Beethoven, Britten, Bruch & Kerson Leong: With the NAC Orchestra

A few things to know ...

Written more than 130 years apart, a pair of symphonies by Beethoven and Britten make the heart race with crackling energy and radiant joy. And for those hungry to experience a work of profound emotion, Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, performed by Ottawa’s own Kerson Leong, is a breathtaking exploration of love, longing, and hope.

Composed at the height of the Romantic era, Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 is celebrated for its soaring melodies, rich orchestration, and deep emotional resonance. From its rhapsodic opening to its fiery and virtuosic finale, the piece unfolds as a powerful dialogue between soloist and orchestra. Don’t miss your chance to hear Ottawa native Kerson Leong bring his “spontaneity and mastery, elegance and fantasy” (Le Monde) to this iconic work.

Bookending the evening are two symphonies teeming with the charm and elegance of the Classical era. Beethoven’s First Symphony shows the German composer breaking the boundaries of rhythm, harmony, and humour at the end of the 18th century, while Britten’s Simple Symphony makes the heart race with four playful dances composed in the style of Beethoven and Mozart.