Farnborough Symphony Orchestra, Irina Lyakhovskaya

Guest Conductor - William Carslake
Soloist - Irina Lyakhovskaya (Piano)

Tchaikovsky - Waltz from Eugene Onegin
Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor
Shostakovich - Symphony No.10 in E Minor

The FSO’s new season is ushered in with works by three giants of Russian music. Once again, we are delighted to be joined by soloist, Irina Lyakhovskya, whose intimate knowledge of the repertoire of her native Russia is bound to open up the emotional depths of Rachmaninov's much-loved Piano Concerto No. 2.

Well known as the soundtrack for 'Brief Encounter', this work cannot fail to tug at the listener's heart strings.

The other major work of the evening is Shostakovich's epic 10th Symphony. Described as 48 minutes of tragedy, despair, terror, and violence and two minutes of triumph, it is widely accepted as a depiction of the Stalinist years in Russia.

No Russian evening would be complete without a contribution by Tchaikovsky and the waltz from Eugene Onegin provides a lighter note on which to begin the FSO's 95th year.