Robert Spano + Garrick Ohlsson

About

In the piano world, it's known as the "Rach Three," a moniker that comes with reverence, a quickening of the heart, and a dash of terror. Among the most difficult of all the popular piano concertos, it was written by one of the greatest pianists who ever lived: Sergei Rachmaninoff (a composer who, let’s be honest, had huge hands). For all its difficulty, the Third is equally charming to the listener. To pull off this feat of artistry and virtuosity, the ASO welcomes one of the best: pianist Garrick Ohlsson. Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Music Director Laureate Robert Spano returns for a two-week residency. The longtime leader of the ASO brings with him an old friend of the Orchestra, Emmy Award-winning composer Adam Schoenberg for his intriguing and ambitious Picture Studies. The performance begins with Jennifer Higdon's blue cathedral. In her own program notes, Higdon suggests that cathedrals serve "as a symbolic doorway into and out of this world" and that "blue represents all potential and the progression of journeys."