Rach 2

Some pieces of music never age; in fact, they get better with the passing of time. Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto is such a work, and every performance of it is a major event. Local pianist Alexey Yemtsov, who was born in Ukraine but now calls Tasmania home, rises to the challenge of performing this enduring favourite. Schnittke’s Suite in the Old Style sets the scene, while Shostakovich’s Symphony No 9 – which packs an entire world into its 30-minute length – rounds off the concert with wit, introspection and lashings of sardonic humour.

On the podium is much-loved maestro Marko Letonja.