Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 1

Rossen Milanov, conductor
Elina Vähälä, violin

Program
Mozart: Overture to Don Giovanni
Sibelius: Violin Concerto
Rachmaninoff: Symphony No.1

Described by the Chicago Tribune as "a fluent, stylish and gifted musician whose brilliant technique is matched by an abundant spirit, sensitivity and imagination," Finnish-American violinist Elina Vähälä makes her Columbus Symphony debut with one of her favorite works: Jean Sibelius’ celebrated violin concerto.

The brilliant Mozart hastily wrote the overture to his masterful opera Don Giovanni the night before its premiere, which he conducted himself and which was a resounding success.

The premiere of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 1 was by all accounts a disaster due to a sub-par performance and harsh public criticism, and the symphony was not performed again in the composer’s lifetime. This powerful and expressive work endured and now occupies its rightful place in the orchestral canon.

Prelude: Join Rossen and Elina for a pre-concert discussion at 6:30pm.