NORDIC GLORY at Meridian Arts Centre

Brilliant orchestral colour, rhythmic intensity, and sweeping Nordic grandeur come together in a program that journeys from contemporary sonic brilliance to symphonic majesty. The evening opens with Scintillare by multiple JUNO-Award nominee Alice Ping Yee Ho, a dazzling and energetic orchestral work inspired by light, movement, and shimmering colour. Rich in rhythmic vitality and luminous textures, the work sparkles with imagination and vivid orchestral writing, creating an exhilarating opening to the concert. The centerpiece of the program is Béla Bartók’s electrifying Piano Concerto no. 2, performed by internationally acclaimed pianist Tony Yike Yang. Renowned for its explosive energy, brilliant piano writing, and driving rhythms, this concerto is one of the most thrilling showcases of twentieth-century virtuosity. The concert concludes with the radiant power of Jean Sibelius’s monumental Symphony no. 5. Inspired by the sight of swans soaring across the Finnish sky, Sibelius’s music unfolds in majestic waves of sound, culminating in one of the most unforgettable and triumphant endings in the symphonic repertoire.

Kristian Alexander | conductor Tony Yike Yang | pianist Daniel Vnukowski | host

7:20 p.m. Prélude: pre-concert recital.

7:30 p.m. Pre-concert talk.

Intermission discussion and Q&A with Tony Yike Yang and Daniel Vnukowski.