Opening Night: Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1

Natasha Paremski, piano
Geoffrey Robson, conductor

PROGRAM

Vivian Fung - Earworms

Richard Strauss - Don Juan

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Piano Concerto No. 1

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Earworms / Vivian Fung
b. Edmonton, Canada / 1975-

Vivian Fung’s Earworms is a funky, modern masterpiece that constantly changes and evolves. Described by NPR as “one of today’s most eclectic composers,” Fung brings a vivid and unpredictable style to this modern orchestral piece. Written with a “stream of consciousness” approach that mirrors the disjointed, obsessive nature of internal musical repetition, it is a work of art.

Meanwhile, in 2018...

• In the U.K., Prince Harry married American actress Meghan Markle, marking only the second time a member of the British royal family wed an American.
• The Winter Olympics took place in South Korea, drawing the world’s attention to athleticism and global unity.
• In Arkansas, we celebrated a milestone of our own: Florence B. Price, the groundbreaking composer born in Little Rock, was inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame!

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Don Juan / Richard Strauss
b. Munich, Germany / June 11, 1864 – September 8, 1949

“Out and away, to new conquests!”
So begins Don Juan, Richard Strauss’s audacious musical foray into the world of one of literature’s most notorious lovers. With blazing orchestration, daring virtuosity, and youthful swagger, this tone poem catapulted the 25-year-old Strauss into international fame.

Meanwhile, in 1889...

• The Eiffel Tower was inaugurated in Paris, a marvel of modern engineering and a symbol of new heights (much like Strauss’s own leap into fame).
• Charlie Chaplin was born in London, another artist who would later combine humor and tragedy to great effect.
• In Little Rock, Arkansas, steam and electric transit systems were being built, ushering in a new era of connectivity and progress in our community.

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Piano Concerto No. 1 / Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
b. Votkinsk, Russia / May 7, 1840 – November 6, 1893

“..you have without doubt enriched the world of music as never before”. –pianist Hans von Bulow, 1875.

Tchaikovsky’s music is known for its sweeping melodies, lush orchestration, and deeply emotional character, all of which are fully displayed in this concerto. While audiences today may know him best for The Nutcracker and other ballets such as Swan Lake, Tchaikovsky’s first piano concerto helped cement his reputation as a master of orchestration. It is known for its unconventional form, which is freer than usual for a concerto of this time, and its highly romantic and virtuosic melodies that will surely bring the audience to its feet.

Meanwhile, in 1875...

• The first indoor game of ice hockey took place in Montreal.
• In the American West, a young outlaw known as Billy the Kid was arrested for the first time—his crime: stealing food.
• Closer to home, construction was completed on Old Main at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, and the doors opened to the iconic Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs, setting the stage for generations of Southern grandeur.