Eric Jacobsen, conductor
Clayton Stephenson, piano
Nathalie Joachim: Cocoon
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1
Sergei Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5
Pianist Clayton Stephenson brings joyous charisma, expressive power, and natural ease to the romantic showstopper, Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto. Continuing the season’s celebration of fifth symphonies, Music Director Eric Jacobsen conducts Prokofiev’s Fifth, a hymn to the purest and noblest of spirits that emphasizes the musical power of lyricism and accessibility.
Celebrating his fifth season, Eric Jacobsen serves as the Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s twelfth Music Director. He is also the artistic director and co-founder of The Knights, a uniquely adventurous NYC-based chamber orchestra, and the music director of the Orlando Philharmonic. In addition to conducting, Eric is a dedicated chamber musician (cello) and is a member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble.
American pianist Clayton Stephenson is hailed for “extraordinary narrative and poetic gifts” and interpretations that are “fresh, incisive and characterfully alive” (Gramophone). He is committed to making an impact on the world through his music-making and has been featured on NPR, WUOL, and WQXR, as well as appearing in the “GRAMMY® Salute to Classical Music” Concert at Carnegie Hall. Accolades include being the first Black finalist at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2022, being named a 2022 Gilmore Young Artist, a 2017 U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, and a Young Scholar of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation.
GRAMMY®-nominated performer and composer, Haitian-American Nathalie Joachim, is hailed as “a fresh and invigorating cross-cultural voice” (The Nation). Her creative practice centers on an authentic commitment to storytelling and human connectivity while advocating for social change and cultural awareness, gaining her the reputation of being “powerful and unpretentious” (The New York Times). Joachim is a United States Artist Fellow and co-founder of the critically acclaimed duo Flutronix. She is an alumnus of The Juilliard School and The New School.
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