Esa-Pekka Salonen’s latest work is a thrillingly daunting violin concerto written for Leila Josefowicz. Salonen conducted the premiere on April 9 in the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles. In a recent interview Josefowicz described the work "It's strong in character….Each of the four movements has its own mood and message -- its own form. There's a lot of drama but, more important, an incredible amount of substance. I think E.P. was really inspired. We've had a lot of fun working together on it. It's important for me to know my composers." She continued "It certainly helps you get interpretive ideas knowing where they're from and how they think." The work was co-commissioned
by LA Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony and New York City Ballet.
Further performances include
August 28, Stockholm as part of the Baltic Sea Festival, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
September 11, Brussels, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
March 12, 2010 Ferrara, Mahler Chamber Orchestra
March 2011 Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Review
“Thursday night in Walt Disney Concert Hall, Salonen premiered his Violin Concerto, and it is pure, euphoric poetry with a singular sound and voice. [...] This is surely the most personal music Salonen has written, and the latest and most eloquent evidence yet that that young composer of 20 years ago has found his language. It is the end point of his 17-year journey with the orchestra that, among other things, helped him find his voice.”
Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, April 10, 2009
