Ian Conducts Rachmaninoff

The Oak Ridge Symphony concludes its season with an expansive and emotionally powerful program that spans Classical elegance and late-Romantic intensity. This finale brings together two monumental works that explore the full expressive range of the orchestra, from intimate lyricism to sweeping, deeply emotional grandeur.

Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D major opens the program with music of serene beauty and noble clarity. Rather than a virtuosic display for its own sake, the concerto unfolds with spacious lyricism and profound poetic depth, allowing the solo violin to sing with warmth, grace, and expressive intimacy. The performance features acclaimed violinist Will Shaub, whose artistry brings clarity and emotional insight to one of the repertoire’s most beloved works.

Following intermission, the orchestra turns to Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2, a vast and richly orchestrated masterpiece filled with soaring melodies, lush harmonies, and sweeping emotional arcs. From its hushed, mysterious opening to its triumphant final pages, the symphony embodies Romantic expression at its most expansive and heartfelt.

Together, these works form a season finale defined by contrast and connection—classical restraint meeting Romantic abundance, and individual voice merging with full orchestral power in a closing statement of depth, beauty, and intensity.