On June 16, 17, and 18, Yuja Wang returns to Toronto to take on Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Gustavo Gimeno.
The program begins with a trio of world premieres by the TSO’s NextGen composers: Matthew-John Knights’ “Lines, Layers, Ligaments”, Fjóla Evans’ “Hraunflæði”, and Luis Ramirez’s “Picante”, all commissioned by the TSO and supported by the RBC Foundation.
The orchestra will then perform Shostakovich’s First Symphony, a work characterized by its biting sarcasm and brooding themes. Originally written as a graduation requirement, this symphony propelled Shostakovich onto the international stage, quickly establishing him as one of the most distinctive voices of his time.
Following an intermission, the concert culminates with Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3, a piece renowned for its lush melodies and technical demands. Wang’s performance of this beloved concerto with SF Symphony in March prompted the Daily Californian to proclaim “Wang played with the kind of intense virtuosity that felt like she was beating Rachmaninoff to the punch. Her touch was precise and resonant throughout the concerto, and her fingers moved with the quick dexterity of a hummingbird.”