PIANO CONCERTO No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23

(Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: 1840 – 1893)

An absolute masterpiece that never fails to thrill! The monumental power of the opening alone can send shivers down your spine, while its gorgeous melodies captivate every listener. Written in 1874, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 is widely considered one of the greatest achievements in classical music and a major highlight of today’s program. Following its 1875 premiere in Boston, it launched a triumphant global journey and remains one of the most popular piano concertos ever written.

SYMPHONY NO. 9 “FROM THE NEW WORLD”

(Antonín Dvořák: 1841 – 1904)

Filled with magnificent soundscapes of longing, hope and freedom, this work bears the unmistakable imprint of Dvořák’s several years in America. Composed in New York in 1893, the symphony blends his impressions of the New World with echoes of his Bohemian homeland to create a compelling masterpiece that brings any concert to a triumphant close. The premiere at Carnegie Hall was met with thunderous applause, and his Symphony No. 9 remains one of the world’s most frequently performed orchestral works.