Dinis Sousa conducts this concert, with Emmanuel Tjeknavorian as A soloist violin and Pablo Ferrández playing the cello.

The Symphony Orchestra of Tenerife (OST) is a project of the Island Council’s Department of Culture which is directed by Enrique Arriaga. The orchestra wants to pay a new tribute to the composer Ludwig van Beethoven and one of his most renowned pieces: his Symphony No. 6, also known as the Pastoral Symphony. The programme is complemented with the Double Concerto in A minor, Op. 102, by Johannes Brahms for violin, cello and orchestra, that will be featured by Emmanuel Tjeknavorian and Pablo Ferrández, artist-in-residence of the OST during the season. The concert takes place on Friday, the 11th of June at 7:30 pm in the Auditorio de Tenerife with Dinis Sousa as conductor, who will make his debut with the OST.

Ludwig van Beethoven's (1770-1827) love of nature was reflected in his Symphony No. 6 in F major "Pastoral", op. 68. However, the composer emphasised that this composition was "rather an expression of feelings than a tone painting". But what determined the work structure was this evocation of the emotional effects that the landscape produced on him. The symphony has five movements, each one representing a country scene with its own title. This breaks with the classical symphony model, and in this case, the last three movements are to be played without pause. The work was premièred in one of the most remarkable concerts of history that took place on the 22nd of December 1808 at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna. Beethoven's Fifth Symphony was also featured.

While Beethoven became a mythical figure in the musical tradition, many other composers felt paralysed by his influence, unable to tackle genres such as the symphony or the sonata. One of the composers who was most affected by Beethoven's shadow was Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), a musician who years later was finally included in the Germanic classical tradition. Described as beautiful and original, his Concerto for violin and cello in A minor was his last work for orchestra. He finished his composition at the age of 54, once he already left behind his irrational fear of failure, imprinting "his great melodic lines and harmonic progressions".

For the first time, Dinis Sousa, a founder member and artistic director of Orquestra XXI, will be at the helm of the Symphony Orchestra of Tenerife.  He has closely worked with Sir John Eliot Gardiner and his ensembles. This relationship has culminated in his appointment as the first-ever assistant conductor of the Monteverdi Choir and Monteverdi Orchestra. His next engagements will see him working with the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Orchestre Symphonique de Mulhouse, Malta Philharmonic, Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa and Orquestra de Cámara de Madeira, as well as conducting rehearsals with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Cellist Pablo Ferrández, artist-in-residence of the OST during the 2020/2021 season, will be making his third appearance with the Tenerife's ensemble this year.  The Madrid-born musician was recognised at the Fifteenth International Tchaikovsky Competition. He was awarded the coveted ICMA “Young Artist of the Year”, and in 2018 he won the Princess of Girona Award for his "exceptional talent and international projection".

Considered as an "exceptional talent" (Der Tagesspiegel), the violinist and conductor Emmanuel Tjeknavorian makes his debut with the OST and has become one of the most sought-after musicians of his generation. In addition to Tenerife, he will perform as a soloist with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra in the Concertgebouw, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bruckner Orchester Linz, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Radio Televisión Española, the Gewandhausorchester under the baton of Franz Welser-Möst and others.

Tickets can be purchased until two hours before the concert on the website www.sinfonicadetenerife.es and by dialling the phone number 902 317 327 from Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturdays 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., except on holidays. The audience is requested to arrive at the venue well in advance to enter the Auditorium in staggered "waves" to enjoy this cultural experience. 

By purchasing tickets, you accept the measures implemented by the cultural centre to combat COVID-19, such as the correct use of masks and the attendance at the event only with people you live with. All of the measures, as well as the contingency plan certified by AENOR, can be consulted on the Auditorium’s website.