YSO to perform Sibelius’ First Symphony

THE VINDICATOR

YOUNGSTOWN — Jean Sibelius’ First Symphony — Russian in its overindulged dramatic statement, and Slavic in its poignant melodies and pleasant rhythms — has never lost its popularity.

The Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Randall Craig Fleischer, will perform Sibelius’ First Symphony at Powers Auditorium. The Finnish composer died in 1957 at age 91.

Guest soloist for Saturday’s concert will be Olga Kern, who will perform Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto.

Kern’s career skyrocketed in 2001 when she was awarded the Gold Medal at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition — becoming the first woman to achieve this distinction in more than three decades.

Since then, Kern has toured the United States extensively, performing with many orchestras. She last performed with the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra in 2005.

Kern was born into a family of musicians with direct links to Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff, and began studying piano at age 5.

Winner of the first Rachmaninoff International Piano Competition when she was 17, she is a laureate of 11 international competitions and is a member of Russia’s International Academy of the Arts.

The Youngstown Symphony Orchestra will begin the concert with Joan Tower’s “Fanfare to an Uncommon Woman.”