Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.3

It’s been called the Everest of piano concertos, and fans of the film Shine will know that it’s broken many a lesser pianist. But Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto is also Imperial Russia’s last great showpiece, glowing with emotion and surging with Rachmaninov’s incomparable romantic tunes. And if any pianist alive can scale its peaks, it’s the incredible Stephen Hough – who’s been hailed as the world’s most brilliant keyboard virtuoso. Today, though, he meets another phenomenon – the astonishing teenage conductor Ilyich Rivas, the remarkable 18 year old venezulen born conductor. Dvorák’s lovely, neglected Symphonic Variations and Brahms’ riotous Academic Festival Overture should let him stretch his wings.

Ilyich Rivas - conductor
Stephen Hough - piano