Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra & Pekka Kuusisto

Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Pekka Kuusisto violin/director 

Andrea Tarrodi Birds of Paradise 
Sibelius Violin Concerto  
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 

Celebrated for his imaginative programming and charismatic stage presence, Finnish violinist and director Pekka Kuusisto leads one of Europe’s finest orchestras, the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, in their National Concert Hall debut. 

Hailed by The Guardian as “a thrillingly original musician,” Kuusisto brings fresh insight and energy to this compelling programme. The evening opens with Birds of Paradise by Swedish composer Andrea Tarrodi. Inspired by one of David Attenborough’s 2006 Planet Earth films for the BBC, her vibrant, intricately crafted music has earned growing international acclaim. Kuusisto then takes centre stage in Sibelius’s only Violin Concerto, celebrated for its profound, melancholic beauty and blistering virtuosity. 

The concert concludes with the sweeping emotional power of Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony, a perennial crowd-pleaser. Cantered on a recurring “fate” motif, a menacing brass theme symbolizing an inescapable force, like a sword of Damocles, it runs through all four movements shaping the work’s emotional arc. The symphony traces a powerful journey from despair to hope, rich in emotional intensity, lush orchestration and memorable melodies earning enduring admiration from audiences worldwide. 

Presented by NCH