Gerard Schwarz, conductor

Naoko Takao, piano

PROGRAM

RAVEL: Alborada del Gracioso

PROKOFIEV: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor (Naoko Takao, piano)

SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 10 in E minor

Music has long served as a quiet—yet potent—form of protest, and nowhere is that more evident than in the Soviet era, when composers encoded resistance within their scores. This season-finale concert explores that legacy in two powerhouses of twentieth-century music.

The evening opens with Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, a work whose torrential energy and daunting technical demands still astonish listeners a century after its premiere. Written during Prokofiev’s student years and completely reconstructed after the 1917 manuscript was lost, the concerto veers from sardonic wit to volcanic outbursts, mirroring the composer’s own rebellious spirit. Frost professor Naoko Takao, praised for her compelling lyricism and fearless virtuosity, takes center stage to navigate the concerto’s jagged rhythms, explosive cadenzas, and quietly lyrical second movement.

After intermission comes Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 in E minor, completed in the uneasy months following Stalin’s death in 1953. Often interpreted as a musical portrait of the dictator and a cathartic reckoning with years of artistic repression, the symphony unfolds across four movements that swing from bleak introspection to sardonic waltz, relentless scherzo, and finally a hard-won, blazing affirmation. 

Together, these two works chart a journey from individual struggle to collective catharsis, reminding us how music can speak truth when words are forbidden. Join us for an unforgettable conclusion to the season as the orchestra, under the baton of Gerard Schwarz, illuminates the defiant heart and enduring hope at the core of these Soviet masterpieces.

SAT / APR 25, 2026 / 7:30 PM

UM Gusman Concert Hall 

$30  $25  $15

WINDOWCAST: SAT / APR 25, 2026 / 7:30 PM

Knight Center for Music Innovation Outdoor Plaza

FREE