Pianist Juan Francisco La Manna and violinist David Mastrangelo will perform in a free concert at 7:30 p.m., Sat. March 26, in Fulton’s G. Ray Bodley High School auditorium, it was announced by Steve Chirello, president of the Fulton Music Association (FMA).
The evening’s program will feature their collaboration on works by composers Robert Schumann, Johann Sebastian Bach, Maurice Ravel and Arvo Part, Chirello said.
Juan Francisco La Manna is orchestra director at the State University of New York, Oswego, and guest conductor for the Naples Philharmonic. Prior to his appointment at SUNY, Dr. La Manna lived in the Kansas City area, where he was conductor for the State Ballet of Missouri. In that capacity, he directed the St. Louis and Kansas City Symphonies, and also conducted the orchestra for the late Rudolf Nureyev. During his stay in the Kansas City area, Juan Francisco was music director of Northland Symphony, and conductor at Benedictine College and Washburn University.
Dr. La Manna was principal conductor for Miami City Ballet for 3 years, directing many performances in Florida, including a gala performance with the Cleveland orchestra. There he conducted the premiere of Elvis Costello’s Nightspot, working with famed choreographer Twyla Tharp. He has directed for the distinguished opera company Teatro Lirico d’Europa, and was Artistic Director and Conductor of Oswego Opera for many years, presenting wonderful works such as La bohème, The Magic Flute, and Carousel.
Dr. La Manna has directed orchestras in Colorado, Florida, and Rumania. Active as a pianist as well, Dr. La Manna has performed as a chamber musician, playing recitals regionally, nationally, and internationally. Dr. La Manna attended Indiana University, where he earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in piano performance with high distinction, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he received a D.M.A. in orchestral conducting.
David Mastrangelo began playing the violin at the age of 8 and began studying privately at 12 in his hometown of Syracuse. He attended Southern Methodist University on a full music scholarship and graduated with honors in 1990. While there, he studied with Emanuel Borok and was concertmaster of the orchestra under Ansel Brusilow. He then attended Mannes College of Music in New York where he studied with Sally Thomas. From 1992 to 1994, he played in the New World Symphony, where he was co-concertmaster under the batons of Eduardo Mata, Hugh Wolff, Lawrence Foster, Barry Tuckwell and Michael Tilson Thomas, among others.
In 1994, he became the assistant principal violin with the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra and in 2000 was given the position of principal second violin. Since that time he has appeared as a soloist with the orchestra and has performed in numerous chamber music concerts. Mastrangelo teaches privately and also creates arrangements for solo violin and string quartet. He dedicates any recognition for his musical accomplishments to the glory of God.
For more information, contact Carol Fox at (315) 591-3392.
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