New Mexico Symphony Concertmaster Zimowski Takes Center Stage

Krzysztof Zimowski joined the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra in 1986, becoming its concertmaster in 1999. He has also served as concertmaster of the State Opera Orchestra in his native city of Wroclaw, Poland, the Mexico City Philharmonic and the Chamber Orchestra of Albuquerque. He helped form the Helios String Quartet, an ensemble-in-residence at the Placitas Artists Series. Zimowski has performed with the Phoenix Symphony, Santa Fe Opera Orchestra, Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra and Santa Fe Pro Musica. Each summer, Zimowski also performs with the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra in the renowned Music Festival in Millennium Park in Chicago.

Polish composer Karol Szymanowski’s 1916 concerto was inspired by the lushly erotic description of a spring night in a poem by Tadeusz Micinski titled “May Night.” The piece was chosen for these performances by Zimowski, who also introduced Henryk Wieniawski's Violin Concerto No. 2 to NMSO audiences in 2004.

The Friday performance will begin at 8 p.m. at Popejoy Hall, also the site of the Saturday performance starting at 6 p.m. The Sunday performance takes place at the National Hispanic Cultural Center’s Albuquerque Journal Theatre at 2 p.m. Tickets for these performances are priced from $10 to $60, and may be reserved by calling 505-881-8999, online at nmso.org or in person at the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra Box Office at 4407 Menaul NE (just east of Washington) in Albuquerque. A limited quantity of student rush tickets will be sold at $8 each, limited to two tickets per student with valid ID and available beginning 90 minutes prior to showtime at the Popejoy Hall and NHCC box offices. -- www.nmso.org