Monumental & Grandiose

Jonathan Mamora is the first prize winner of the 2025 Hilton Head International Piano Competition.

Acclaimed for his “most assured pianism,” and “natural, songful lyricism” (The Dallas Morning News), pianist and educator Jonathan Mamora strives to uplift and positively influence others using music as a means for service. An Indonesian-American and Southern California native now with a burgeoning performing career, Jonathan’s commitment to service is steadfast—whether playing in church or in the community or on the concert stage.

Applauded as "a rising star in the piano realm" (New York Classical Review), Mr. Mamora has performed throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia, and he has enjoyed remarkable recent success, winning first prize at numerous prominent international piano competitions (IPC’s), including: Hilton Head IPC; Scottish IPC; Maria Canals Barcelona IPC; Olga Kern IPC (New Mexico); AntwerPiano International Competition; Dallas IPC; and the Palm Springs IPC (formerly the Virginia Waring). In May 2025, he was one of 30 elite pianists invited to compete in the Van Cliburn IPC in Fort Worth, TX.

His May 2023 debut recital at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall drew great praise from the New York Concert Review: “Mr. Mamora’s playing itself is larger than life…(with) a technique so solid that it seemed at times that he couldn’t play a wrong note if he tried (and)…an encyclopedic array of dynamics and articulations.” He returned to Weill Hall in October 2025 for another critically praised recital presented by the HHIPC, and other current recital engagements include: Chicago’s Dame Myra Hess Recital Series; Cincinnati’s Matinee Musicale; The College of Charleston (SC) International Recital Series; Cleveland Museum of Art; Bachauer Festival in Salt Lake City; Green Lake Festival in Wisconsin; Savannah Music Festival (GA); and Cliburn Festival America 250 in Ft. Worth, TX.

Following his concerto debut at age 13 with the La Sierra University Orchestra, Mr. Mamora has gone on to perform with such orchestras as the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid, New Mexico Philharmonic, Orquesta Ciudad de Granada, Santa Barbara Symphony, Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, Greenville Symphony Orchestra, and the American Festival Pops Orchestra. Upcoming concerto engagements include: South Carolina Philharmonic; Lexington Philharmonic (KY); Las Colinas Symphony (TX); DuPage Symphony (IL); and a return with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

Mr. Mamora has served as a church musician much of his life and currently serves as Organist at La Sierra University Church in Riverside, CA. He often performs as a collaborative pianist for vocalists, instrumentalists, ensembles, and choirs, and has received the Eastman ‘Excellence in Accompanying’ Award. He also values education as an important tool in music making and now serves as Director of Keyboard Studies at La Sierra University.

Jonathan Mamora is a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and Literature at the Eastman School of Music under the tutelage of Douglas Humpherys, whom he served as studio assistant. He received his Bachelor of Music from La Sierra University and his Master of Music from The Juilliard School. His previous piano teachers include Elvin Rodríguez and Hung-Kuan Chen.

Eckart Preu (rhymes with joy) is Music Director of the Long Beach Symphony, the Portland Symphony (ME), and Summermusik, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra.

Previously, he held positions of Music Director with the Spokane Symphony (WA) and Stamford Symphony (CT), and served as Associate Conductor of the Richmond Symphony (VA), and Resident Conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra (NY). In Europe, Mr. Preu was Music Director of the Orchestre International de Paris.

His guest conducting engagements have included concerts with the Jerusalem Symphony (Israel), Auckland Philharmonia (New Zealand), Philharmonic Orchestra of Jalisco (Mexico), Philharmonic Orchestra of Bogota (Columbia), State Orchestra in Halle (Germany), Christchurch Symphony (New Zealand), and multiple appearances with the Symphony Orchestra of Chile, and the Symphony Orchestra of Tenerife (Spain).

As guest conductor in the US he has appeared with the American Symphony, Knoxville Symphony, Eugene Symphony, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Delaware Symphony, Duluth Superior Symphony, Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, Wichita Symphony, New Mexico Philharmonic, and others.

Career highlights include performances at Carnegie Hall, the Sorbonne in Paris, and projects with Violins of Hope in Cincinnati, Long Beach, and Portland.

