Saturday, September 27, 2025 @ 3 PM - OC + Livestream
Charlie and Ling Zhang Orchestra Hall at Concordia University Irvine
The upheavals of 20th-century Russia left an indelible mark on its greatest composers. Some stayed loyal to their homeland. Some fled. Some sought refuge there. And others redefined music abroad.
Flutist Benjamin Smolen and pianist HyeJin Kim bring these stories vividly to life in a program that traces the journeys of four composers shaped by exile, return, and reinvention:
Prokofiev, who left the USSR in search of artistic freedom and stability, then returned — navigating hope, patriotism, and the restrictions of a tightly controlled artistic life
Rachmaninoff, who left and never returned
Weinberg, who escaped Nazi-occupied Poland and rebuilt his life in Moscow
Stravinsky, who reinvented himself on the world stage and changed music forever
Guided by Ben’s illuminating commentary, this recital blends history, storytelling, and deep musical artistry.
Complimentary wine reception with the artists to follow.
Program:
Mieczyslaw Weinberg: 5 Pieces for Flute and Piano
Igor Stravinsky, arr. Benjamin Smolen: Suite Italienne
INTERMISSION
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Prelude for Solo Piano - Op 23 Nos. 4 & 5, Op 32 Nos. 5 & 10
Sergei Prokofiev: Flute Sonata in D, Op 94
Artists:
Benjamin Smolen, Resident Flutist
HyeJin Kim, Resident Pianist
Ticket information:
General Admission $45; Students with ID: $10; Salastina Members at the Friend-level and above receive a 20% discount
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