Mendelssohn’s Italian
Under the baton of Fernanda Lastra, this concert opens with Berlioz’s Roman Carnival, a musical depiction of Italy’s festive spirit. The evening continues with Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 5, featuring the prodigiously talented Avery Gagliano, with a performance expected to weave a narrative of adventure and enchantment, echoing the composer’s impressions of Egypt. Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4, “Italian,” concludes the program, a vibrant and joyful celebration of Italy’s landscapes, light, and color. This symphony, one of Mendelssohn’s most beloved works, captures the composer’s own Italian journey’s essence, making for an exhilarating conclusion to an evening of music inspired by travel and discovery.
Program
Fernanda Lastra, conductor
Avery Gagliano, piano
BERLIOZ Roman Carnival Overture
SAINT-SAËNS Concerto No. 5 in F major for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 103, “Egyptian”
I. Allegro animato
II. Andante
III. Molto allegro
INTERMISSION
MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90, “Italian”
I. Allegro vivace
II. Andante con moto
III. Con moto moderato
IV. Saltarello: Presto
Celebrated as “a distinctive young talent” (International Piano), pianist Avery Gagliano is recognized for interpretations with great emotional depth and a “distinctly narrative approach” (Miami International Piano Festival). Having first risen to international acclaim as the winner of the First Prize and Best Concerto Prize at the 2020 National Chopin Piano Competition, she has performed in prominent venues including Carnegie Hall, Warsaw Philharmonic Hall, the Louis Vuitton Foundation, Salle Cortot, Luxembourg Philharmonie, Ehrbar Saal in Vienna, and La Grange au Lac in Évian.
Avery’s 2024-25 season includes performances with the Orchestra i Pomeriggi Musicali in Milan in addition to the Buffalo Philharmonic, as well as recitals in Miami, Key West, Washington, Vancouver, Berlin, and Warsaw. A finalist of the prestigious 2025 American Pianists Awards, she will also be featured as a soloist with the Indianapolis Symphony and the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra.
In recent seasons, Avery has appeared with orchestras such as the Louisville Orchestra, Maryland Symphony, and Rochester Symphony, as well as in recitals throughout Europe at the invitation of Sir András Schiff for his Building Bridges series. In Fall 2024, she joined Sir András Schiff’s Performance Programme for Young Pianists at the Kronberg Academy in Germany. She has performed at leading festivals including Verbier, Gilmore, Aspen, Bravo! Vail, Sanibel, and Miami International, and is an alumna of the Gstaad Piano Academy, Lieven Piano Foundation, and the Lang Lang International Music Foundation’s Young Scholars Program. A sought-after collaborator and dedicated chamber musician, she regularly shares the stage with ensembles such as the Balourdet Quartet and New York’s Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players.
Avery’s debut album, Reflections (Steinway & Sons, 2021) features repertoire at the heart of her music-making, including works by Chopin, Haydn, Schumann, and Adès. Her interpretations of works by Chopin have been hailed as “revelatory” (New York Classical Review), while recent programs have featured her passion for Schubert’s late piano sonatas and highlighted lesser-known works. Her performances have been broadcast across the United States on leading radio programs such as Chicago’s WFMT, Philadelphia’s WRTI, NPR’s From The Top, and the celebrated American Public Media show Performance Today, where she was a 2024 Young Artist in Residence.
Avery is a recent graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with Robert McDonald, Gary Graffman, and Jonathan Biss.
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