Around the World by Stravinsky, Saint-Saëns, Shostakovich, Fra (2024/2024), Dirigent Kristian Alexander, Flato Markham Theatre, Markham, Canada

Commissioned by Broadway producer Billy Rose, Stravinsky’s Scènes de ballet was written for a revue show in New York, and mixes typical Stravinskean rhythmic flare—including a dance in 5/8 time—with the more melodic sensibilities of Broadway. Sumi Kim, Grand Prize winner of the 2022 International Music Festival and Competition, performs Camille Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2; Saint-Saëns wrote the work over just 17 days, with only four days allotted for rehearsal before the Paris premiere in 1868. Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 8 premiered in 1943 to rave media reviews and standing ovations across Europe and the USA.