Prokofiev, Brahms

Conductor: Ulrich Windfuhr
Soloist: Sergei Davydchenko, piano

Programme:
S. Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 16
J. Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98

The April concert of the Vojvodina Symphony Orchestra will feature a collaboration with another outstanding young soloist, the Russian pianist Sergei Davydchenko, winner of the First Prize and Gold Medal at the XVII International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2023. The orchestra will be conducted by Ulrich Windfuhr, a maestro who first introduced himself to the Novi Sad audience at a concert in May 2023.

The concert programme, presented under the title “Romantic Monumentality of Tragic Destiny,” brings together two landmark works of the symphonic repertoire — Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Brahms’s Symphony No. 4 — each illuminating, in its own way, the idea of fate through a powerful and monumental musical expression.

The young Russian artist Sergei Davydchenko (b. 2004) is among the most distinguished and promising pianists of his generation. He is the winner of the First Prize and Gold Medal at the XVII International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow (2023), one of the world’s most prestigious music competitions. He has received top awards at nearly twenty international competitions, including the Grand Prix at the Grand Piano Competition in Moscow.

Davydchenko has performed in leading concert venues across Russia, such as the Mariinsky Theatre and the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, as well as internationally. He collaborates with prominent Russian orchestras and conductors, including the State Symphony Orchestra “New Russia” and the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia, as well as Valery Gergiev and Vladimir Spivakov. He has particularly distinguished himself with performances of the complete cycle of Prokofiev’s piano concertos (2023–2024). Sergei Davydchenko is a Yamaha artist.

Ulrich Windfuhr was born in Heidelberg and grew up in Düsseldorf. He studied piano, conducting, and chamber music at the Cologne University of Music. Throughout his career, he has worked in leading German opera houses and theatres, and as a guest conductor has appeared in prestigious concert halls and collaborated with numerous renowned orchestras worldwide.

He first conducted the Vojvodina Symphony Orchestra in 2023. His conducting style is described as “both vibrant and thoughtful,” and his repertoire spans a wide range of symphonic and operatic works, as well as various music-theatre productions. He is the recipient of several awards at international conducting competitions and has received recognition for his discographic releases. He is particularly dedicated to working with young musicians.

Tickets are available at the box office of the Music Youth of Novi Sad (Katolička porta 2, tel. +381 21 452 344), on weekdays from 9:00 to 13:00, as well as on the day of the concert from 18:00 to 20:00 in the Synagogue lobby, or online via the following link: HERE

Ticket price: 1,200 RSD
Students, pupils, and pensioners receive a 50% discount on tickets purchased at the Music Youth of Novi Sad box office.