RPO Tackles Mighty Masterpieces

On Thursday, March 3 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, March 5 at 8:00 pm, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra will treat you to a musical lineup of monumental proportions. Guest conductor Yoav Talmi will take to the podium to bring you Sibelius’ lush symphonic poem, Finlandia; Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, featuring pianist Marcus Groh; and Shostakovich’s magnificent Fifth Symphony. Come to beautiful Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre and experience the full force of these awe-inspiring works.

Internationally renowned German pianist Marcus Groh has appeared as a guest artist with some of the finest orchestras in the world, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, and London Symphony, and has garnered a reputation as one of the finest pianists in the world. Now, Groh will make his way to Rochester for what is sure to be an extraordinary performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4. Click here to view video of Marcus Groh in concert.

This concert will be led by charismatic Israeli conductor Yoav Talmi. Talmi has over four decades of conducting experience, and is currently Artistic Director and Conductor of the Quebec Symphony, Principal Guest Conductor of the Israel Chamber Orchestra, and Head of the Orchestral-Conducting Department at the University of Tel-Aviv Buchmann-Mehta School of Music. Talmi has served as guest conductor to major orchestras around the world, including the Dallas Symphony, Vienna Philharmonic, and Berlin Philharmonic, and has also achieved great success as a recording artist and composer.

Talmi’s interpretive artistry will be on full display with the program’s powerful finale, Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony. This classic work comes with an interesting back-story — Shostakovich lived and worked in the midst of Stalinist Russia, and, throughout his career, faced intense pressure from the Communist Party to compose nationalistic music that glorified the Soviet Union. The Fifth Symphony does indeed end with a triumphant, nationalistic march; however, many believe that there is an undertone of rebellion and protest present within the Symphony. Click here for more information on the historical context, political implications, and differing interpretations of Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony, and be sure to come to Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre March 3rd or 5th to hear the Fifth Symphony, Finlandia, and Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 performed live by your RPO.

Tickets start at $15 and can be purchased by clicking here, or by calling 454-2100.