Pianist Denis Kozhukhin will perform alongside JPO for the first time. Together, under the direction of conductor Lawrence Foster, they will perform Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto. The second half of the evening will feature Brahms’ Fourth Symphony.

Ludwig van Beethoven
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 4 in G major, Op. 58

Johannes Brahms
Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98

Denis Kozhukhin – piano
Janáček philharmonic Ostrava
Lawrence Foster – conductor

The JPO audience had the opportunity to get introduced to the extraordinary art of pianist Denis Kozhukhin at his Ostrava recital in 2017. At the opening concert of the 71st season, this acclaimed artist, winner of the prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition and the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels, will appear for the first time alongside the JPO. Together they will perform Ludwig van Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto, which the famous Romantic piano virtuoso and composer Robert Schumann described as Beethoven’s most important concerto ever. Written between 1805 and 1806, it is the first time that Beethoven’s distinctive musical language, which foreshadows the dramatic and heroic musical expression of the famous Fifth “Fate” Symphony, is fully expressed.

In his last Fourth Symphony from 1884-1885, the Austrian composer Johannes Brahms composed a tribute to Johann Sebastian Bach and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. The symphony’s finale is particularly impressive for its dramatic intensity and excellent conclusion, making this work one of the highlights of his symphonic oeuvre.

The acclaimed American conductor Lawrence Foster, long-time music director of the Opéra de Marseille and until 2023 also chief conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of the Polish Radio, performed successfully with the JPO last season. He is known for his engaging performances and has had an extensive career in the USA, Europe and Asia.