The Palace Rhapsody

Written when he was a 25-year-old student at the Sibelius Academy, Rautavaara’s A Requiem in our Time won such praise that it prompted none other than Jean Sibelius himself to recommend him for a scholarship to Julliard. Ron Nelson’s Resonances I embraces chance and spontaneity, while Aulis Sallinen’s Palace Rhapsody weaves neo-Romantic lyricism into modern soundscapes.

The concert culminates with Friedrich Gulda’s rollicking Cello Concerto, scored for a Mozartian wind ensemble fused with a jazz rhythm trio, blending classical virtuosity with playful unpredictability. The concerto alternates seamlessly between “jazz, a minuet, rock, a smidgen of polka, a march, and a cadenza with two spots where the star cellist must improvise.” And the star: SSO’s very own cellist Jamshid Saydikarimov.

Tickets: $20-$40

Pre-sale has already started

Public sale will start on 20 April 2026