Osmo Leads Shostakovich 4
Where Chaos Meets Symphonic Force
Immerse yourself in the propulsive, electrifying sound of Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 4—an uncompromising masterpiece silenced by Soviet authorities for decades. Inspired by Gustav Mahler, this three-movement work builds its musical themes to a monumental scale with an exhilarating and ferocious energy. It reveals Shostakovich at his most daring and radical, shifting abruptly between explosive orchestral passages, sardonic marches, and eerie, subdued textures. Led by Finnish conductor Osmo Vänskä, this unsettling work creates a dark—and at times surreal—sound world that ultimately dissolves into a haunting close.
Opening this dynamic program, Felix Mendelssohn’s Ruy Blas Overture—based on Victor Hugo’s harrowing play—unfolds as a compressed drama, surging from a somber opening into restless energy before driving toward a fiery, brass-driven close. The world premiere of Vänskä’s Circus of Life follows, offering a reflective contrast that explores the overlap between spectacle and the complexities of everyday life.
Please note programs and artists are subject to change.
Program
| MENDELSSOHN | Ruy Blas Overture |
|---|---|
| Osmo VÄNSKÄ | Circus of Life (world premiere) |
| SHOSTAKOVICH | Symphony No. 4 in C minor, Op. 43 |
Artists
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Osmo Vänskä Conductor
Music Director of Minnesota Orchestra for 18 years and of Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra since 2020, Osmo Vänskä is recognised for compelling interpretations of repertoire of all ages and an energetic presence on the podium. His democratic and inclusive style of work has been key in forging long-standing relationships with different orchestras.
Celebrating the last year of his tenure with Minnesota Orchestra this season, Osmo Vänskä presents some of his signature repertoire. He is joined by favourite guest soloists including Joshua Bell and Lisa Batiashvili, and continues with This Is Minnesota Orchestra, an Emmy Award-nominated series of performances for TV, radio and online audiences launched in 2020, developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vänskä has undertaken five major European tours, as well as historic trips to Cuba in 2015 – the first visit by an American orchestra since the two countries re-established diplomatic relations – and South Africa in 2018, as part of worldwide celebrations of Nelson Mandela’s Centenary – the first visit by an American orchestra, drawing together South African and American performers in musical expressions of peace, freedom and reconciliation, on a five-city tour following a successful return to London’s BBC Proms.
After a successful first season with Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, including opening and closing the Lotte Concert Hall Festival and recording works by Korean composer Isang Yun, he embarks on his second year with numerous concerts and community outreach projects.
He returns this season to the Symphony and Philharmonic orchestras of Pittsburgh, Antwerp, Helsinki, Netherlands Radio and Tokyo Metropolitan. While past guest conducting invitations include renowned international ensembles such as The Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Chicago symphony orchestras in North America; Orchestre de Paris, Berlin’s Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester and Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester in Europe, and London Philharmonic Orchestra in the UK; and the Shanghai Symphony and China, Hangzhou, Hong Kong and Taiwan philharmonic orchestras in Asia.
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Samuel Kerr Conducting Fellow
Samuel Kerr is a Calgary-born percussionist, pianist, conductor, and composer. Equally at home in the worlds of performing and creating, Sam’s music examines the role of memory, belonging, and the shifting concepts of home brought about through one’s coming of age. Learn more.
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Curtis Symphony Orchestra
Comprised of outstanding talent and unmatched enthusiasm for musical collaboration, Curtis Symphony Orchestra stands as a cornerstone of the Curtis Institute of Music experience and a vital component of Philadelphia’s vibrant cultural scene. For 100 years, our exceptional students have sharpened their skills and broadened their musical horizons, as they prepare for professional careers with the world’s foremost orchestras and chamber ensembles.
Special Thanks
Orchestral concerts are supported by the Jack Wolgin Curtis Orchestral Concerts Endowment Fund.
Guest conductor appearances for each Curtis Symphony Orchestra performance are made possible by the Rita E. and Gustave M. Hauser Chair in Conducting Studies.
Curtis received funding from Pennsylvania Creative Industries, powered by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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- Date Mar 14, 2027
- Time 3:00 p.m.
- Location Marian Anderson Hall, Kimmel Center
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