Anna Rakitina Makes her BSO Conducting Debut with BSO NOW Stream of Prokofiev, Arvo Pärt, and Stravinsky

On Thursday, January 28, at noon, at www.bso.org/now, the BSO NOW concert streaming platform will feature BSO Assistant Conductor Anna Rakitina and the Boston Symphony Orchestra in a program that examines the role of place and home in an artist's experience-the final in a series of three new January BSO NOW streams with the theme "New Beginnings." Leading works representing the distinctive voices of three composers, Ms. Rakitina is joined by violinist Gil Shaham as soloist for Arvo Pärt's atmospheric, ceremonial Fratres ("Brothers"), one of the Estonian composer's best-known and most characteristic pieces. With Prokofiev's Classical Symphony, we find that talented but deliberately provocative young composer broadening his range to embrace music of grace, clarity, and charm. The first of Stravinsky's three great ballet scores, The Firebird, composed when he was 27, was far more ambitious and imaginative than anything he had written previously. This BSO NOW stream will be available for viewing through February 27 at www.bso.org/now.

Closing this episode is celebrated American composer Missy Mazzoli's Set That on Fire for chamber ensemble, which takes its title from a phrase used by the painter Jean-Michel Basquiat. The energy and precision of the piece demand virtuosic performances from the BSO musicians, which include Elizabeth Klein, flute; Thomas Martin, clarinet; Thomas Siders, trumpet; and Valeria Vilker Kuchment, violin; with guest pianist Vytas Baksys. Dynamic magazine elements in Episode 3 include a feature on "arrivals" in terms of a composer's musical style, as well as a conversation between BSO Assistant Conductor Anna Rakitina and BSO bassoonist Suzanne Nelsen. For complete program notes of the January 28 BSO NOW concert stream, click here.

Anna Rakitina is the second woman assistant conductor in the Boston Symphony's history. (From 2007 through 2010, the position was held by South Korean conductor Shiyeon Sung, the current artistic director and chief conductor of the Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra since January 2014.) Click here for further details about the Boston Symphony Orchestra's BSO NOW streams on January 28, February 11, 18, and 25. The director of the concert portions of the BSO NOW series is Habib Azar.