This programme will feature two Russian masterpieces created under challenging circumstances. Prokofiev faced the restrictive demands of the Soviet regime while composing his Fifth Symphony. Tchaikovsky grappled with a personal crisis while composing his Violin Concerto. Acclaimed violinist Bomsori Kim will appear as soloist, accompanied by the Residentie Orkest.

South Korean star Bomsori Kim will appear as soloist in Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, one of the most beloved and moving violin concertos of all time. Tchaikovsky wrote it in 1878 while recovering from a breakdown brought on by his marriage. He composed the piece in just a month. 'Life is short,' he wrote in a letter. 'Those who are wise enjoy it instead of lamenting or suffering from unsatisfied selfishness and insatiable desire.'

When the Soviet regime imposed all sorts of restrictions on artistic freedom in 1948, the politically naive Prokofiev had little trouble with it. His way of composing did not violate the directive to make music that was understandable to the people. Prokofiev managed to maintain his personal integrity and keep his music untouched by the regime: he wrote his Fifth Symphony as a joyful tribute to the free human spirit.