Janacek Philharmonic Ostrava

The Opening concert will feature works by two composers whose music reflects profound human emotions as well as historical upheavals. Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, in his Stabat Mater, blends minimalism with the spiritual depth of medieval liturgy, while Dmitri Shostakovich, in his Sixth Symphony, offers an ironic and chillingly truthful portrayal of life under Soviet dictatorship.

Winner of the Marguerite Long Competition in Paris, young pianist Alexandra Stychkina will bring an emotive and virtuosic program to Ostrava. The evening opens with Janáček’s ballad 1 October 1905 and Shostakovich’s Piano Sonata No. 2—two works composed in the wake of tragic events. The second half of the concert will offer a romantic atmosphere of forest nooks in piano cycles by Schumann and Liszt, culminating in Liszt’s famous Hungarian Rhapsody No. 15.

An evening of powerful stories and the joy of making music. The program features Bohuslav Martinů’s symphonic prelude The Rock, inspired by American settlers, Witold Lutosławski’s Cello Concerto performed by JFO’s artist-in-residence Johannes Moser, and Antonín Dvořák’s Sixth Symphony — a celebration of Czech musicality, warmth, and vitality. The orchestra will be led by Ingo Metzmacher.