A celebration of the groundbreaking legacy of Dmitri Shostakovich – a revolutionary mind whose life touched the world deeply. Emotional, raw, potent, & triumphant. A composer of enormous power, Shostakovich is a towering figure who grappled with and rebelled against the Soviet regime in which he lived.
He forged a musical language that is able to access deep emotions, drawing upon a potent mix of anger, introspection, & optimism that he and his people were experiencing. Shostakovich walked a tightrope between two opposites of the emotional spectrum, writing for both sides of the coin: at times savage, raw, deep, and a sincere reflection of his life, but also simultaneously joyous, witty, and optimistic in order to cope with the times in which he lived.
Throughout all of this emotional struggle, at the core of Shostakovich’s music exists a quiet strength – a call to hold on to hope in the most desolate of times.
Join us at our 24/25 residency host, Eglinton Saint George United Church for a special concert presented in collaboration with OPUS ChamberMusic. This program features the music of Dimitri Shostakovich, a titan of 20th century Russian music. Featuring piano soloist Kevin Ahfat on the dynamic Piano Concerto, this program will be a savage and brutal display of soviet Russia.
Program
Jazz Suite #2 - Waltz
Octet Op. 11
Piano Concerto No 1
Feat. Kevin Ahfat
[Intermission]
Duo for Two Violins and Piano
Chamber Symphony op. 110a
Artists
Kevin Ahfat, pianist & OPUS Artistic Director
Renata Cardoso, guest trumpet [Piano Concerto No. 1]
Luri Lee, Sheila Jaffe, Noa Sarid, Christina Choi, Hee-Soo Yoon, Chris Whitley, Kun Yan, Sienna Cho, violinists
Hezekiah Leung, Catherine Gray, Carolyn Blackwell, violists
Drew Comstock, Andrew Ascenzo, cellists & Co-Artistic Directors of CCO
Travis Harrison, bassist