Shostakovich with the Israel Philharmonic

Leonidas joins the Israel Philharmonic and Music Director Designate Lahav Shani for a string of concerts in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem this month, starting at Tel Aviv’s Heichel Hatarbut on 2 May. Leonidas is the soloist in Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No.1. Shostakovich was hard at work composing the concert when, in 1948, he and several other composers (including Prokofiev) were denounced for ‘formalism’ by Soviet Secretary of Culture, Andrei Zhdanov. Shostakovich set the piece aside, and it only received its premiere in 1953 after the death of Joseph Stalin had lessened the pressure on Soviet composers.

Leonidas performed the concerto in Munich earlier this season when he launched his artistic residency with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra under Cristian Măcelaru – click here to watch an extract from the performance. He returns to the orchestra following his concerts in Israel for three performances of Berg’s Violin Concerto on 9, 10 and 11 May as well as a chamber concert on 12 May.