Pianist Yevgeny Sudbin to Perform with North Carolina Symphony, 10/3-4

The North Carolina Symphony, led by Grant Llewellyn, will welcome pianist Yevgeny Sudbin as he performs Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3, Friday, Oct. 3, and Saturday, Oct. 4, at 8 p.m. in Meymandi Concert Hall in downtown Raleigh. The concert, which is part of the Symphony's Raleigh 2014-15 Raleigh Classical Series, will also feature Shostakovich's Festive Overture and Symphony No. 1.

"I was first drawn to the playing of Yevgeny Sudbin listening to him perform Scarlatti piano sonatas," said Llewellyn. "I thought, if he can apply that same imagination, elegance and dexterity to a Rachmaninoff concerto, it could be a spectacular event. We then made our recording of the Original Version of Rachmaninoff's 4th concerto and everything I'd hoped for came to pass.

Born in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1980, Yevgeny Sudbin performs regularly in many of the world's finest venues and concert series, both in recital and with orchestra. In the midst of a 7-year and 14-album collaboration with BIS Records, his recordings have met with critical acclaim. His Scriabin recording was awarded CD of the Year by The Telegraph and received the MIDEM Classical Award for Best Solo Instrument Recording at Cannes. It was described by Gramophone as "a disc in a million," while the International Record Review stated that his 2009 recording of Rachmaninoff with the North Carolina Symphony was "essential listening." In 2013, the Critics' Circle announced its third annual Critics' Circle Music Award, and Sudbin was named the recipient of the Exceptional Young Talent Award in the Instrumentalist category.

In addition to stellar performances, North Carolina Symphony concertgoers can enjoy pre-concert talks, post-concert discussions, and "Meet the Artists," which feature interactive conversations with guest artists and select orchestra members, at many Symphony events. Before the Friday, Oct. 3, performance in Raleigh, Catherine Brand of WUNC 91.5 FM will host a Meet the Artists session in the Swalin Lobby of Meymandi Concert Hall at 6:30 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 4, Dr. Jonathan Kramer, of N.C. State University, will give a pre-concert talk at 7 p.m. in the Swalin Lobby.

Tickets to the Raleigh Classical Series performances on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 3-4, range from $18 to $65. Student tickets are $10. Concert tickets at all performances are also available at the door one hour prior to concert start time.

Other 2014-15 season highlights include Handel's Messiah and "A Pink Martini Christmas," in December, the beautiful and romantic film Casablanca that also features a stunning musical score on Valentine's weekend, and for the season finale in May, a collaboration with Playmaker's Repertory Company on a new, semi-staged production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Meymandi Concert Hall is located in the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. South St., in Raleigh.

Partners for the 2014/15 Raleigh Classical Series include Clancy & Theys Construction; Duke Realty; and Smith Anderson.