After intermission, the Korngold Violin Concerto features CFA 2025 Competition Winner Juan Shin. The program concludes with Wagner’s Overture to Tannhäuser, a dramatic and emotionally charged prelude that encapsulates the central conflict of the opera—between sacred and profane love. With its iconic “Pilgrim’s Chorus,” sweeping string lines, and thunderous climaxes, the overture offers a powerful and immersive close to the evening’s journey.

Strauss’s Die Fledermaus Overture opens with effervescent energy and irresistible charm, setting the tone for an evening of wit and drama. Bartók’s Romanian Dances follow with vivid folk-inspired rhythms and bold, earthy textures that evoke the vibrant spirit of Eastern Europe. The rarely performed Trois Légendes Femmes by Mel Bonis offers a lush, intimate portrait of three iconic women—Ophelie, Salome, and Cleopatra—each captured through evocative melodies and vivid atmospheres. The program closes with Debussy’s Printemps, a radiant celebration of spring’s renewal, bursting with light, freshness, and impressionistic brilliance.

From sunlit overtures to symphonic grandeur, this concert echoes with beauty and soul. Nielsen’s Helios Overture paints a radiant musical journey from sunrise to sunset, setting the stage with warmth and breathtaking themes. An unforgettable performance by Demarre McGill, one of today’s most captivating flutists, brings his charm to Mozart’s Flute Concerto No. 1 in G Major. Opening with quiet tension and building to sweeping grandeur, Sibelius’ Symphony No. 1 surges with Nordic expression, romanticism, and the bold voice of a rising symphonic hero.