His commercial recordings include the world premiere of “Letters from Lincoln” by Michael Daugherty, featuring baritone soloist Thomas Hampson, and a CD featuring music by living Mexican composers with the Portland Symphony (works by Arturo Marquez, Ana Lara, and Enrico Chapela).

Mr. Preu has collaborated with internationally renowned soloists including Yo-Yo Ma, Arturo Sandoval, Sarah Chang, Pepe Romero, Stephen Hough, Evelyn Glennie, Anne Akiko Meyers, Jeremy Denk, Leila Josefowicz, Louis Lortie, and many others.

His concerts have been described as “exciting, educational, and entertaining at the same time”. He has been praised as a gifted communicator on and off the stage.

Fostering deep connections with communities he developed programs for live streaming into hospitals. He also created collaborations with musical and non-musical entities, arts organizations, and community leaders to engage underserved segments of the population like the award-winning “Khmeraspora” project in Long Beach (engaging the large Cambodian population), the “We Are One” series in Cincinnati (in collaboration with the African American community), “Little Amal” (refugee community), or “Violins of Hope” (Jewish community).

As a civic leader and dedicated representative of his organizations, Mr. Preu has helped to raise funds for the $32 million renovation of the Fox Theater in Spokane and many other projects, recordings, commissions, endowment, and annual campaigns.

A native of Germany, Mr. Preu studied conducting at the Hochschule für Musik in Weimar under Gunter Kahlert and under Jean-Sebastien Bereau at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris in France. Mr. Preu’s education was made possible by scholarships from the Herbert von Karajan Foundation, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and the French Ministry of Culture.

Eckart Preu’s early musical training was in piano and voice. At the age of 10, he became a member of the Boys Choir Dresdner Kreuzchor and went on to work with them as soloist, rehearsal pianist, and Assistant Conductor.

All Koger Center tickets incur a $2 “Restoration Fee” per ticket. All tickets sold online or over the phone incur a sliding scale convenience fee (phone fee is lower).  You can avoid internet and phone fees by visiting the Box Office in person.

Koger Box Office:
806 Park St, Columbia, SC 29201
(Free parking spots directly in front of Box Office window on Park St.)
Phone: 803-251-2222
Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 PM

$5 Student Rush tickets are available 30 minutes prior to each Capital Concert at the ticket kiosk in the lobby. Please provide valid student ID. 

Please note, all single tickets for Koger events must be bought through Koger Center. Do not buy tickets from any other vendors because they will not be honored.

The Koger Center for the Arts is located in downtown Columbia at the corner of Assembly and Greene Streets, 1051 Greene Street. Parking is available at the Discovery Garage behind the building (usually around $10), accessible off Park Street. Additional garages and street parking are located at least one block away, which is a further walk to the theater but may help you avoid the pre-concert rush.

There are excellent restaurants and hotels in the downtown and surrounding areas for every budget.

Restaurants

• 1801 Grille
• Blue Marlin Steaks & Seafood
  
• Bourbon Columbia
  
• COA Agaveria y Cochina
• Hall’s Chophouse
• Hunter-Gatherer Brewery & Ale House
  
• Kaminsky's Dessert Cafe
  
• M Vista
  
• Mr. Friendly's New Southern Cafe
  
• Motor Supply Co. Bistro
  
• Pearlz Oyster Bar
  
• Ristorante Divino
  
• Terra
  

Columbia Hotels

• Hotel Trundle
• Courtyard by Marriott
  
• Hampton Inn
• Hilton Columbia Center
  
• Inn at USC
  
• Marriott Columbia
• Sheraton Columbia Downtown

Here are a few pointers on what to expect. 

There are other ways to purchase single concert tickets through the Koger Center Box Office.

By Phone

• Charge by phone at 803.251.2222.
• Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday – Friday.
• American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa accepted.
• Additional charges applicable.
• Single tickets are not available through the SC Philharmonic office.

In-Person at the Koger Center

• Located at 806 Park St., Columbia SC 29201
• Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday.
• Accept cash, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa.
• No additional fees for in-person purchases.

Concert Night

• Purchase any remaining tickets at the Koger Center ticket kiosk on concert night starting one hour before each concert.

Rush Tickets are available for purchase on the day of the concert to K–12 and college students for just $7 total, including a $5 ticket price and $2 Koger Center processing fee.

Rush Tickets go on sale 30 minutes before the concert begins and are subject to seating availability.