Poster Portrait of Tchaikovsky
Portrait of Tchaikovsky by Nikolai Kuznetsov (1893)
Wikimedia Commons

Minnesota Orchestra rings in the new year with Tchaikovsky Marathon

What do you get when you combine six symphonies and four concertos by a favorite composer in eight concerts? For the Minnesota Orchestra, the result is its Tchaikovsky Marathon, which runs from New Year's Eve to Jan. 14 and presents 10 of the Russian heavyweight's biggest works, plus a handful of others, at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. Classical MPR will be there live for four of the concerts, including a special holiday broadcast on New Year's Day.

Anthony Ross, cello
Minnesota Orchestra cellist Anthony Ross
Joel Larson

With so many concertos in the offing, the performances will include a parade of guest soloists, including violinist James Ehnes and pianists Inon Barnatan, Adam Neiman and Kyle Orth. But one featured performer will be quite familiar to Minnesota audiences: Minnesota Orchestra principal cellist Anthony Ross, who will step away from his section and take the spotlight for Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme on Jan. 6 and 12. It's a featured role that he says he's happy to assume regularly.

"It is a great honor and privilege to regularly have a concerto with our incredible Minnesota Orchestra," he says. "I actually get equally nervous for our rehearsals and concerts. Performing for my colleagues is a great challenge, because all of them are great artists and really tune in with extra radar when one of our own solos. Playing essentially the entire concerto repertoire for cello with my dream orchestra is a truly special part of my career!"

In Variations on a Rococo Theme, Tchaikovsky takes an original, Mozart-inspired theme and then puts it through eight sumptuous variations. It's a work that has become a staple of the cello repertoire for good reason, Ross says.

"It is a virtuoso showpiece that shows the entire range and technical boundaries of the cello," he explains. "Its emotional range is equally large, going from lightness to darkness in a flash. Also, it is full of wit and humor at moments. These qualities are sure to keep any audience riveted."

Ross also will do a special after-the-main-concert performance, along with violinist Peter McGuire and pianist Timothy Lovelace, of Tchaikovsky's Piano Trio in A minor on Jan. 13.

Minnesota Orchestra: Tchaikovsky Marathon

Osmo Vänskä conducts at Orchestra Hall
Osmo Vanska conducts at Orchestra Hall
Greg Helgeson

Here's a complete rundown of the Minnesota Orchestra's Tchaikovsky Marathon. Tickets are available through the orchestra's website, along with program notes and other information. Concerts being broadcast live on Classical MPR are indicated with an asterisk (*) and a link to listen.

8:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31 & 2 p.m., New Year's Day, Jan. 1 *
Symphony No. 1, Winter Dreams
Serenade for Strings
Piano Concerto No. 1

Osmo Vänskä, conductor
Inon Barnatan, piano

Classical MPR host: Brian Newhouse

8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 5 *
Capriccio Italien
Piano Concerto No. 2
Symphony No. 4

Osmo Vänskä, conductor
Kyle Orth, piano

Classical MPR host: Brian Newhouse

8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6 & 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12 *
Symphony No. 2
Variations on a Rococo Theme
Symphony No. 5

Osmo Vänskä, conductor
Anthony Ross, cello

Classical MPR host: Julie Amacher

11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 11
Symphony No. 3, Polish
Piano Concerto No. 3
Swan Lake Suite

Osmo Vänskä, conductor
Adam Neiman, piano

8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13 * & 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14
Marche Slave
Violin Concerto
Symphony No. 6, Pathétique

Osmo Vänskä, conductor
James Ehnes, violin

Classical MPR host: Elena See

10:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13 *
Piano Trio in A minor

Peter McGuire, violin
Anthony Ross, cello
Timothy Lovelace, piano

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