In light of the shocking recent developments in Ukraine, the Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest has decided to dedicate the concerts of 3, 4 and 6 March to the victims of this terrible and unlawful war. The concerts, conducted by Finnish conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali, will conclude with a performance of the Ukrainian national anthem, Ще не вмерла України ('Ukraine is not yet lost').
The programme also features Jean Sibelius' Finlandia, Henriëtte Bosmans' Concertstuk voor viool en orkest and Dmitri Sjostakovitsj' Twelfth Symphony, 'The Year 1917'. The question arose as to whether the programme should be adapted due to political connotations, but after thorough discussions with the orchestra musicians and conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali, it was decided to leave the programme unchanged. The repertoire is indeed connected to political events in the past, but has no direct relation to the current war in Ukraine.
The concert on Thursday 3 March will be live streamed via Concertgebouworkest.nl and the orchestra's Facebook and YouTube channels.