Leadership 100 will present Symphony at Sunset on February 18, 2016 at the 25th Annual Leadership 100 Conference at The Phoenician in Scottsdale, Arizona, through the generosity of Leadership 100 members, Michael and Kay Johnson. The Phoenix Symphony will be conducted by Peter Tiboris, Founder, General Director and Artistic Director of MidAmerica Productions and Festival of the Aegean, featuring Steven Moeckel, violin and Eilana Lappalainen, soprano, and with a special performance by Theodosia Roussos, soprano and folk artist.

Greek American music director, conductor, and producer Peter Tiboris has enjoyed a worldwide career for more than forty years of which the past thirty have been in New York City as founder and artistic director of MidAmerica Productions, with concerts in Carnegie Hall and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. He is founder of the Manhattan Philharmonic, Elysium Recordings, and the Festival of the Aegean in Syros, Greece. Since 1983, he has presented more than 1000 concerts worldwide, including 500 in historic Carnegie Hall, conducting many of them. He is also Music Director of the Pan-European Philharmonic, in Warsaw, Poland, and Principal Guest Conductor of Collegium Symphonium Veneto in Padua, Italy. He has conducted nearly every major  choral  work as well as countless symphonic works and select operas in 20  countries,  among them Mexico, Canada,  Russia, Great Britain, Germany, Austria, Poland,  Czech  Republic, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, Egypt, and Israel. 

Eilana Lappalainen is a Finnish-Canadian dramatic soprano and one of the most respected interpreters of Strauss’ Salome, which she has performed at opera houses throughout the world. She has also been acclaimed for performances in other leading operas, such as Lohengrin, Lulu, Der Rosenkavalier, Arabella, Jenufa, Madama Butterfly, Tosca, I Pagliacci, La Traviata, Turnandot, Don Giovanni and Aida. Besides performances on international stages, she has taken on extensive responsibilities as General Director of the Greek Opera Studio and Berlin Opera Studio, Artistic Director for the Opera Division of the Young Artists Festival Bayreuth, Associate Artistic Director of the International Festival of the Aegean and Artistic Administrator for MidAmerica Productions.

The acclaimed violinist Steven Moeckel performs regularly as soloist, chamber musician and as concertmaster of The Phoenix Symphony. He has appeared as soloist and concert artist throughout Europe, South America, and the United States. Known for his artful interpretations, rich sound, and technical prowess, his extensive command of the concerto repertoire includes the works of Elgar, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Beethoven, Sibelius, Berg, and Ysaye. He held the Concertmaster position with The Tucson Symphony Orchestra from 2002-2008.

Theodosia Roussos is an oboist, soprano and folk artist. As an oboist she has performed with the Boston Philharmonic and Mozart Classical Orchestra. As a folk artist, she has performed with Jackson Browne, Butch Morris and Niko Syropoulos. She regularly performs with her duo alongside guitarist Henry Garf, and as the lead singer of the Greek folk band Rozalia. She has a B.A. from UCLA and is currently attending Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

The Phoenix Symphony is Arizona’s largest performing arts organization. Founded in 1947 as a part-time orchestra in a city of fewer than 100,000 people, The Symphony has grown to become Arizona’s only full-time symphony orchestra. The mission of The Phoenix Symphony is to provide the joy of music as a catalyst in helping Arizona to become the best place in America to work and live. Each season, The Phoenix Symphony offers awe-inspiring Classics and Pops, one-of-a-kind Specials and dynamic family concerts in downtown Phoenix and throughout central Arizona. The Symphony’s Education and Community Engagement programs reach over 108,000 individuals each year with programs that ensure that any individual – regardless of means or background – is given equal opportunity to develop skills and grow through imaginative, high quality musical experiences.