The opening concert of the Piatigorsky Festival, Ralph Kirshbaum, Artistic Director, presented by the USC Thornton School of Music and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, in partnership with The Colburn School and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. This concert presents seven distinguished international artists appearing in an evening of diverse cello concertos and features the Festival Orchestra led by the principal players of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra partnered with some of the finest students from the USC Thornton School of Music and The Colburn School.

This tribute to Gregor Piatigorsky will include a presentation of a medallion inducting him into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame, a testament to his enormous contribution to American music.

Led by the conductor Hugh Wolff, who began his conducting career as an assistant and protégé of the great Russian cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich, the Festival Orchestra will accompany seven leading international cellists in a wide-ranging evening of concertos, including Antonio Lysy and Peter Stumpf performing Vivaldi’s Double Concerto, Jian Wang performing Haydn’s Concerto in D Major, Narek Hakhnazaryan performing Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Thomas and Sayaka Selina performing the American premiere of Thomas Demenga’s Double Concerto, and Jean-Guihen Queyras performing Haydn’s Concerto in C Major. Underwritten by Visions and Voices: The USC Arts & Humanities Initiative.