Brilliant colour, rhythmic fire, and sweeping Nordic grandeur come together in a program that moves from shimmering impressionism to symphonic majesty. Maurice Ravel’s Une barque sur l’océan (Miroirs, no. 3) opens the evening with luminous orchestral colours and fluid, wave-like textures that evoke the endless motion and mystery of the sea. Delicate and atmospheric, the work unfolds in richly layered sonorities, revealing Ravel’s extraordinary mastery of orchestral colour and impressionistic imagination. The centerpiece of the program is Béla Bartók’s electrifying Piano Concerto no. 2, performed by internationally acclaimed pianist Ivan Yanakov. Renowned for its explosive energy, brilliant piano writing, and driving rhythms, this concerto is one of the most thrilling showcases of twentieth-century virtuosity. The evening marks the Canadian debut of American-Brazilian conductor Linus Lerner, who leads the concert to its conclusion with the radiant power of Jean Sibelius’s monumental Symphony no. 5. Inspired by the sight of swans soaring across the Finnish sky, Sibelius’s music unfolds in majestic waves of sound, culminating in one of the most unforgettable and triumphant endings in the symphonic repertoire.
Linus Lerner | conductor
Ivan Yanakov | pianist
7:20 p.m. Prélude: pre-concert recital.
7:30 p.m. Pre-concert talk.
