Paponiu named new music director of The Southwest Florida Symphony
After an intense search for new artistic leadership that spanned the course of nearly three years, The Southwest Florida Symphony only had to look as far as its neighbor to the south, Naples, to discover who will lead the symphony into the future.
The orchestra’s board of trustees has announced the appointment of Maestro Radu Paponiu as its next music director. Paponiu also serves as the associate conductor and youth orchestra director of the Naples Philharmonic and is now the sixth music director in the Southwest Florida Symphony’s 62-year history.
“This is the beginning of a wonderful new era,” said Amy Ginsburg, the symphony’s executive director. “Radu is definitely the right person, at the right time for us and fortuitously, he is in the right place geographically to make this a seamless transition.”
Kathleen van Bergen, the CEO and president of Artis-Naples echoed Ginsburg’s sentiment.
“It has been a joy to watch Radu’s artistry deepen and his talent gain recognition from musicians and audiences alike,” van Bergen said. “As a cultural neighbor, supportive friend and serious fan, I congratulate Radu on his appointment and wish him wild success as his star continues to ascend.”
Paponiu said, “I am so looking forward to joining the Southwest Florida Symphony family and to bringing great music to the community. During my visiting week in April I was so taken by everyone’s eagerness to make me feel welcome and their dedication for music making. I cannot wait to build countless memories together.” The Maestro has already finalized programming drafts to complement repertoire selected for next season, further demonstrating his enthusiasm for joining the Southwest Florida Symphony family.
Since 2017, Radu has conducted the Naples Philharmonic in more than 100 different classical, education and pops programs. As a guest conductor, Radu has appeared with the Transylvania State Philharmonic Orchestra, Banatul Philharmonic, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony and National Repertory Orchestra.
Radu has collaborated with notable soloists such as Yefim Bronfman, Vladimir Feltsman, Robert Levin, Nancy Zhou, and the Ébène Quartet. He regularly serves as cover conductor with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Konzerthausorchester Berlin, and he has assisted conductors including Andrey Boreyko, Iván Fischer, Fabio Luisi, Stéphane Denève, Hans Graf, Donald Runnicles, Cristian Măcelaru, Bernard Labadie and Ludovic Morlot.
Radu has served on the conducting faculty of the Juilliard Pre-College, as well as conductor for the Summer Performing Arts with Juilliard in Shanghai, China, and the Southeast Asia Music Festival in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Radu completed his master of music degree in orchestral conducting at the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Hugh Wolff. While in Boston, Radu was also conductor apprentice with the Handel and Haydn Society. In the summer of 2017, Radu was appointed assistant conductor of the National Repertory Orchestra in Colorado, as well as conducting fellow for the Cabrillo Festival Workshop in California.
Radu participated in the prestigious American Academy of Conducting at the Aspen Music Festival and School as the recipient of both the Albert Tipton Aspen Fellowship and the David A. Karetsky Memorial Fellowship. In Aspen, Radu furthered his studies under the guidance of Robert Spano, Larry Rachleff, Leonard Slatkin, Patrick Summers and Federico Cortese.
Radu began his musical studies on the violin at age 7, studying privately with Carmen Runceanu and Ștefan Gheorghiu. After coming to the United States at the invitation of the Perlman Music Program, Radu completed two degrees in violin performance under the guidance of Robert Lipsett at the Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles. As a soloist and chamber musician, Radu has appeared in festivals throughout Europe and North America, collaborating with artists such as Itzhak Perlman, Clive Greensmith, Martin Beaver, Merry Peckham and Vivian Hornik Weilerstein.
Radu currently resides in Naples with his wife, flutist Blair Francis Paponiu.