Capriccio

About

Under Andrea Sanguineti’s direction, the Essen Philharmonic draws an arc of sound from the radiant colors of Tchaikovsky to the expansive architecture of Schubert. Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien unfolds a lively, almost dance-like energy that fuses orchestral brilliance with Mediterranean color. Alexey Shor’s Piano Concerto No. 1 gives Canadian pianist Kevin Chen space to shape the music with technical precision, focused expression, and a fine balance between virtuosity and lyrical intensity. A winner of the Concours de Genève and the Franz Liszt International Piano Competition in Budapest, Chen renders Shor’s clear melodic lines with poised assurance and nuanced expressivity. Schubert’s “Great” C major Symphony rounds off the evening with majestic breadth and harmonic clarity, creating both calm and tension—an elegant union of musical power and performance precision.