What: Tchaikovsky & Cellist Ovidiu Marinescu
When: Saturday October 24, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Helena Civic Center
Single Ticket Price: $25-80
The Helena Symphony returns to the concert hall with celebrated Cellist Ovidiu Marinescu! Indulge in the warmth, elegance, and the breathtaking beauty of Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings. Renowned cellist Ovidiu Marinescu returns as the Helena Symphony’s Composer-in-Residence with the world premiere of Metamorphoses!
“Prepare to experience a world premiere and Montana premiere by our fabulous Composer-in-Residence, Ovidiu Marinescu. The Helena Symphony’s 72nd Season us underway and the best is yet to come.” – Cameron Knight, Director of Development & Communications
Ovidiu Marinescu, Composer & Cello
Ovidiu Marinescu is an artist who moves fluidly between worlds—cellist, composer, conductor, and educator—shaping each with a voice rooted in curiosity, cultural memory, and a deep love of musical storytelling.
As a composer, Marinescu’s music has been heard across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, with performances in Romania, China, Brazil, Austria, Bulgaria, Russia, the Netherlands, and throughout the United States. Ovidiu Marinescu serves as Composer-inResidence for the Helena Symphony’s 2026–27 season, a role that has given rise to two major new works created for the orchestra and chorale. As part of this residency, he composed Our America, dedicated to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and Metamorphoses, a work for cello, mixed choir, and percussion inspired by Ovid’s retelling of three ancient Greek myths—Narcissus, Orpheus, and Pygmalion. His Concerto for Two Cellos, Strings, and Percussion was co-commissioned in 2020 by seven orchestras with support from West Chester University. Previously, Marinescu has served as Composer-in-Residence for the International Chamber Music Festival in Guatemala City and the International String Encounters in Limeira, Brazil.
Alexandra Paino, Cello
Alexandra Paino, a native of North Wales Pennsylvania, serves as the Principal Cellist of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra. She is a graduate of West Chester University, where she studied under renowned cellist Ovidiu Marinescu, further honing her craft and deepening her passion for both solo and orchestral performance.
Raised in a musical family, Alexandra began playing the cello at age 7. Her early training included being a student of cellist Jesús Morales and the acclaimed Dali Quartet through their local arts organization ArCoNet. These formative experiences sparked her love for chamber music and exposed her to a wide range of musical styles, from Classical and Romantic, to Latin and Jazz, which continue to influence her artistic voice today.
Alexandra has enjoyed diverse performance experiences across solo, chamber, and orchestral settings, including festivals, masterclasses, and competitions. A defining moment came at age 10, when she performed in an orchestra competition at Carnegie Hall, an experience that deepened her appreciation for performance and musical collaboration.
Thank you to Season 72 Tchaikovsky & Cellist Ovidiu Marinescu Sponsors – AARP Montana, A&E + SMA Architecture, Regina & Ramon Mercado, The Union, First Interstate Bank, and Sandra Kokoruda Real Estate.