Dallas Chamber Symphony celebrates its Inaugural Season Finale with Prize-winnin g Pianist Congcong Chai, April 30,

2013 The DCS ends its first season with a performance by the winner of the First Annu al DCS International Piano Competition, followed by works from Beethoven, Brahms , Rachmaninoff performed by the entire symphony. Dallas, TX, April 24, 2013 -- The Dallas Chamber Symphony will celebrate its ina ugural season with a finale concert at the newly opened City Performance Hall on Tuesday, April 30. The performance will feature Congcong Chai, the First Prize winner of the first annual DCS International Piano Competition. After applying to the competition and participating in a highly selective prelim inary audition round, Mr. Chai was invited to travel to Dallas to participate in the final rounds of competition, which were held at Southern Methodist Universi ty in March. Mr. Chai advanced through three live rounds of competition, adjudic ated by a panel of renowned concert pianists, to win First Prize and a solo enga gement to perform Rachmaninoffs Piano Concerto No. 1 in F-Sharp Minor with the Da llas Chamber Symphony. A native of Xian, China, Mr. Chai is also a prize-winner of the Sorantin International Competition. Mr. Chai exhibited such extraordinary musicianship throughout the live competitio n rounds that we feel privileged to have this opportunity to share the stage wit h him. says Richard McKay, Artistic Director and Conductor of the Dallas Chamber Symphony. Audience members will be dazzled by this young pianists virtuosity, sens itivity and masterful command of the keyboard. Audience members will also have the opportunity to hear the top-of-the-line Yama ha CFX concert grand piano that now resides at the City Performance Hall. Mr. Ch ais will be the first orchestral concerto performance on the new instrument. Roun ding out the program will be Beethovens fiery Coriolan Overture and Brahms popular and romantic Symphony No. 4 in E Minor. Both pieces will be performed by the Da llas Chamber Symphony. The event will be held on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at City Performance Hall (2520 Flora Street, Dallas, Texas 75201). It will begin at 7:30 p.m. Individual ticke ts are available for $21-$38 each, $12 for students. Patrons may enter the promo code Beethoven25 when purchasing online for an extra 25% off. For event informati on or to purchase tickets, visit www.dallaschambersymphony.org or call (214) 880 -0202. Tickets may also be purchased in the City Performance Hall lobby the even ing of the concert starting at 6 p.m. ABOUT DALLAS CHAMBER SYMPHONY: Launched in September 2012, the Dallas Chamber Symphony is the newest profession al performance ensemble in North Texas. Led by Artistic Director and Conductor R ichard McKay, it is comprised of close to 40 musicians, all dedicated to buildin g a chamber orchestra whose mission is to perform a balance of programs that inc lude underrepresented and standard repertory, contemporary music, staged works, and pieces with extra-musical elements, such as film, actors, dancers, and narra tors. The DCS performs at the state-of-the-art Dallas City Performance Hall in t he Dallas Arts District. The DCS also provides educational and community program ming, including an International Piano Competition at SMU, a free App for Apple devices in the App Store, and free pre-concert conversations. For more informati on, visit www.DallasChamberSymphony.org. Contact: Elizabeth Peichel Dallas Chamber Symphony City Performance Hall 2520 Flora Street

Dallas, TX 75201 214-336-8344 epeichel@peichelcom.com http://www.dallaschambersymphony.org