An Evening of Masterpieces and a Piano Concerto

A symphonic program spanning French impressionism, contemporary composition and 20th-century masterworks takes the stage at the Adrienne Arsht Center. Taking place Sunday, April 26, the concert features the Frost Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Gerard Schwarz, with pianist and composer Jorge Mejia as featured soloist. The evening presents a mix of established repertoire and a U.S. premiere.

The program opens with Maurice Ravel’s Alborada del gracioso, an orchestral work known for its rhythmic energy and Spanish-influenced character. The centerpiece of the evening is the U.S. premiere of Mejia’s piano concerto If These Walls Could Talk, performed by the composer at the piano. Inspired by a Miami Beach apartment building where Mejia once lived, the concerto unfolds across three movements that reflect personal histories tied to the space. The concert concludes with Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 in E minor, a four-movement work composed in the aftermath of Stalin’s death and widely regarded as one of the composer’s most significant symphonies.

Gerard Schwarz, an Emmy Award-winning and Grammy-nominated conductor, leads the 100-member ensemble through a program that highlights both orchestral tradition and contemporary expression.