Pittsburgh Symphony Performs a Concert of Musical Variety

Violinist Nemanja Radulovic performing Aram Khachaturian's Concerto for Violin and Orchestra Credit: Iris Holleran

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performed a mix of musical compositions from various eras Friday evening. Starting off with a piece titled "Sprouts" by contemporary composer Sean Shepherd, theshort 5-minute-long piece gets its inspiration from the redwoods of California. Saddened by the raging fires in the Santa Cruz area of California in 2020, the composer later learned that the trees need a cyclic cleanse by fire which spurs new growth as part of their life cycle. The piece starts with a soft tranquil melody but soon grows into a loud and boisterous section before returning to its initial mood.

Next on the program, Aram Khachaturian's masterful Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, spotlit Serbian-French Nemanja Radulovic, starring as the soloist in his PSO debut. Dressed in black pants and a white coat, which accented his long black hair which dangled over his right shoulder and down his back, Radulovic with dramatic movements that correlated with the emotion of the music, played loudly and forcefully equally as well as in sections that required a soft, delicate touch. His performance was so intensely powerful and emotional, he had the audience up on their feet at the close of the piece, calling him back for three curtain calls. He consented to their demands for more by adding a short piece that exhibited his considerable skill in getting the violin to do his bidding.

Conductor Giancarlo Guerrero Credit: Iris Holleran

Under the baton of guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero, the Brahms Fourth Symphony, the composer's last, proved an elegant ending to the concert that will be repeated tomorrow evening and Sunday in a matinee.

During intermission Iris Holleran and I enjoyed a few moments at the Heinz Hall bar.

In a post-concert performance, PSO violinist Jeremy Black teamed up withPSO pianist Rodrigo Ojeda to treat the audience to the first movement of Mendelssohn's "Violin Concerto in E minor."

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