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World-class top violinist Sarah Chang arrives in Turku to perform as Turku Philharmonic Orchestra´s soloist in the fall season´s opening concerts on the 3rd and 4th of September at 7 pm in the Concert Hall. The grand program consists of national romantic´s cornerstones along with strong emotions and dramatics. Chief Conductor Leif Segerstam conducts the orchestra.
The concerts begin with Toivo Kuula´s Festive March op. 13 which has a lyrical passage to balance the glorious nature of the work. The Festive March will also be found from the Toivo Kuula -record that comes out next week. Chang plays Jean Sibelius´ Violin Concerto which is one of the most performed works in the violin repertoire. The piece is known for its virtuoso soloist parts and flowing melody is heard in the late romantic features. The concerts end with Pyotr Tchaikovsky´s Francessa da Rimini to which the composer got inspiration from Dante´s Divine Comedy.
Sarah Chang is one of the great violinists of our time. She made her debut with the New York Philharmonic at the age of 8 and since then she has performed with the greatest musicians internationally in a career spanning more than two decades. Chang has made 20 recordings, and as the youngest to receive the Hollywood Bowl’s Hall of Fame Award Chang has been honoured with numerous awards throughout her career.
Turku Philharmonic Orchestra´s Chief Conductor Leif Segerstam is one of the most famous conductors. He has worked as e.g. National Opera´s and Stockholm Royal Opera´s conductor and visited i.a. Metropolitan, Covent Garden and La Scala. He also visits regularly to conduct symphony orchestras around the world. His extensive repertoire of compositions includes i.a. over 280 symphonies.
Before the concert there is a Head Start at 6 pm in the cafeteria. The event is free of charge. In the event the audience will get to know the program of the concert better.
The Sibelius-recordings conducted by Chief Conductor Leif Segerstam have risen to the top of more and more international charts. The records hold first place in the UK. Four records released so far have received incensing and congratulations from the most important forums for classical music in Europe and the US.
Leif Segerstam´s majestic conducting is respected world-wide. According to the Pizzicato-site “Segerstam has his own visions about Sibelius´music, not once does he loose the unique atmosphere of the pieces and once again we admire his gripping conducting”. MusicWeb International praises Leif Segerstam to be “the master of this repertoire and he draws some wonderful sounds from the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra”. Classic Today -sites review then focuses on Segerstam´s excellent performance and hypnotic concentration”. The Guardian, one of the most notable newspapers in the UK glorifies Segerstam´s talent to “be totally in tune with the music and add host of smaller curiosities”.
Death and King Kristian II as well as Belshazzar´s feast -records are reviewed in MusicWeb International -site to an excellent level amongst the most famous Sibelius-recordings. Pelléas et Mélisande -record has received full 10/10-reviews in Classic Today –site, which is the most important channel for classical music reviews in the US. In the reviews there is anticipation towards the next records to be released in this outstanding project. During the fall two more Sibelius-records will be released.
Festive Solar Plexus in Turku Concert Hall on the 3rd and 4th of September at 7 pm. Head Start at 6 pm. Leif Segerstam, conductor, Sarah Chang, violin, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra. Kuula – Sibelius – Tchaikovsky. Thursday’s concert is sold out. There are a few tickets left for Friday´s concert.
