NBSO conquers Russia

Under the direction of David MacKenzie, the New Bedford Symphony has become a first-class orchestra. This was demonstrated Saurday evening at the Zeiterion with two Russian masterpieces. The first half was devoted to Shostakovich's 9th Symphony, a relatively short work that premiered in 1945. WHile I am not a great fan of 20th Century music, the performance of this complex piece was flawless. It was also a demonstration that Dr. MacKenzie is challenging us to listen to pieces outside of the Romantic period. The second half was the magnificent 2nd piano concerto of Rachmaninoff, featuring Ukranian-American pianist Marina Lomazov as the soloist. Ms Lomazov brought energy and enthusiasm to the piece and was amply supported by the full orchestra. Several members of the orchestra had cameo solos, and all held up their end well. The piece gathered a well-deserved standing ovation, and the audience was in turn rewarded with a charming short solo piano encore. The final concert in the 2014-15 season is on May 9. Do not miss it!