Macelaru Conducts Wedding Orchestra as part of PIMF 15th Anniversary!

May 23, 2012 - PRLog -- The Philadelphia International Music Festival, featuring members of The Philadelphia Orchestra, will be pulling at heart strings in more ways than one this year as two of its earliest alumni, Madison Marcucci of Williamstown, NJ and Robert Day III of Bryn Mawr, PA are married in the midst of the program.  With an orchestra conducted by Cristian Macelaru, Assistant Conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra, the wedding promises to be the highlight of an already banner year for the growing classical music festival which has reached the feat of bringing a “classical music” love story to life!

The two music lovers began their melodic journey twelve years ago as participants in PIMF - which was at that time a new music festival conducted on the picturesque grounds of Bryn Mawr College.  Five years later, on June 23rd, Marcucci and Day spent their “first date” at another local institution, a Philadelphia Phillies baseball game.  That date will literally be part of a story that has come full circle as the couple is wed where it all began – at the Philadelphia International Music Festival - with Cristian Macelaru conducting a special orchestra as the future Mr. & Mrs. Robert Day III walk down the aisle.

Marcucci, a classical violinist and graduate of Juilliard, continue to share a love of classical music with Day, a cellist and graduate of Princeton University.  With so much of their relationship based on the family-friendly festival that boasts a “personal touch, while maintaining a high level of musicality,” it is equally fitting that the festival will provide the backdrop as part of its 15th anniversary celebration.

“We believe this is the first time such a romance has initiated, grown, and led to marriage as part of a festival like this anywhere.  It is wonderful to know that our festival brought together two of our distinguished alumni in this way,” said Kimberly Fisher, Principal Second Violinist of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Co-Founder/Artistic Director of PIMF.

The exciting news of a “festival wedding” broke in February at one of PIMF's many year-round events - the PIMF Solo Recital Concert at the historic Cunningham Piano Company in Germantown.  Day popped the question to Marcucci before a live audience following her performance of Mozart’s 5th Violin Concerto.  Captured on video, The Proposal (as it’s been coined on YouTube) will stand as “one of the highlights of PIMF's digital library”, said Fisher, who performs regularly at PIMF.

In addition to being regular participants and, later, counselors at the Philadelphia International Music Festival, both Marcucci and Day spent their young lives studying with respective members of the world-renowned Philadelphia Orchestra; Marcucci, who began studying with Kimberly Fisher at age nine and Robert with Gloria dePasquale at age ten.  “My family's life has been immersed with festival activities for as long as I can remember,” said Marcucci.  “My fondest memories are from PIMF.  My love for performance was developed through PIMF.  Some of my greatest friendships were formed at PIMF. And, of course, I met Rob at PIMF.  It seems natural to now get married at PIMF – a place I have loved my whole life.”

“A goal of ours at PIMF is to 'bring music to daily life' for those who participate with us in the festival,” said Larry Fisher, who has conducted and taught private lessons at the festival since its inception in 1997.  “What a heart-warming, real-life story we will witness unfolding in our midst this year. I can think of no better way to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of PIMF.”