Unable to establishing a connection to SQL Server created via SqlManagementClient

Question

Goal:
create an Azure SQL Server via .NET (Microsoft.WindowsAzure.Management.Sql.Modules.SqlManagementClient) and add a database to it.
Problem:
I am NOT able to access the newly created server from .Net code.
Description:
Using SqlManagementClient I SUCCESFULLY create a new Azure SQL Server (see code below).
After creating the server, I am able to access the new server from Azure Portal.
* firewall rule show valid client machine
* "Windows Azure Services" is set to "Yes"
An error occures when I try connecting to the database using the same user and pwd used to create it. 
/* the following code results in a connection failure  */
//string server = <name of newly created sql server>
//string db = <name of new database to create, inside of the server>
public void CreateDatabase(string server, string db)
 using (ReliableSqlConnection conn = new ReliableSqlConnection(
                Configuration.GetConnectionString(server, "Master"),
                SqlRetryPolicy,
                SqlRetryPolicy))
                conn.Open();   //// throws System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException
    //// A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server.
                SqlCommand cmd = conn.CreateCommand();
/* the following code creates a sql server and firewall rules */
ServerCreateResponse response;
SubscriptionCloudCredentials creds;
X509Certificate2 cert;
//// Gets the certificate  
cert = CredentialUtil.GetCertificate(certificateStoreName, certificateStoreLocation, certificateThumbprint);
//// Using the certificate and the subscription build credential
creds = new CertificateCloudCredentials(azureSubscriptionId, cert);
//// using creditials create server and set firewall rules
using (SqlManagementClient client = new SqlManagementClient(creds))
        response = client.Servers.Create(new ServerCreateParameters()
                AdministratorPassword = sqlPwd,
                AdministratorUserName = sqlUser,
         Location = location
        if (response.StatusCode == HttpStatusCode.Created)
  //// 0.0.0.0 is added to enable "Windows Azure Services" on the "Configure" tab.
  //// <MyInternetIp> would be my actual IP address.
  //// - (which works for other servers that i have manualy registered
  validIPs = new List<string>() {"0.0.0.0", "<MyInternetIp>"};
  CreateFireWallRule(client, response.ServerName, validIPs);
//// Adds IP to Azure firewall.
private static void CreateFireWallRule(SqlManagementClient client, string azureServerName, IEnumerable<string> validIPs)
            foreach (string ip in validIPs)
                FirewallRuleCreateParameters rule = new FirewallRuleCreateParameters() { Name = string.Format("Allow {0} - {1}", Environment.MachineName, ip), StartIPAddress
= ip, EndIPAddress = ip };
                client.FirewallRules.Create(azureServerName, rule);
/// Error
System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException was unhandled
  HResult=-2146232060
  Message=A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections.
(provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server)
  Source=.Net SqlClient Data Provider
  ErrorCode=-2146232060
  Class=20
  LineNumber=0
  Number=53
  Server=""
  State=0

Answer 1

Using SqlManagementClient I SUCCESFULLY create a new Azure SQL Server.
ServerCreateResponse response;
SubscriptionCloudCredentials creds;
X509Certificate2 cert;
cert = CredentialUtil.GetCertificate(parameters.CertificateStoreName, parameters.CertificateStoreLocation, parameters.CertificateThumbprint);
creds = new CertificateCloudCredentials(parameters.AzureSubscriptionId, cert);
using (SqlManagementClient client = new SqlManagementClient(creds))
                response = client.Servers.Create(new ServerCreateParameters()
                    AdministratorPassword = parameters.SqlPwd,
                    AdministratorUserName = parameters.SqlUser,
                    Location = parameters.Location
                if (response.StatusCode == HttpStatusCode.Created)
                    CreateFireWallRule(client, response.ServerName, parameters.ValidIPs);