Name: Two American Masters
Start: 2022-11-18T19:30:00
Location: Overture Center for the Arts

Elissa Lee Koljonen

Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra

Join us for an electrifying evening showcasing the fiery virtuosity of guest pianist Ilya Yakushev in Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3. A true tour de force, this concerto brims with lyrical beauty and relentless energy—perfectly suited to Yakushev’s commanding artistry. The program opens with Mozart’s elegant Symphony No. 27 in G Major, a charming and sophisticated gem that captures the composer’s youthful brilliance, and Bizet’s Symphony in C brings the evening to a close, radiating lyrical warmth and French finesse.

Prokofiev Prowess

Overture Center for the Arts

Closing the 25/26 Masterworks season is an evening of works known for their virtuosic demands and lush expressive beauty. We open with Caroline Shaw’s Entracte, a captivating work inspired by a single, unexpected shift in harmony from a Haydn string quartet, blending classical sensibilities with modern flair. Joining the orchestra is guest pianist Salome Jordania to perform Saint- Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Major, a true showcase of the piano's power and elegance. The program concludes with the exuberant Beethoven Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major, often dubbed “the cheerful sibling” to Beethoven’s more dramatic symphonies, offering a light, playful contrast to the intensity of his other works.

Saint-Saëns & Salome

Two women lead our opening concert of the season. Violinist Elissa Lee Koljonen makes her WCO debut with Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy, and Florence Price’s Symphony No. 1 in E minor closes the concert. An early nineteenth century work by Felix Mendelssohn titled The Hebrides (Fingal’s Cave) Overture, Op.26 sets the stage.