PROGRAMME
D. SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Concerto No. 2
S. PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 5
Elim Chan conductor
Anna Vinnitskaya piano
ABOUT THIS CONCERT
Since its inception in 2009, the MCO Academy has established itself as a leading educational model, offering young musicians a high-quality orchestral experience and a platform for international exchange. Beyond audition training, physical awareness classes, individual coaching, and orchestral playing, the Academy offers chamber music workshops that highlight the MCO’s signature chamber music approach. Augmented by a mentoring program, career talks, and various other activities, the Academy promotes creative and independent thinking, offering a comprehensive and contemporary education for young professional musicians.
This year, we are thrilled to invite conductor Elim Chan and pianist Anna Vinnitskaya as part of our Academy tour. This tour marks our third collaboration with Elim and our first with Anna.
On the 50th anniversary of Dmitri Shostakovich’s death, the programme opens with the composers Piano Concerto No. 2. Written in 1957 for Shostakovich’s 19-year-old son Maxim, this piece brims with the composer’s unique personality. The movements are charmingly hectic, showcasing Shostakovich’s characteristic wit and energy, while the central Andante reveals a more shadowed depth. Dedicated to his son, this concerto was intended to be accessible to young pianists, making relatively modest technical demands while still delivering musical satisfaction.
The second piece in the programme, Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 was composed in just one month during the summer of 1944. Written at the resort of Ivanovo, away from the ravages of World War II, this symphony reflects Prokofiev’s aspiration to create music that resonated with the greatness of the human soul. He described his Fifth Symphony as a significant milestone, representing the culmination of an entire period in his work.
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