The VSO Presents the Vancouver Debut of Alexander Gavrylyuk

Celebrated for his outstanding technique and dramatic musicality, Alexander Gavrylyuk is unquestionably one of the top pianists of his generation. Mr. Gavrylyuk plays Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 2 in his Vancouver debut.

Maestro Bramwell Tovey wields the baton in a string of other Russian classics performed by the orchestra, including Rimsky-Korsakov's Russian Easter Overture, Shostakovich's The Age of Gold Suite and Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. This extraordinary concert is featured at the Orpheum and the Bell Performing Arts Centre in Surrey in the final concert of the 2008/2009 Surrey Nights series.Winner of the 1999 Vladimir Horowitz Competition, the 2000 Hamamatsu Competition and, most notably, the 2005 Arthur Rubinstein Competition, Mr. Gavrylyuk is undeniably a superstar in the making. Currently based in Moscow, Mr. Gavrylyuk had his solo debut recital last year at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatorium at the invitation of Nikolay Petrov and also performed a solo recital at the Kremlin.

Alexander Gavrylyuk's upcoming engagements include a recital at the hall of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, concerts with the Rotterdam Philharmonic, the Netherlands Philharmonic, the Israel Philharmonic and the Moscow Radio Orchestra. Gavrylyuk has also been invited to record the complete Prokofiev concerti with conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Gavrylyuk performs Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.2, a rarely-performed gem of the repertoire that lives in the shadow of its much more famous big brother, the popular Piano Concerto No.1. Although not blessed with such an intense beginning or as many memorable melodies, many passages of the Second are as dramatic and beautiful as anything ever written for piano and orchestra. Mr. Gavrylyuk's debut features this extraordinary work that has rarely been heard in Vancouver in an exciting, all-Russian classical celebration.

CONCERT INFO

Musically Speaking & Surrey Nights Series:
Exciting Russian Classics! Gavrylyuk Plays Tchaikovsky

Saturday, May 9, 2009 @ 8pm, Orpheum Theatre
Monday, May 11, 2009 @ 8pm, Bell Performing Arts Centre
Bramwell Tovey, conductor
Alexander Gavrylyuk, piano*

Rimsky-Korsakov Russian Easter Overture, Op. 36
Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Major*
James Maxwell Olympic Commission
Shostakovich The Age of Gold Suite
Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture

Rubinstein Competition winning piano prodigy Alexander Gavrylyuk is one of the top pianists of his generation, standing shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Lang Lang and Yundi Li. His performance of Tchaikovsky's other piano concerto will blow you away.

Tickets for May 9 Concert: $20 to $56 (Student, Senior and Subscriber discounts available)
Tickets for May 11 Concert: $37 (Student, Senior and Subscriber discounts available)
Tickets available by phone at 604.876.3434 or online at http://www.vancouversymphony.ca