National Symphony Orchestra: Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto / Tchaikovsky's The Tempest

Pianist Kirill Gerstein shines in Rachmaninoff's charged Piano Concerto No. 2 on an all-Russian program. Conductor Hannu Lintu also pays homage to Tchaikovsky through the composer's The Tempest and Stravinsky's The Fairy's Kiss, a work written in Tchaikovsky's memory.

Performance Timing: Part One - 51 min.; Intermission - 15 min.; Part Two - 45 min.

Organ Postlude, Russell Weismann, organist: Thu., Feb. 1 performance followed by a mini-recital on the Kennedy Center Concert Hall's Rubenstein Family Organ, free with purchase of concert ticket.

ForeWords, with Classical WETA's Deb Lamberton
Beginning at 6:45 p.m. before the Fri., Feb. 2 & Sat., Sat., Feb. 3 performances
Take a journey into the fascinating stories behind the music led by knowledgeable and engaging artists and scholars! Look for even more of these offerings throughout the season; each ForeWords begins at 6:45 p.m. (the Concert Hall doors open 15 minutes prior), lasts 30 minutes, and is free and open to the public.

Note: Kirill Gerstein will sign CDs following the Feb. 2 and 3 concerts, in the Grand Foyer outside of the Concert Hall.