Mozart, Say & Tchaikovsky

Join conductor Anna Rakitina and mandolin virtuoso Avi Avital for an unforgettable evening of musical brilliance. Avital’s groundbreaking artistry sets the stage for Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, a powerful journey from fate’s darkness to triumphant victory. With sweeping melodies and dramatic contrasts, this masterpiece will leave you moved and inspired.

Preview Talk at 7 p.m. with Classical California host Alan Chapman.

Commissioned by world-renowned mandolin virtuoso Avi Avital, Fazıl Say’s Mandolin Concerto introduces the composer’s distinct musical language—marked by melodic depth and rhythmic richness—through the expressive voice of the mandolin. This concerto, one of the contemporary works Avital aims to add to the mandolin repertoire, also reflects Say’s desire to bridge traditional musical elements with a 21st-century aesthetic. Responding to the legacy of Baroque and Classical traditions with a modern voice, the work offers a narrative that is both technically detailed and emotionally resonant.

Throughout the compositional process, Say engaged in in-depth conversations with Avital, closely studying the instrument’s capabilities through the artist’s own playing. The resulting piece is a work of this close artistic collaboration—remarkable both in its solo writing and in its orchestral integration. The concerto carries traces of Say’s native geography, the musical textures of Istanbul, and a rich variety of rhythmic layers. It stands as a vibrant and lasting addition to the classical music, blending regional colors with universal musical language.