Since 1896, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has been celebrated for artistic excellence,  innovation, and its deep commitment to community. Under the leadership of Music Director Manfred Honeck, now in his 19th season, the orchestra stands among the world’s finest, acclaimed for its precise sound, fresh interpretations, and renowned recordings. The Pittsburgh Symphony performs the work that earned them two Grammy Awards: Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5. Composed under intense political scrutiny in Stalinist Russia, the work stands as a powerful and famously ambiguous response to oppression. The program opens with Carlos Simons’ Four Black American Dances, an exuberant and richly textured celebration of Black American musical traditions, followed by Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 2 featuring the commanding virtuosity and lyrical gifts of Yefim Bronfman.