This concert is part the young orchestra's serial training program, which the group is using to prepare for its first real concert season.

Preceding Pini in this program was German conductor Klause Weise, who wielded the baton for the orchestra in three impressive concerts in March and April.

For the upcoming concert Pini will not only conduct but also play Bach's "Violin Concerto No 1 in a minor."

Pini is a musician of international reputation. In 1975, he was appointed concert master of the Philharmonic Orchestra of London, having previously been concert master of the English Chamber Orchestra.

The music director of the Philharmonic Orchestra at that time was Riccardo Muti and the principal guest conductors were Giulini and Lorin Maazel.

During his period as concert master, Pini performed as a soloist in violin concertos by Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart and Prokofiev. He was also the leader of the London String Quartet.

Then Pini made a move to the southern hemisphere. From 1983 to 1988, he was the artistic director of the Australian Chamber Orchestra. From 1990 to 1995, he was concert master of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, with whom he appeared many times as soloist.

At the concert with China Philharmonic Orchestra, Pini will conduct the orchestra as it plays Bartok's "Rumanian Folk Dances" and Mozart's "Symphony No 29 in A Major, K.201" and "Symphony Concertante in E Flat."

China Philharmonic Orchestra's young violist Cao Fei will play solo in second Mozart piece.

Cao is now a faculty member at the Central Conservatory of Music and a member of the China Philharmonic Orchestra.

(China Daily 04/19/2001)