Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto presented by Sydney Symphony Orchestra tickets

With a thunderous entrance from the orchestra and piano chords that crash like waves, Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto announces itself with total confidence.

Full of colour and soaring melody, it’s clear why this is one of his most beloved works.  

Soloist Yeol Eum Son returns to Sydney after her standout performance in 2022. Described by BBC Music Magazine as ‘crystalline and full of character,’ her playing combines precision with poetry, making every note ring with intention.  

Shostakovich’s First Symphony was his graduation piece from St Petersburg Conservatory, where Tchaikovsky studied decades earlier. It flashes with brilliance and disarming beauty. Written at 19 years old, it reveals a composer already aware of his voice. And how he could use it.

Just like Sydney composer Justin Williams – also the Sydney Symphony's Assistant Principal Viola – whose intimate knowledge of the capabilities of an orchestra shines through in his rich, melodic First Symphony.   

Conductor Nicolas Ellis is one to watch, and he returns to the Orchestra following a 2024 debut praised by the Sydney Morning Herald for its ‘warmth and careful balance.’