Already in the 1970s, Semyon Bychkov – among the most esteemed and respected conductors of our time – left Russia for the United States. Many musicians, composers, authors and academics have undertaken similar journeys in search of a creative home. One such figure is the Czech composer Antonín Dvořák, whose much-loved Ninth Symphony From the New World was written during his time as a professor of composition in the US. In this symphony, Dvořák allows the musical roots of his beloved Bohemia to meet the sounds of Native American traditions.

As Chief Conductor of the Czech Philharmonic, Semyon Bychkov is well attuned to such shifting perspectives and cultural encounters. This is also true of the American composer Bryce Dessner, whose opening work Mari took shape during solitary walks in the French countryside in the pandemic years – a musical meditation on the transience of life. Dessner has dedicated the piece to Bychkov and even incorporated a melody from Dvořák’s Ninth Symphony. The title, however, refers to the Basque forest goddess Mari.

The young Spanish violinist María Dueñas performs all over the world and is now making her eagerly awaited debut at Konserthuset Stockholm. She captivates audiences with both technical brilliance and artistic maturity and boldness. Here, she appears as the soloist in Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’s Violin Concerto in E minor, composed for his childhood friend and violin virtuoso Ferdinand David. With its spirited lightness and exceptional melodic beauty, this concerto is a true masterpiece of the genre.

Semyon Bychkov – whose award-winning discography reflects fruitful collaborations with ensembles such as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam and the Orchestre de Paris – has previously conducted the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra twice, most recently in 2017.