Hope is in the Air

Erle Kont, conductor 
Irina Zahharenkova, harpsichord
Turku Philharmonic Orchestra

Aaron Copland: Appalachian Spring (duration 24')
Henryk Górecki: Harpsichord Concerto op. 40 (duration 9')
Intermission, duration 20'
Jean Sibelius: Symphony no. 2 in D major op. 43 (duration 44')

Górecki’s Harpsichord Concerto lasts only nine minutes but is a relentlessly gripping onslaught that seems far more substantial. Remember to breathe! The brilliant Irina Zahharenkova stars as the soloist in this remarkable work. In Appalachian Spring, hopes are high as pioneers face challenges in the daunting environment where they have settled, and the music quite audibly turns from winter into spring. Sibelius’s beloved Second Symphony is also bright and full of hope. This concert is the Master’s recital of conductor Erle Kont for the Sibelius Academy. Break a leg!