Contact:Gretchen Miller Basso
Public Relations Director
The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra
Phone: 407/896-6700 x 223
Fax: 407/896-5512
gmiller@orlandophil.org
www.orlandophil.org
(Orlando, FL – July 15, 2011) – The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra announces the appointment of its new concertmaster, Rimma Bergeron-Langlois. She most recently served as Associate Concertmaster of the Syracuse Symphony until its demise earlier this year. Bergeron-Langlois replaces Yuriy Bekker, who served as the Orlando Philharmonic’s Concertmaster for the 2010-2011 Season. Bekker has decided to return to the Charleston Symphony, and will serve once again as that orchestra’s concertmaster.
In addition to her work at the Syracuse Symphony, Bergeron-Langlois was Concertmaster of the Verbier Festival Orchestra of Verbier, Switzerland, under the direction of James Levine. She was also the Associate Concertmaster of the Louisiana Philharmonic, and has performed with the Detroit Symphony and the Toledo Symphony. She studied at the New England Conservatory of Music, where she received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Violin Performance.
Bergeron-Langlois’ position has been fostered by a $500,000 Concertmaster Chair Endowment gift made by Lynn and Charles Steinmetz in 2004.
“I am delighted to be the concertmaster of the Orlando Philharmonic and I am looking forward to making music together with this fine group of musicians and Maestro Wilkins,” says Bergeron-Langlois.
Maestro Wilkins shares his enthusiasm for her arrival, “Rimma Bergeron-Langlois is a wonderful musician, a gifted leader, and an absolutely delightful person. Her talent and training are first-class, and she has international experience as a concertmaster at a very high level. Rimma plans to live in Florida with her husband, Gabriel Bergeron-Langlois, who has just won the principal bassoon position with the Jacksonville Symphony. We are blessed to have this awesome couple coming to Central Florida.”
“I am delighted that the Orlando Philharmonic Audition Committee has selected someone of Rimma’s experience and talent, and we look forward to welcoming her to Orlando in September,” says Orlando Philharmonic Executive Director David Schillhammer. “When Joshua Bell was performing with us in May, he asked about our concertmaster situation. When I told him that Rimma was starting with us in the fall, he immediately sang her praises. ‘Rimma Bergerson-Langlois!’ he exclaimed! ‘She is the Concertmaster of the Verbier Orchestra and I have played with her several times. There are a lot of great violinists out there, but not many great leaders. The Orlando Philharmonic is one lucky orchestra.’ High praise, indeed.”
Bergeron-Langlois begins her concertmaster duties with the orchestra’s opening night concert, Puccini e Verdi, on Saturday, September 24 at 8:30 PM at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre.
For additional information on the Orlando Philharmonic and to purchase concert tickets, visit www.OrlandoPhil.org or phone 407-770-0071.
