Program

Carl Maria von Weber Der Freischütz, Overture

Joseph Haydn Cello Concerto No. 1 in C major

Pyotr Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5

Conductor

Mirian Khukhunaishvili

Soloist

Kian Soltani

The Iceland Symphony Orchestra is delighted to welcome cellist Kian Soltani to the orchestra as a resident artist this concert year and he will join the orchestra on tour to Europe in the spring of 2026. Kian conjures up a unique tone from the cello and has an impeccable command of his interpretation. His meticulous skill is wonderfully displayed in Haydn's highly classical Cello Concerto, which is a bright and beautiful piece of music and a great source of joy.

The concerto is a particularly fitting companion piece to Tchaikovsky's passionate Fifth Symphony, during the composition of which composer was concerned with the progression of human life; whether we are fully in control and the architects of our own destiny, or whether fate shapes our path in life. Tchaikovsky himself believed that fate held the reins and had a great influence on his tumultuous emotional life. This can be clearly heard in the elegant music.

The concert opens with Weber's colourful overture from the opera Der Freischütz, or The Marksman. The colourful music is full of anticipation and promise, making it appropriate for the beginning of the concert.