Santa Cecilia Orchestra to Perform “Passion Unleashed” with Virtuoso Soloist Danielle Belen at its Second Concert of the Season November 21, 2010

The 2010-2011 Season pays tribute to the company's history on its 18th anniversary, as the only orchestra in the nation with a specific mission to take classical music to the Latino Community.

Santa Cecilia Orchestra (SCO) will host its second concert of the 2010-2011 season, “Passion Unleashed”, which will take place at Occidental College’s Thorne Hall on Sunday November 21, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. Music director and conductor Sonia Marie De León de Vega will lead the orchestra performing music by Brahms, Vicuxtemps and Mendelssohn. Featured soloist is virtuoso violinist Danielle Belen. SCO is fulfilling its Music is For Everyone mission by offering full orchestra concerts, chamber concerts and its nationally acclaimed Discovering Music Program.

The orchestra will perform two passionate masterworks, Brahms’ Third Symphony and Vieuxtemp’s Violin Concerto No. 5 with brilliant Sphinx Competition winner, virtuoso Danielle Belen. Also featured is Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture, which combines mesmerizing instrumental writing with the swirling visual soundscapes of a sea voyage. Violinist Danielle Belen, First Prize winner of the 2008 Sphinx Competition, releases her debut recording with Naxos later this year.

The concert will take place at Occidental College’s Thorne Hall, 1600 Campus Rd., Los Angeles 90041 on Sunday November 21, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. There will be one performance only of this program. Tickets priced at $26, $20 and $7 (youth 17 and under) are available by calling the orchestra office at (323) 259-3011 or by visiting http://scorchestra.org/201011orderform.html#Nov2010.

SCO kicked off the 2010-2011 season on October 15 with a concert and fundraiser, which featured a string orchestra performing music by Respighi and selections from Vivaldi and Piazzolla with violin soloist Mark Menzies. The 2010-2011 season will run through May 22, 2011 with five concerts taking place at Center for the Arts in Eagle Rock and Thorne Hall at Occidental College. A complete season schedule is available at http://scorchestra.org/concerts.html.

Sonia Marie De Léon de Vega, Conductor

Recognized as a noted symphony and opera conductor, Maestra De Léon de Vega has achieved distinction as a creative and consummate musician, as a woman in a groundbreaking career role and as a leading influence in the growing U.S. Latino culture. Sonia was the first Hispanic classical artist ever featured internationally on the Univision network’s signature “Orgullo Hispano” (Hispanic Pride), which highlights the most successful Hispanics in the world. De Leon de Vega is also celebrated in educational circles for creating the dynamic Discovering Music program that continues to change the lives of thousands of youth each year through the power of music education. She has received numerous awards and recognitions and is featured in the Simon & Shuster book Latina Power by Ana Nogales.

About Santa Cecilia Orchestra

Founded in 1992 Santa Cecilia Orchestra has made a commitment to share the beauty and inspiration of classical music with Southern California audiences, giving special focus to Latino communities. Under the leadership of Maestra Sonia Marie De Léon de Vega, the 2010-2011 Season pays tribute to the company's extraordinary history on its 18th anniversary, as the only orchestra in the nation with a specific mission to take classical music to the Latino Community. The upcoming season features a series of five concerts: Two full symphony concerts and the chamber orchestra performances. Media inquiries, please contact Lucía Matthews of DIÁLOGO at lucia@dialogo.us or for news, photos and biographies for conductor and soloists, visit http://www.scorchestra.org/PressRoom.htm