A night with the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra

Here are Kayla and Ashley, posing at a private reception after a wonderful concert we were privelaged to attend by the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra. The gentleman with them is the Music Director and Conductor of the Symphony, Guillermo Figueroa. He is a very kind man that was very gracious to the girls. He is originally from Puerto Rico.

With him in this Picture with Kayla and Ashley is Melissa Pena, who was a featured soloist on the oboe at the performance. She was magnificent in her rendition of the oboe part in Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #2.

We spent most of our time, however getting to know this man, Krzystof Zimowski -the concert master and first chair Violin. He was so good to the girls and we were fascinated with his story. Born in Poland when it was under Soviet Control, he started playing the violin at the age of 6 when he heard musical pieces on an old American made Pioneer radio that was dropped by american forces into his village. He took a job some time later in Mexico City as a violinst for thier national orchestra, and then was not able to get back into Poland to get his wife without the possibility of being stuck there forever. Instead, he stayed in Mexico and worked to get his wife out, who was an opera singer. They then moved to New Mexico and he has been with the Symphony ever since- starting as the 8th chair of the second violins. Now he is the concert master and a wonderful musician. He made us all really appreciate freedoms and privelages that we often take for granted as Americans.

We were very happy to have been able to have this wonderful night together on a Daddy/Daughter date and hope the girls will remember this special evening for a long time.