An Evening of Rhapsodies

Dazzling sunlight and the shifting play of light and shadow within a whirlpool of folk elemental force—such will be the opening of the 108th concert season of the National Honored Academic Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine!

The evening's program is united by the genre of the rhapsody, where folk tunes, dance fervor, and a vibrant orchestral palette merge into a single whole. That is why works born under the cultural influences of Spain, Romania, and Ukraine will be performed side by side.

The concert will open with Maurice Ravel's Rapsodie espagnole—one of the most refined examples of 20th-century orchestral art, filled with southern flavor, rhythmic freedom, and exquisite interplay of timbres. Claude Debussy’s Rhapsodie for Clarinet and Orchestra will present a completely different facet of French music, ruled by a world of subtle moods, transparent colors, and brilliant soloist virtuosity.

In George Enescu’s Romanian Rhapsody No. 1, folk melodies transform into a sweeping whirlwind of dance energy. Ukrainian music will appear in two works inspired by Carpathian folklore: Myroslav Skoryk’s Carpathian Rhapsody for violin and orchestra combines the folk element with a virtuoso solo, while Levko Kolodub’s Ukrainian Carpathian Rhapsody No. 1 reveals the richness of folk-song intonations and colorful orchestral flair.

From a refined French palette to fiery folk dances and distinctive Carpathian melodies, the season opening will present a vibrant symphonic fresco full of colors, temperament, and vital energy!