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One of the premiere American conductors of his generation, Leslie B. Dunner enjoys an international career, distinguished by the breadth of his repertoire as well as his electrifying and critically lauded performances. He’s earned enthusiastic acclaim for three “Mostly Beethoven” programs, and was warmly received when he guest conducted the Boise Philharmonic in January 2006.
Now in his fourth acclaimed season as Music Director and Principal Conductor of The Joffrey Ballet, Dunner leads a full season of performances, both in Chicago and on tour. Globally, he’s appeared in Canada, Russia, South Africa, Italy, Portugal, Japan, and many other countries.
When not conducting, Dunner composes and performs as a clarinetist. His most recent work, The Whirligigs of Time: Twelfth Night Suite for mezzo-soprano, chorus and orchestra, was premiered by the Prince George’s Philharmonic in March 2006.
A native New Yorker, Leslie B. Dunner holds advanced degrees in music from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, Queens College in New York City and the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music.
Pianist Alpin Hong has earned the reputation as a modern day Pied Piper, opening the ears, eyes and imaginations of over 70,000 Americans, both young and old. He introduced audiences to the power of Stravinsky, the delicacy of Debussy, the clarity of Bach and the exuberance of Gershwin. The Santa Barbara News Press stated “Hong evoked a kind of Beatlemania when he came on stage. What a showman! What a musician!” In recognition of the pianist’s immense gifts for communicating his passion for music to audiences, The McGraw-Hill Companies honored him in September 2005 with the $10,000 Robert Sherman Award for Music Education and Community Outreach.
Hong has recently performed at the 50th anniversary celebration of Merkin Concert Hall, recitals at Los Angeles’ Wilshire Ebell Theatre and Royce Hall at UCLA, Purdue University Convocations in Lafayette, Indiana, the Frick Arts Centre in Pittsburgh, the Kansas City Friends of Chamber Music, Market Square Concerts in Pennsylvania and with Orchestra X in Houston. International engagements include recitals at the Hoam Arts Center in Seoul, Korea, Panama’s Asociacion Nacional de Conciertos and a concerto engagement with the Korean Broadcast Symphony (KBS).
Alpin Hong is a native of Michigan and made his orchestral debut with the Kalamazoo Symphony at the age of ten. He moved to Los Angeles soon after and garnered many competition victories. He completed his Master’s degree as a student of Jerome Lowenthal at The Juilliard School.
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