Utah Symphony Performs Grieg's "Piano Concerto" at USU

The Utah Symphony performs in the newly renovated Daines Concert Hall at Utah State University Thursday, April 19, at 8 p.m. Guest conductor Kazuki Yamada and Romanian pianist Alexandra Dariescu join the Utah Symphony at USU for a wonderful night of classical music. The all-Scandinavian program opens with Nielsen’s tribute to the Greek sun god, Helios, and concludes with Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2.

Dariescu makes her U.S. orchestral debut with Grieg’s Piano Concerto. Dariescu, recently named one of 30 pianists under 30 destined for a spectacular career by International Piano Magazine, has performed all over the world. A former artist of the Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT), she was a Laureate at the Verbier Festival Academy. In 2013 Dariescu received the U.K.’s Women of the Future Award in the Arts and Culture category. She became the youngest musician to receive the Custodian of the Romanian Crown Medal and in 2017 was presented with the Radio Romania’s Cultural Award. A former graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music as well as the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Dariescu was appointed an honorary associate artist of the Royal Northern College of Music in 2016.

Kazuki Yamada is principal conductor and artistic director designate of Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo, holds the title of principal guest conductor of Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the permanent conductor of Japan Philharmonic, music partner with Sendai Philharmonic and Ensemble Orchestral Kanazawa and music director of Yokohama Sinfonietta. Also active in the field of opera, Yamada’s expertise in all facets of music is broad and deep.  

“The Caine College of the Arts is thrilled to host the Utah Symphony during the university’s Year of the Arts,” Craig Jessop, dean of the Caine College of the Arts, said. “This phenomenal orchestra showcases the level of quality entertainment we will bring to our newly renovated performance venues and to the Cache Valley audience.”

Tickets are $15-30 and free for USU students with ID. For more information and tickets, contact the CCA Box Office in room L101 of the Chase Fine Arts Center on USU’s campus, call 435-797-8022, or go online to cca.usu.edu.

Writer and contact: Whitney Schulte, whitney.schulte@usu.edu, 435-797-9203