November 27
Osaka Symphony Orchestra
284th Subscription Concert: “Fifty Years of History”
The first half of the program marked the 50th anniversary of violinist Yasuko Ōtani’s debut. The appeal of her singing violin remains fully intact. Weaving a rich palette of nuances, Ōtani continues to spin her music with remarkable depth. Concertmaster Yukishige Morishita, along with the Osaka Symphony Orchestra, responded with playing full of respect and warmth, creating a comfortable and resonant sound. The result was a romantic Tchaikovsky, wrapped in brilliant passion. For the encore, she performed Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen with orchestra and Albéniz’s Asturias as a solo. The audience responded with enthusiastic applause, celebrating the maturity of her distinguished career.
In the second half, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5, written fifty years after his death, made a powerful impression. This performance also marked the Japan debut of conductor Euan Shields. Even in the first half he had already demonstrated vivid orchestral control, but here the music gained even greater focus. Amid an orthodox approach, he led the orchestra deep into the inner world of Shostakovich’s music. In particular, the beautifully charged tension in the latter half of the third movement, and the skillful handling of tempo in the fourth movement, revealed a glimpse of his outstanding talent.
Shields was born in Osaka in 1998, the winner of the 2023 Siemens-Hallé International Conductors Competition, he currently resides in Manchester, UK. He is a conductor whose future activities are eagerly anticipated.
Venue: The Symphony Hall
Performers: Euan Shields (conductor), Yasuko Ōtani (violin)
Program:
Tchaikovsky – Violin Concerto
Shostakovich – Symphony No. 5
Publication: Ongaku No Tomo Magazine
Date: February 2026 Issue
Author: Seiya Tatsuzaka
Ongaku No Tomo Magazine page:
https://www.ongakunotomo.co.jp/magazine/ongakunotomo