follows with Chee-Yun’s performance of the Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor. The program also includes Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (made famous in Walt Disney’s Fantasia) and Stravinsky’s The Firebird Suite (1919 version).

“Tito is an exceptional young conducting talent,” said CSO Music Director Paavo Järvi. “I’m happy to give him this opportunity to showcase his thoughtful and engaging style with this animated program."

Chee-Yun
The Korean violinist Chee-Yun has performed with many of the world’s foremost orchestras and prominent conductors. Her early public appearances included a concerto performance with the New York Philharmonic at the age of 13. Her numerous awards and honors include winning the Young Concert Artists International Auditions and the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant. Chee-Yun also received the “Nan Pa” award, South Korea’s highest musical honor.

Chee-Yun made her Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra debut in 1993 and has returned to perform with the CSO numerous times, most recently in February 2002. Highlights of recent seasons included the United States premiere of Penderecki’s Sonata No. 2 with the pianist Barry Douglas at the Kennedy Center. Her recent recording of Penderecki’s Violin Concerto No. 2 (on the Naxos label) was hailed by The Strad as “an engrossing, masterly performance.”

In demand as a recitalist and chamber musician, Chee-Yun regularly appears in New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and other major musical arts centers. Each season she tours with Spoleto Festival USA Chamber Music, a project with which she has been associated since its inception.

Chee-Yun’s extensive discography includes her 1993 debut album of virtuoso encore pieces, her recent crossover hit, Chee-Yun’s Sentimental Memories, and concertos with the London Philharmonic under the direction of Jesús López-Cobos. She will record Beethoven’s “Triple” Concerto with Barry Douglas and Andres Diaz later this year.

Tito Muñoz
Tito Muñoz, 23, was appointed to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra conducting staff as an assistant conductor by CSO Music Director Paavo Järvi in May 2006. His duties include assisting Paavo Järvi and the conductors of the Cincinnati Pops and May Festival. In addition, he serves as associate conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra.

A native of New York City, Mr. Muñoz began his musical training on the violin at age 13 in the Juilliard School’s Music Advancement Program. He studied violin and composition at the Manhattan School of Music Preparatory Division, winning the Richard Kimball Composition Award. He also attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts and was a member of the InterSchool Orchestras of New York (ISO) and the New York Youth Symphony. Mr. Muñoz continued his violin studies with Daniel Phillips at the Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College, New York.

An alumnus of the National Conducting Institute, Mr. Muñoz made his professional conducting debut with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in May 2006. At the invitation of David Zinman, he made his Cleveland Orchestra debut at the Blossom Music Festival in August 2006. Mr. Muñoz will make his Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra debut on February 11, 2007 conducting the Fine Arts Fund Sampler concert at Music Hall.

During the summers of 2004 through 2006, Mr. Muñoz was a student at the American Academy of Conducting at the Aspen Music Festival, where he studied with David Zinman and Murry Sidlin. He also participated in master classes with Leonard Slatkin, David Robertson, Robert Spano, Asher Fisch, George Manahan and John Williams. Winner of the Aspen Music Festival’s 2005 Robert J. Harth Conductor Prize and 2006 Aspen Conducting Prize, he will return to Aspen in 2007 as assistant conductor of the festival.

As a professional violinist, Mr. Muñoz has performed in many of New York’s leading orchestras including the New York Virtuosi, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Ensemble Sospeso and Princeton Symphony, as well as numerous Broadway shows. As a studio musician he has recorded for Albany Records, for RCA Victor and Sony.

Formerly an assistant conductor of the ISO Symphonic Band and apprentice conductor of the New York Youth Symphony, Mr. Muñoz was a faculty member of the French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts, working with the symphony orchestra, concert band and chamber music program and conducting fully-staged Broadway musical productions. He has conducted the Queens College Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra on several occasions and has collaborated with such artists as Charles Neidich, Daniel Phillips, Marcy Rosen and Gil Shaham, as well as crossover vocal group Amici Forever for their recent PBS special and internationally released DVD.

In September 2006 Mr. Muñoz was appointed assistant conductor of the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra.

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