London Symphony Orchestra

Susanna Mälkki conductor  
Leila Josefowicz violin

Perry A Short Piece for Large Orchestra  
Stravinsky Violin Concerto in D  
Bartók Concerto for Orchestra  

When Stravinsky met Dushkin, the first soloist of his Violin Concerto, he showed him a chord written on a napkin. This chord became what Stravinsky called the ‘passport’ for the work. It opens each movement, but the music that follows is different each time, from the lively opening and the melancholy Arias to the delicate finale. Violinist Leila Josefowicz dazzles in this work, delivering fiery energy and lyrical sensitivity to this sparkling piece.

Showcasing every instrument, Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra, is a vibrant celebration of orchestral colour. It showcases every instrument in a journey from solemnity to exuberant joy. 

These pieces are prefaced by an exciting curtain-raiser written in her twenties by forgotten Black-American composer Julia Perry. A Short Piece for Large Orchestra provides an atmospheric start to the concert, blending rich textures with modernist clarity, reflecting Perry’s distinctive and powerful voice.