Program Includes:
Festive Overture – Dimitri Shostakovich
Piano Concerto – Benjamin Britten
Ruxi Wang, piano (previous YAC Winner)
Symphony No. 3 in F major – Johannes Brahms
CLASSICS 1 – Symphony Spectacular: Shostakovich, Britten, and Brahms
Join us for the opening of a spectacular season as we welcome the return of award-winning pianist, Ruxi Wang, winner of the 2024 LSO Young Artist Competition. Ms Wang will perform Benjamin Britten’s Piano Concerto as we recognize the 50th anniversary of the composer’s passing. From the glittering Toccata of the first movement, through the romantic Waltz of the second, and Impromptu and March of the third and fourth, this work is renowned for its lyricism and virtuosity. It is preceded on the program by the Festive Overture of Dimitri Shostkovich, written during his time as music consultant to the famous Bolshoi Ballet. Composed in just three days, this exuberant work has long been a favorite of symphony audiences everywhere.
The program concludes with the beautiful Symphony No. 3 in F major by Johannes Brahms. The most compact of his four symphonies, this is often regarded as perhaps his most personal. All four movements allude to a two-note motif, F-A flat-F, (F-A-F) which is taken to mean frei aber froh, “free but happy”. This relates to Brahm’s personal life where despite romantic relationships, he never married, remaining fiercely dedicated to his work. In reality, yes, he was “free” – but as a result, melancholic and lonely – yet happy and passionate in his work as a composer.
About Ruxi Wang:
Ruxi Wang is a Chinese concert pianist whose performances have been praised for their expressive depth, technical brilliance, and artistic sensitivity. She has appeared as a soloist and recitalist throughout the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and China, performing at venues and festivals including the Mozarteum International Summer Academy in Salzburg, the Málaga International Summer Piano Festival, the Amalfi Coast International Music Festival, the Tel-Hai International Piano Festival, and the Lieven Piano Foundation International Festival in Vienna. She has also performed with the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra and maintains an active international concert schedule with solo recitals, concerto appearances, and festival engagements.
A prizewinner in numerous national and international competitions, Wang is the recipient of First Prize at the 2024 LaGrange Concerto Competition and First Prize at the 2023 MTNA South Carolina State Competition, among other honors. She holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance from the University of South Carolina and is dedicated to sharing music through performance, collaboration, and artistic exchange.
