Scheherazade - Charlottesville Symphony

Benjamin Rous, conductor

Daniel Sender, violin

Daniel Sender's appearance is made possible by the Angus Macaulay Visiting Artists Fund.

Sofia Gubaidulina – Fairytale Poem

Based on the Czech fairytale “The Little Piece of Chalk”, this allegorical tone poem portrays a small piece of chalk in the hand of a boy who draws castles, gardens with pavilions and the sea with the sun on the pavement.

Jean Sibelius – Finlandia

This powerful and iconic tone poem serves as a musical testament to the Finnish people's struggle for independence.Originally composed in 1899 for the "Press Celebrations" to protest censorship by the Russian Empire, its initial performance was under the title Suomi Herää (Finland Awakes). The piece's most famous and beloved section is the hymn-like melody, known as the Finlandia Hymn. 

Rimsky-Korsakov – Scheherazade

The Middle Eastern tale of the cruel Sultan Shahryar and the clever Sultana Scheherazade in One Thousand and One Nights is infused with exotic melodies and sumptuous orchestral coloring.