One of the major summer music festivals in the United States, the Round Top Music Festival celebrates its 41st year in 2012. Founded by renowned concert pianist James Dick, it gathers more than 90 young talented young artists – accepted after auditions – for an intensive 6-week program. They are mentored and coached by more than 40 distinguished faculty members and participate in more than 20 orchestral and chamber music concerts performed in the outstanding Festival Concert Hall (1,000 seats) built over a period of 30 years. The Texas Festival Orchestra will perform 8 concerts conducted by eight different conductors from the United States (Michael Stern, Stefan Sanders and Emilio Colon), Canada (Charles Olivieri-Munroe), France (Pascal Verrot), Austria (Christoph Campestrini), Portugal (Pedro Carneiro) and China (Perry So.) Orchestral programs mix, as usual, the well known and not so well known repertoire and also a world premiere (Concerto for two percussionists and orchestra by Jonathan Leshnoff.) Highlights include,Claude Debussy Images for Orchestra, L. van Beethoven Symphony No. 5, Anton Bruckner Symphony No. 5, Aaron Copland Symphony No. 3, Gustav Mahler Ruckert Lieder (sung by the fast-rising mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke), and Aram Khachaturian Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (performed by James Dick.) Chamber music programs are also offering contrasted repertoires (Debussy, Spohr, Dvorak, Rouse, Brahms, Harsanyi, Bach, Carter, Poulenc, Bartok…) Master classes are open to the public… as well as orchestra rehearsals.