Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Grzegorz Nowak - conductor*
Natasha Paremski - piano

Shostakovich Festive Overture
Shostakovich Piano Concerto No.2
Shostakovich Symphony No.5

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra celebrates the music of Dmitri Shostakovich. The composer's son, Maxim Shostakovich, opens the concert with the vivacious Festive Overture, written in only three days to commemorate the 37th anniversary of the October Revolution. The Second Piano Concerto is dedicated to Maxim and he gave the premiere in 1957 when he was just 19 years old, two years younger than this evening's mercurial soloist, Natasha Paremski. Shostakovich's powerful Fifth is the best-known of all his symphonies; its incredible finale hinting at the triumph of culture and optimism over the barbarism of Stalin and his regime of terror.

* We regret that Maxim Shostakovich is unwell and has been hospitalised in Moscow with heart problems. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is enormously grateful to Grzegorz Nowak for taking his place at such short notice. The programme remains unchanged.

At this concert the brand new 2010-2011 Sheffield International Concert Season will be launched with a trumpet fanfare and an exclusive appearance by Halle Chief Executive John Summers giving details of the exciting new programme. The imminent series of five40five concerts, starting in June, will also be announced.Sheffield City Hall, 6.15.