Musicians from a Faraway Land

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to see the St. Petersburg Philharmonic perform at the Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, and they were pretty phenomenal! I attended with a friend who had lived in Russia for a few years, so she was able to provide fascinating insights about how different the concert would have been if it was performed in Russia rather than in Rochester. Apparently, in Russia, audience members often go up to the edge of the stage at the end of a show and have the chance to shake musicians’ hands. At that time, they usually bring the musicians a flower that they’ve brought with them to the show specifically for that purpose. Pretty interesting!

Great tickets!

Love the view of this stage, no matter where you sit.

The St. Petersburg Philharmonic performed Brahms (Piano Concert No. 1, Opus 15) and Shoshtakovich (No. 5 in D Minor, Opus 47). Both were fabulous! Nikolai Lugansky was the featured pianist, and he was really fun to watch. He was incredibly animated in his playing, with such powerful gestures they were almost violent at times! And his expression was always grave. It was generally fun to people watch on stage- the dress and mannerisms of the musicians were a bit different from an American philharmonic orchestra. For example, I noticed the string section waving their bows to applaud the pianist, and I had never seen that before!

Shoshtakovich 5 was probably my favorite part of the evening- the booming of the drums was badass and exciting after the more emotional and moving sections of the piece. All and all, it was a really fun night, and I’m so glad we got to see the St. Petersburg Philharmonic in Rochester! The last time they were here was 55 years ago, so it definitely felt special to be able to see them right here in ROC.

Next week, I’ll be attending Savion Glover: STePz, and I’m pretty excited about it! I’ve loved the variety of the “Eastman Presents” series this season. Such a diverse array of talented performers! From Norm Lewis to Garrison Keillor, from the St. Petersburg Phil to Savion Glover, it’s been an awesome season.

Image via Eastman Theatre.

Savion Glover is a renowned choreographer and tap dancer who has even performed on Sesame Street! If you don’t believe me when I say this dude is insanely talented, check out his Instagram for some crazy videos. The guy can move! I’m so excited to watch him perform live next Tuesday.

Good news for you, my friends! I’m giving away tickets again! This is the last show in the current season of the “Eastman Presents” concert series, and it’s sure to be fantastic. Leave a comment below telling me why you’d love to attend, and you’ll be entered for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the show! Winner will be announced by the end of the week.

Best of luck, everyone!