Lush and lyrical describes both Cordero’s sparkling and serene island travelogue, and the emotionally intense Serenade of Josef Suk, although composed over 100 years apart. Their beauty and tenderness are contrasted by the eclectic, spirited, and technically challenging Shostakovich concerto, considered by some a double concerto for piano and trumpet.

A colorful interplay of BPO musicians Nikki Chooi, Roman Mekinulov, Henry Ward, and Glenn Einschlag, performing solo as well as in duos and quartets, highlight Haydn's delightful and witty sinfonia. The theatrical, spirited work counters the serenity of Still's heartwarming rhythms reminiscent of a lullaby, and Dvořák's dream-like serenade.

Vaughan Williams’ popular treatment of a 16th-century Renaissance chant is paired with the contemporary reworking of an iconic masterpiece using primarily strings and percussion. Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite, created for the Russian composer’s prima ballerina wife, was initially banned in the Soviet Union for disrespecting Bizet’s opera.

Contradictions compel our highly-unusual season to its finale. Contemporary composers juxtapose heart-wrenching memorials and clever combinations of relaxed riffs and rapid rhythms, while Kyle van Schoonhoven's interpretation of Mahler’s song cycle of lost love and despair contrasts with Mozart’s lighthearted serenity.