Embracing Sound

Kevin John Edusei, conductor
Minami Yoshida, violin
Turku Philharmonic Orchestra

Dora Pejačević: Overture for large orchestra op. 49 (duration 6′)
Jean Sibelius: Violin concerto in D minor op. 47 (duration 35′)
Intermission, duration 30′
Zoltán Kodály: Háry János Suite (duration 25′)
Richard Strauss: Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche op. 28 (duration 15′)

“The violin completely captivated me,” Sibelius described his feelings as a young man. One of the most popular violin concertos of all time, it expresses all the passion the composer felt for the instrument. This virtuoso concerto is now performed by Minami Yoshida, who won the hearts of the jury and audience and received second prize and a special prize donated by the Sibelius family for the best performance of Sibelius’s violin concerto at the 2025 International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition. The braggart Háry János and the prankster Till Eulenspiegel are jester-like folk heroes whose fast-paced adventures are described by Kodály and Strauss in their entertaining works. Kevin John Edusei will conduct the TPO for the first time.