March 28-April 3, 2002

musicpicks

Mstislav Rostropovich

Classical

There are few musical giants whom roam the earth these days, but surely Mstislav Rostropovich is one. He was a child prodigy and trained in a special school behind enemy lines east of Moscow during World War II. After the war, he befriended the two most renowned Soviet composers of the day, Shostakovich and Prokofiev, both of whom wrote music for him. He quickly became one of the most beloved cellists of our time. In the latest phase of his incredibly productive career, he has been very active as a conductor, and he's spent an enormous amount of energy as a mentor and teacher to young talent, including a lively association with our own Curtis Institute of Music. In the waning days of the Soviet Union, Rostropovich befriended dissident artists and writers, including Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the exiled author. Solzhenitsyn's son, Ignat, is a Curtis graduate and now the principal conductor of the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. The strong bond between his family and Rostropovich will bear musical fruit as the young maestro conducts a concert in honor of the 75th birthday of his illustrious patron. The great man will play his cello in music of Haydn and a local premiere of music by Rodion Shchedrin. Solzhenitsyn will also conduct the Schubert "Unfinished" symphony.

Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Tue., April 2, 7:30 p.m., Verizon Hall, Broad and Spruce sts., 215-893-1999, www.kimmelcenter.org.

—Peter Burwasser

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