The Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) presents “From Mozart to the Birds” on November 18, 2023. The concert will begin at 7:30 PM and will be performed in the Bill Heard Theatre at the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts.

Music Director and Conductor, George Del Gobbo commented, “Most orchestra concerts feature some sort of soloist performing a concerto, or some similar work, for their instrument of choice.  Well, this concert is no different except for the fact that the soloists will be assorted birds found in the northern part of Finland.  You heard me.  Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara made recordings (You thought we'd have live birds??? Tsk-tsk.) of birds like the shore lark and the whooper swan and skillfully woven their calls into the orchestral texture, creating a wonderfully magical effect.  You don't want to miss this.  Oh yeah, we'll also play music of Ravel and Mozart, both of whom wish they would have thought of this idea.”

First on the program is the Mother Goose Suite, Cinq pièces enfantines by French impressionist composer Maurice Ravel. Originally written in the form of a piano duet for young students, the piece demonstrates Ravel’s colorful mastery of orchestration as childhood stories such as Beauty and the Beast and Sleeping Beauty come to life!

Birdsong is featured in the unique Cantus Arcticus: Concerto for Birds and Orchestra by contemporary Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara. Each movement contains the calls of different birds from the Arctic Circle that were recorded by the composer himself. The orchestra imitates and soars alongside in this stunning work that will linger in your ear.

The concert concludes with the exquisite Mozart Symphony No. Symphony No. 38 “Prague”. Written in 1786, the work hails from the era of Mozart’s best known symphonies. Don’t miss this elegant and delightful piece written for one of Mozart’s visits to the city of Prague.