Elim Chan
Paul Lewis Johannes Brahms
Sergei Rachmaninoff

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) met many of the 1850s' most central composers and musicians. He made an impression with his expressive music and playing style on the piano, and Robert Schumann exclaimed that Brahms was the savior of music. The expectations became heavy to bear, and Brahms took a long time to complete his first orchestral work. His best friend, Hungarian violinist and composer Joseph Joachim, became his most important helper. After a long letter correspondence with Joachim, his first piano concerto premiered in 1858.

Sergei Rachmaninoff's (1873-1943) Symphonic Dances originated in a collaboration with the famous Russian choreographer Michel Fokine. In 1939, the choreographer staged a successful ballet performance with Rachmaninoff's music in London. The collaboration was enjoyable for both, but Rachmaninoff only managed to play a piano version of his new work for Fokine before the choreographer died in 1942. The composer died the year after, and Symphonic Dances became a sort of farewell letter in orchestral form, with multiple quotes from Rachmaninoff's earlier work.

About Elim Chan

One of the most sought-after artists of her generation, Elim Chan performs an unusually wide-ranging repertory of symphonic works extending from the Classical period to the present day. The Sunday Times describes Elim Chan as “a rare example of a young conductor at once brilliant and not in the least showing off.” In January 2022, the Boston Classical Review spoke of a “marvel of control and understanding” following Elim Chan’s debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra: “…Chan was the night’s revelation. As a conductor, she’s the embodiment of the principle that less is more. Like Fritz Reiner or Bernard Haitink, she’s not overly demonstrative on the podium. But her beat is clear, gestures economical, and cues precise. Also, she has an exceptionally sensitive ear.“