KSO’s year 2026 begins on January 9th with Two Musical Monuments

Published 02.01.2026

Saskia Giorgini interprets Brahms’ monumental Piano Concerto No. 2

The Kuopio Symphony Orchestra’s spring season opens impressively with the Two Musical Monuments season concert on Friday, January 9th at 6 pm at the Kuopio Music Centre Concert Hall. Making her first appearance in Kuopio, Saskia Giorgini will perform Johannes Brahms’ intense Piano Concerto No. 2. The concert concludes under the baton of Estonian conductor Risto Joost with Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 9, “The Great”.

For returning conductor Risto Joost, the idea of combining these two musical pieces — Johannes Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 and Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 9 — originated from the fact that Schubert, a master of melody and German Lied, also composed some of the most influential symphonic masterpieces of his time. According to Joost, “at the same time it was a great inspiration to many composers in the 19th century. One of them, Johannes Brahms developed the genre to new heights and managed to bring full symphonic structure to his 4-part Piano Concerto No. 2, where next to the soloist the orchestra played an equally important role. Both pieces are to this day one of the most influential musical compositions”.

Completed in 1881, Brahms’ second piano concerto is his most expansive and symphonic concerto. It offers space for both virtuosic pianism and the orchestra’s rich sonority. For pianist Saskia Giorgini, the concerto is close to her heart: “The relationship between piano and orchestra is certainly one of the most beautiful ones ever told in music.  It is written in such an intense and deep way, it takes your breath away; an almost transcendental experience!”. Winner of the 2016 International Mozart Competition, Saskia Giorgini has become an internationally acclaimed pianist who regularly performs in the most prestigious concert halls in Europe and around the world. She currently also serves as the Professor of Piano at Anton Bruckner Private University in Linz.

Schubert’s final orchestral work, the C major symphony The Great, was completed in the mid-1820s but received its first full performance only after the composer’s death. Known as the composer of hundreds of Lieder, this is Schubert’s most extensive and ambitious symphony. It is a testament to Schubert’s ability to craft sweeping musical arcs and a poetic sound world.

Note! The January 9th season concert will exceptionally take place on a Friday. The concert lasts approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes, including an intermission.

Before the concert, at 5.30 pm at the Hall of Light, there will be a Pre-Talk open to all, with the artists of the evening.

Tickets: 34,60 € / 28,10 € senior citizens and groups min. 20 persons / 10,60 € children under the age of 16 and students.

The Copilot AI service was used in the production of this text.

KUOPIO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Producer & Publicity Manager Elina Prepula, tel. 044 718 2364, elina.prepula(at)kuopio.fi
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