Saddleback Gala Concert Featuring Winners of 2013 MTA Competition

Posted by CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA-- Directed by Maestro Yorgos Kouritas, the Saddleback College Symphony Orchestra, on Saturday, March 15th at 7:30 p.m. in the McKinney Theatre, presents the winners of the 2013 Music Teachers Association of California Concerto Competition.

Tickets are $10 general; $7 students/seniors.  Call the ticket office at 949-582-4656, Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 4:00 p.m. or order tickets online at www.saddleback.edu/arts.

 The event features performers are Paloma Pallante (voice), first place; Golnaz Lessani (piano), second place; and Tiffany Arman (piano), third place. Performances will include Beethoven - piano concerto no.3 - 1st movement, Saint-Saens - piano concerto no.2 - 1st movement, Chi il bel sogno di Doretta from Puccini's La Rondine, Bizet's L'Arlesienne Suite no.2, and Brahms - Hungarian Dance no.5. 

Golnaz Lessani, Paloma Pallante, Tiffany Arman

Paloma Pallante is 21 year old full-time Saddleback College student from San Clemente. She is in the applied music program for voice under Dr. Scott Farthing's direction. She recently studied opera in Italy this past summer through the Ocava program and is planning to transfer to Cal State Fullerton in the fall 2014 to earn her bachelor's degree in vocal performance. Paloma has performed in many of the musicals at Saddleback College includingBat Boy, Rent, Aida, Spring Awakening, and Legally Blonde. She has also been in various choir performances Golnaz  (Goly) Lessani began her piano studies under teacher Soroush Dehbasti at the Tehran Music School in Tehran, Iran. In 2007, she received her Bachelor’s Degree in piano performance from the University of Tehran. That year she moved to the United States to pursue her passion for piano further and soon after enrolled at Saddleback College where she studied under the tutelage of Professor Pam Worcester.

For the past two years she has been studying with the current Director of Keyboard Studies, Dr. Kirill Gliadkovsky. She has performed in master classes for distinguished pianists including John Perry, Dmitry Rachmanov, Irene Peery Fox, Chris Durrenberger, and Stewart Gordon. Goly performs as a soloist, in ensembles, and as an accompanist both locally and worldwide. She regularly performs as a keyboardist for an international pop artist and has played venues such as the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Hilton Theatre in Chicago, the Bren Events Center in Irvine, various Las Vegas venues and both the Greek and Nokia Theatres in Los Angeles. Goly is a recipient of several awards and scholarships including the Angels for the Arts Award, MTAC Anniversary Scholarship, and MTAC Piano Competition (second place).

Tiffany Arman is a sophomore at Aliso Niguel High School. She has been playing piano since she was six years old and has trained with various teachers participating in a number of competitions and concerts. Currently she is taking private piano lessons with Dr. Kirill Gliadkovsky, Director of Keyboard Studies at Saddleback College. She manages to prioritize piano studies during her busy school schedule, and she plans to continue with her music education when she attends college.

The Music Department has established a comprehensive program which is considered to be one of the finest in California:  a complete lower-division curriculum for transferring music majors, numerous performance groups, private and group lessons, a full concert series with faculty and guest artists, and general music courses.  The nationally-recognized faculty is dedicated to performance and to teaching in all areas such as vocal, instrumental, jazz, guitar, piano, music technology and commercial music.  Other music classes include harmony, musicianship, composition, history and appreciation of western art music, music business, rock, jazz and world music.

Saddleback College is located at 28000 Marguerite Parkway in Mission Viejo, just east of Interstate 5 at the Avery Parkway exit.  Parking is available in Lot 12.  Take Avery Parkway to Marguerite Parkway turn left to the third traffic light, which is Saddleback’s Marguerite entrance. Turn right into the campus and take the second left to Theatre Circle, turning right into Lot 12.

Located in Mission Viejo, Saddleback College provides quality higher education and training to the greater south Orange County community.  Having served more than 500,000 students since 1968, Saddleback College offers over 300 degree and certificate programs to help students reach their personal, career, and educational goals.  For more information, please visit www.saddleback.edu and for Fine Arts information, please visit www.saddleback.edu/arts