Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra will pay homage to Russian maestros this Friday night, performing their classical pieces in collaboration with violinist Zhu Dan under the baton of Vladimir Rylov.

    The program includes Korsakov’s “The Tsar’s Bride Overture,” Prokofiev’s “Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor” and Borodin’s “Symphony No. 2 in B Minor.” Clearly sharing the same traditional music context, the chosen repertoire tries to showcase the inner beauty of Slavic folk music that piles up with rough, tough joy and an aura of elegance.

    Korsakov, who composed 17 operas in his life, finished “The Tsar’s Bride” in 1899. This opera is a lurid melodrama set in the time of Ivan the Terrible, though this may hardly be guessed from its overture. This was a period when the master of orchestration was concerned with “classicizing” his style, and the piece is best taken simply as a neat sonata structure built from abstracted music.

    Prokofiev’s three-movement “Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor,” written in 1935, is more conventional than the composer’s early bold compositions. It features graceful violin melodies reminiscent of traditional Russian folk music as well as a taste of Spain, with the clacking of castanets each time the theme appears in the third movement.

    Composed between 1869 and 1876, Borodin’s four-movement “Symphony No. 2 in B Minor” is considered the most important large-scale work by the composer. Reviewers, who compared this piece to Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 6,” said it captures the essence of Russian spirits.

    Born out of a musician’s family in 1947, conductor Rylov graduated from Choral School of St. Petersburg State Academic Choir, and studied in the conductor-choral department in St. Petersburg State Conservatory. A Russian Federation State Award Laureate winner and honored professor of All-Russian Musical Society, his repertoire ranges from baroque, classical style to romantic and impressionism.

    The conductor became a sensation among Chinese classical music fans in 1995 after he conducted the China National Symphony Orchestra, performing Shostakovich’s “Symphony No. 7.”

    Dubbed “one of the emerging Chinese international artists today” by Gramophone magazine, Zhu is recognized as one of the finest Chinese musicians on the international stage. A native of Beijing, Zhu made his first public appearance at 9, performing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with the China Youth Chamber Orchestra. At 12, he entered the Central Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Huang Xiaozhi. Four years later he was awarded the Alexis Gregory Scholarship to study with Lucie Robert at Mannes College of Music in New York. He made his Carnegie Hall debut with Tchaikovsky’s “Violin Concerto in D Major” at 18, and won several prestigious international competitions, including Brussel’s Reine Elisabeth, Montreal, Sendai, and the China International. He plays a 1763 Carlo Antonio Testore violin on loan from the Alexis Gregory Foundation.

    The concert will be shown on LeTV’s platforms, including le.com and LeTV APP.

    Time: 8 p.m., Nov. 25

    Tickets: 50-380 yuan

    Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, intersection of Hongli Road and Yitian Road, Futian District (福田区红荔路和益田路交汇处深圳音乐厅)

    Metro: Line 3 or 4, Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit D(Li Dan)