The Munich Philharmonic Orchestra – Andrés Orozco-Estrada – Hilary Hahn
Works by Brahms and Dvořák

In its first-ever appearance at the Roman Odeon, the Münchner Philharmoniker joins forces with world-renowned violin soloist Hilary Hahn under the baton of charismatic conductor Andrés Orozco-Estrada.

The Colombian maestro is celebrated for his singular performances, which stand out for their energy, elegance, and potency. His impressive track record has seen him serve as a principal conductor of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, the Houston Symphony Orchestra, and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Since the 2023/2024 season, he has been the principal conductor of the RAI National Symphony Orchestra, and this year, he will be appointed General Music Director for the city of Cologne.

An astounding violinist, Hilary Hahn, came to prominence as a child wonder in the late 1990s, swiftly gaining a zestful audience worldwide. She has collaborated with the greatest orchestras, been entrusted with new works by the most esteemed contemporary composers, and received numerous international and prestigious awards.

The American violinist will demonstrate her technical brilliance and expressive sensibility in Brahms’ demanding Violin Concerto (1878). Fully aware of Beethoven’s legacy as upheld by proponents of Absolute Music—who attribute meaning solely to a work’s pure musical form—Brahms introduced a concerto where virtuosity does not indulge in pompous acrobatics but becomes an integral part of the work’s unity, unlike other Romantic concertos of the era. Brahms demands from his soloist the most piercing sense of musicality, one that engages in a genuine conversation with the orchestra. Yet, this does not come at the expense of contrast; the concert’s second movement opens with a delicate oboe solo, while the third movement evokes the bewitching dance-like melodies of Hungarian gipsy violins. The concerto was originally composed for and dedicated to Joseph Joachim, one of the most significant violinists of the 19th century.

In the second half of the concert, the famed Münchner Philharmoniker will perform Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 ("From the New World"), a landmark of the Romantic repertoire. The symphony was conceived after Bohemian Dvořák migrated to the United States to assume the directorship of the National Conservatory of Music of America in New York. Bringing with him a European air and the aesthetic ideals of Romanticism—particularly the quest for national identity—Dvořák embraced the diverse musical heritage of his new home and saw beyond racial discrimination: not only did he award scholarships to Black students, but he further championed Native American legends and Afro-American spirituals as fundamental to America’s musical identity. True to this vision, Symphony No. 9 ("From the New World") shines with vivacity, dance-infused rhythms, and melodic elegance, instantly earning its place as a beloved staple of the orchestral repertoire.

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77

Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904)
Symphony No. 9 in E minor, "From the New World", Op. 95