The San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra will entertain San Bernardino Public Library patrons with festive holiday music via two of their finest string musicians, Principal cellist Ana Maria Maldonado and violinist Laura Rosky-Santori. The concerts are part of the Orchestra's "Fine Arts Lunch Breaks" series sponsored through a grant from the James Irvine Foundation.
Ana Maria Maldonado received her Master of Music in Cello Performance from the University of Southern California, where she studied with Gabor Rejto. She received her Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from Texas Tech University. Ana Maria was awarded a J. D Rockefeller Fellowship to promote Western Classical Music in Bangkok, Thailand where she played in the Kennedy String Quartet. The Kennedy String Quartet traveled throughout Asia concertizing under the auspices of the United States Information Service. After leaving Thailand, she auditioned and won a cello position in the Heidelberg Stadtisches Opera Orchester in Heidelberg, Germany. Currently, Ana Maria teaches at Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State San Bernardino, Chaffey College, Cal Baptist University, Riverside Community College and at the Claremont Community School of Music. She also has a private studio. She has served as principal cellist of the San Bernardino Symphony since 1983 and is a freelance musician.
Laura Rosky-Santoni began playing the violin from the third grade in the West Hartford, Connecticut public schools. She received her BM in violin performance from Rice University and her MM in violin performance from the University of Southern California. She was a Starling scholarship recipient at both schools. Ms. Rosky-Santoni has performed in the United Kingdom, Spain, France and Italy and been a participant in festivals such as Tanglewood (BUTI and fellowship), Aspen, Spoleto (U.S. and Italy), and Carcasonne (France). For several years, she was an instructor and director of the Inland Suzuki Music School in Redlands and has been invited to guest teach at Suzuki institutes and at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. Ms. Rosky-Santoni is currently a private violin teacher and a member of the San Bernardino Symphony.
These free concerts will take place at the Feldheym Central Library, 555 W. 6th Street, on December 12 and 14 during the hours of 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.