VSO draws on rising star Maria Ioudenitch for Mendelssohn’s revered Violin Concerto, October 17 and 18

The young Russian-American virtuoso has built an international reputation on major prize wins and an innovative approach

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra presents Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto at the Orpheum on October 17 and 18 at 7:30 pm

WHEN VIRTUOSO Maria Ioudenitch was just three years old, growing up as a Russian émigré in Kansas City, her pianist parents gave her a tiny violin. Their intention may simply have been to avoid overcrowding at the keyboard in the intensely musical household. But the decision set a celebrated international career in motion.

One of its peaks came in 2021, when Ioudenitch drew worldwide attention by racking up wins in three major competitions: the Ysaÿe, the Tibor Varga, and the Joseph Joachim. Since then, the acclaim has grown to include her recorded work, with her debut album, Songbird, taking the 2023 Opus Klassic Award for chamber music recording of the year.

All this, plus her reputation for wide-ranging, innovative programs, naturally places her at centre stage in the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming performances of Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, one of the most revered pieces of its kind, and long considered a rite of passage for young violinists. The concerts, helmed by German conductor Constantin Trinks, will also include Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 5, with its sweeping finale.

For those seeking more depth and detail, there will be a free pre-concert talk before the October 17 performance, at 6:45 pm in the Orpheum lobby.

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Brian Lynch

Brian Lynch has written and edited in West Coast arts and culture fields for many years. Music and hockey take up the rest of his time.

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