In this world premiere recording of Vivaldi Concerto in D major and Concerto in a minor, Olefsky performs and conducts the English Chamber Orchestra. Also included are Boccherini's Concerto in B-flat Major and Vivaldi's Concerto in c minor and Concerto for Two Celli in g minor with Chinese concert cellist, Hai Zheng. "Olefsky performs the Boccherini Concerto in the heroic, big-scaled tradition of his former teacher, Gregory Piatigorsky, and tosses off the Grutzmacher cadenzas with brilliant virtuosity and flourish. The outer movements smile and amble jauntily according to the spirit of the music." The Strad CDs Reviews Vivaldi's cello concerti in g minor-"The affinity of their sound and musical approach adds up to a finely finished performance, boisterous in the two Allegros and appealingly songful in the Largo." The Strad CDs Reviews PAUL OLEFSKY is Emeritus Professor of Music from the University of Texas at Austin. He has performed and conducted master classes internationally including master classes at Oxford and Cambridge, sponsored by the European String Teachers Association. His students fill key positions as professors and principals worldwide. He was awarded first prize of the prestigious Naumburg and Michael Memorial International Solo Competitions. He matriculated from the classes of legendary greats Piatigorsky and Casals. After graduating from Curtis Institute of Music, he appeared as a soloist and the youngest principal cellist with the Philadelphia Orchestra in Carnegie Hall under Maestro Ormandy. He is a solo recording artist for the Americus Records, Amatius Classics, Monitor, Musical Heritage, Vox, and Voice of America Records, and his broadcast credits include NBC, CBS and BBC-London. He was on the jury panels of the Piatigorsky International Competition (Violoncello Society of New York), and Interlochen International Competition (General Motor & Seventeen Magazine). Prof. Olefsky has been awarded the Mary Helen Thompson Centennial Professorship and was the director of the UT Plan II Chamber Music Program in the College of Library Arts. He was also a professor of Cello/Chamber Music at Peabody Conservatory and Hart School of Music. Prof. Olefsky and his cellist wife, Hai Zheng have recorded Vivaldi's double cello concerti with the English Chamber Orchestra and appeared with the Chicago Strings for Bach's double violin concerti on two cellos and their live performance was broadcast over PBS in Chicago. "Unquestionably, one of the finest cellists before the public today" New York Times http://www.reocities.com/Vienna/3570/olefsky.htm http://haizhengcellist.com/