Back in 2013, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and conductor Valery Gergiev caused a sensation at the International Festival with their performance of Prokofiev’s spectacular Third Piano Concerto. They return this year for a concert full of heartfelt melody and mischievous humour.

Powerhouse Russian conductor Valery Gergiev is a familiar figure to International Festival audiences and conducted his own Mariinsky Opera in Das Rheingold, the first of the Festival’s concert performances of Wagner’s Ring, in 2016. Pianist Steven Osborne is another regular visitor; he brings a remarkable emotional honesty to his playing that leaves listeners in awe. Joined by Christopher Hart, the RSNO’s Principal Trumpet, they celebrate the fun and frolics of Shostakovich’s youthful First Piano Concerto, full of musical jokes and carefree humour.

Gergiev opens the concert with Tchaikovsky’s sunny Serenade for Strings, radiant music that’s full of the composer’s trademark heart-on-sleeve melodies. They close amid the classical beauty of Stravinsky’s elegant ballet score Apollon musagète.

Please note that Daniil Trifonov was originally scheduled to perform on this date. We are very grateful to Steven Osborne for stepping in to replace him.

Supported by Dunard Fund