Ruth Reinhardt

Ruth Reinhardt is a conductor appearing with Pacific Symphony leading a program that pairs a contemporary American-themed prelude with two Romantic staples, a piano concerto and a symphony. Listeners can expect a concert built around contrast, from a short modern opener to the lyrical concerto and the folk-inflected symphony.

This program moves from new to old. Detlev Glanert's "Three American Preludes" opens with a brief, brightly orchestrated piece that reflects on American musical idioms through a European composer's ear, a good palate-cleanser before the Romantic works. Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor follows, a piece built on a dramatic opening flourish, a singing slow middle movement, and a finale that draws on Norwegian dance rhythms; expect the soloist and orchestra to trade the spotlight often. Dvořák's Sixth Symphony closes the evening, a work full of open-hearted melody and a scherzo modeled on a Czech peasant dance called the furiant, with off-kilter accents that keep the rhythm slightly unpredictable. A conductor's choices in balancing these three very different sound worlds, from Glanert's spare textures to Dvořák's full orchestral warmth, will shape how cohesive the evening feels.