What a terrific concert! The London-based Philharmonia Orchestra, with principal conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali, will be joined by pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, known for his extraordinary technical precision and brainy artistry. Sign me up! In fact, I’ll have the pleasure of introducing the program: Ravel’s celebrated Piano Concerto in G major, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47 (with all its attending historical lore), and Gabriela Ortiz‘s new orchestral work, Si el oxígeno fuera verde (If oxygen were green), dedicated to the memory of her friend and fellow Mexican musician, Jorge Verdín.

In fact, dedications will be an anchoring theme for my talk, which will also explore the historical contexts and styles of these three very different, but compelling works.