Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto, a heroic masterpiece composed amidst the chaos of the 1809 French siege of Vienna, highlights a program of discord and beauty. Despite the tumultuous backdrop, Beethoven’s brilliance shines through in an inspiring dialogue between the soloist and orchestra, blending majestic power with sublime beauty. Marianna Martines’s Sinfonia in C Major opens the program with vibrant energy, highlighting the classical style of a trailblazing composer — recognized as the first woman to compose a symphony. The Charlotte Master Chorale joins the Orchestra for the U.S. Premiere of Anna Clyne’s The Years, a poignant musical response to the forced isolation and uncertainty of the 2020 pandemic.

MARTINES Sinfonia in C Major
Anna CLYNE The Years (U.S. Premiere)
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor”

Stephanie Rhodes Russell, conductor
Inon Barnatan, piano
Charlotte Master Chorale
Charlotte Symphony Orchestra