After winning the International Tchaikovsky Competition at the age of 18, Akiko Suwanai has become a violinist of global acclaim. Following a strident opening with the overture from Verdi’s opera The Force of Destiny, her performance of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto is sure to be a highlight. Spirited and technically demanding, the work is a real showcase for the instrument.  

Mendelssohn wrote his Fourth Symphony after a trip to Italy in 1830. The work is a series of affectionate musical impressions of the country, each movement evoking Mediterranean sunshine, rolling countryside and monumental architecture.