The Colgate University Orchestra, led by Conductor Marietta Cheng, will perform the iconic Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67. The first four notes - short, short, short, long - are recognizable to all. During WW II, the motif of those startling four notes, was used as inspiration for an Allied victory. It has since been repeatedly used in popular culture. With the Third Symphony, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is more powerful and revolutionary than any symphony which preceded it. The other celebrated work on the program is Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18. The concerto is known for its romantic sweep and it is full of beautiful melodies. In 1945, a theme from the third movement was used in a popular song arrangement for the song, “Full Moon and Empty Arms”, sung by Frank Sinatra.

The soloist for this performance is Harmony Zhu, winner of the Young Artist Competition. At age 18, pianist Harmony Zhu has already had a storied career as soloist with four major orchestras:  the Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit and Israel Philharmonic. When she was 10, she became a Young Steinway Artist. She has been featured many times on NBC’s The Ellen DeGeneres Show, CBC News, NPR’s From the Top. In addition, she is a chess prodigy, having won the title of Woman Candidate Master at 7, and she won the World Youth Chess Championship.

To begin the program will be two short works: Sibelius Alla Marcia from the Karelia Suite and Delibes Galliarde, incidental music from Le Roi S’Amuse, a play by Victor Hugo. 

The concert will be livestreamed.