Jaime conducts Dvorak, Smetana and Coll

Most of us have heard Dvorak’s Symphony No.9 From the New World. But why is it so much harder to find a concert featuring his Symphony No.7?

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra can’t figure it out either, so they’re presenting a live performance of this unusually neglected work.

Just like the Ninth, this symphony is also infused with the Czech composer’s nostalgic love of his homeland, and its lively third movement recalls a Czech folk dance. A similarly sentimental theme runs through Smetana’s Ma vlast: Vltava, named after the Vltava River that flows across the Czech countryside. The gentle swirl of the flute marks the beginning of this picturesque river journey that’ll have you cruising down the mountains and into the stunning city of Prague.

Closer to home, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra has co-commissioned a new piano concerto. Be there for the Australian premiere of this new work from Spanish-born composer Francisco Coll.