Soloist Ying Li performs with the Bozeman Symphony
The Bozeman Symphony launches its 2026–27 season with Revolution & Revelry: Shostakovich 5, a bold program filled with wit, passion and triumph. Performances take place Saturday, September 12, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, September 13, at 2:30 p.m. at Willson Auditorium in Bozeman.
Music Director Norman Huynh will lead the orchestra through three powerful works that span different eras and emotions. Together, they promise an exhilarating opening to a new season of symphonic music.
A Sparkling Start
The concert begins with Leonard Bernstein’s Overture to Candide. Bright, playful and fast moving, this audience favorite bursts with theatrical flair. Its brilliant melodies and lively rhythms set a celebratory mood from the first note.
Next, acclaimed pianist Ying Li joins the orchestra for Franz Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in A major. Li has earned top honors in numerous national and international competitions. Here, she will bring her artistry to a concerto known for its sweeping emotion, dazzling technique and close conversation between piano and orchestra. Rather than following a traditional stop-and-start structure, the music unfolds as one continuous journey.
Shostakovich’s Monumental Fifth
After intermission, the Bozeman Symphony turns to Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 in D minor. Written amid intense political pressure in the Soviet Union, the symphony moves through darkness, sorrow, defiance and apparent victory. Its gripping contrasts continue to inspire debate about whether the ending represents sincere triumph or a more complicated response to oppression.
From the tense opening movement to the deeply moving Largo, Shostakovich creates music of remarkable emotional force. Then, the finale drives toward a thunderous conclusion that should showcase the full power of the orchestra.
Concert Details
Free pre-concert talks begin at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, giving audiences insight into the program before each performance. Willson Auditorium offers the ideal setting for this dramatic season opener.
Tickets are available through the Bozeman Symphony. Purchase tickets at bozemansymphony.org or call the box office at 406-585-9774. With a star soloist, a vibrant opening and one of the 20th century’s greatest symphonies, Revolution & Revelry promises an unforgettable weekend of music in Bozeman.