Brahms + Shostakovich

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is at Atlanta Symphony Hall on April 1 and 2, 2027, for a program that puts two heavyweights of the concerto and symphony repertoire side by side: Brahms and Shostakovich. Music director Nathalie Stutzmann leads the orchestra, and the night's main draw is the Brahms Double Concerto, featuring violinist Veronika Eberle and cellist Johannes Moser. It's a piece written for two soloists instead of one, so you get the violin and the cello working together across the stage rather than taking turns. The second half belongs to Shostakovich's Symphony No. 9, a shorter, leaner work than most of his symphonies, and it's the one Stutzmann takes on with the full orchestra.

Before the big names arrive, the evening opens with a nod to Greek mythology. The first piece is Orpheus Undone by Missy Mazzoli, described as jagged and layered, and it's followed by Gluck's 18th-century Orfeo ed Euridice, specifically the Dance of the Blessed Spirits. Both look back at the story of Orpheus, so you get two very different takes on the same myth—one modern and sharp, the other an old classic—back-to-back before the program shifts into the Brahms and Shostakovich.

On the solo side, Veronika Eberle is a violinist known for her virtuosity, and Johannes Moser is a cellist who's toured the world. Together they handle the Brahms Double Concerto, a work that's as much about the conversation between the two instruments as it is about the melodies. Then there's the Shostakovich Symphony No. 9, a piece that's often played for its lean, almost neoclassical feel, and it's the one Stutzmann leads the orchestra through to close the night.

Both performances are at 8 PM. Right now, tickets are subscription only, with single tickets going on sale soon, so you'll want to keep an eye on the box office if you're not a subscriber. The hall is at 1280 Peachtree St. N.E. in Atlanta.