Simon Trpčeski, Pianist | © B. Ealovega

Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1

Fri Nov 4 — Sat Nov 5, 2022

Orchestra Hall

Pianist Simon Trpčeski makes a highly anticipated return to the stage to play Tchaikovsky’s intensely challenging First Piano Concerto. Then, the Orchestra’s string and percussion sections embark on the quirky, contradictory adventure Bartók created in his one-of-a-kind Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, with conductor Scott Yoo at the podium. This composition involves a variety of percussion instruments and an unusual onstage orientation, as Bartók called for two string orchestras to be arranged on opposite sides of the stage, giving the one-of-a-kind work an energetic back-and-forth.

A Few Things to Know

Listen to the Minnesota Orchestra’s recording of Ulysses Kay’s Concerto for Orchestra, recorded in 2021 to raise awareness and increase performances of the work, in partnership with the African Diaspora Music Project.
Are you a fan of Tchaikovsky’s music? Return to Orchestra Hall in February to hear the composer’s Second Piano Concerto featuring soloist Alexandre Kantorow.
Get to know the Minnesota Orchestra percussion section, featured prominently in Bartók's Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta.

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Date & Time

Program

KAY

Concerto for Orchestra
1 min note

One Minute Note

Ulysses Kay’s Concerto for Orchestra—in which all of the ensemble’s instruments and sections engage in conversation, contrast and conflict—follows a fast-slow-fast form with some surprises thrown in, such as a ramping up in tempo and volume in the midst of a so-called Adagio movement and a surprising harmonic shift to the piece’s final chord.
TCHAIKOVSKY

Piano Concerto No. 1
1 min note

One Minute Note

Like Beethoven, who angrily removed Napoleon’s name from his Eroica Symphony, Tchaikovsky furiously scratched out the name of the intended dedicatee of this famous concerto—and it became an instant success in the hands of the man he then honored with the dedication, Hans von Bülow. It begins with high drama, retreats to a place of calm and rushes toward its close in a mood of white-hot energy.
BARTÓK

Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta
1 min note

One Minute Note

Bartók’s concept of positioning instrumentalists in exact locations across the stage means that where the sound comes from is an important part of this unusual music—with a singular instrumentation that spotlights the celesta, a small high-pitched keyboard instrument, while excluding winds and brass.

Full Program Notes

Artists

Minnesota Orchestra

Plan your visit

Pre-concert activities
Valet Parking
Pre-order Beverages
Directions & Parking
Helpful Tips

Pre-Concert Interview

When: Fri Nov 4, Sat Nov 5 | 7:15 pm
Where: Target Atrium

Join our host Phillip Gainsley as he talks to guest conductor Scott Yoo about this week's concert and more.

Exhibit by The Museum of Russian Art

When: Fri and Sat, Pre-Concert and Intermission
Where: Balcony A

This exhibit from the Museum of Russian Art is presented in conjunction with the performance of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, subtitled "Pictures from Pagan Russia in Two Parts." Prompted by this, the display includes objects of folk art, rich in ancient Slavic pagan symbolism, often evoking solar signs and mythic creatures.

Know Before You Go

An engaging performance awaits, and the fun doesn’t stop there. Make this visit your own with food and activity options. Browse these helpful tips, and when your concert date arrives, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy.

Directions & Parking

All the information you need to know for getting to and from Orchestra Hall. Parking is just steps away from Orchestra Hall in the city-owned and skyway-connected 11th and Marquette Ramp.

We also offer convenient valet parking as well as buses for our Thursday Coffee Concerts!