Charlotte Symphony: Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5

Kwamé Ryan, conductor

Joshua Roman, cello

Mason BATES                      Attack Decay Sustain Release

SHOSTAKOVICH                 Cello Concerto No. 1

SHOSTAKOVICH                 Symphony No. 5

In the series opener, a lively work by Mason Bates kicks off a program of striking contrasts, setting the stage for Shostakovich’s First Cello Concerto. By turns biting, brooding, and darkly humorous, the concerto reveals the composer’s signature defiance — a quality that often put him at odds with Soviet authorities. Finally, the towering Fifth Symphony, written in the shadow of Stalin’s oppressive regime, unfolds with gripping drama and raw emotion, evoking both resilience and a deeply rooted connection to his Russian homeland.