Redwood Symphony: Summer Classics - Beethoven/Mozart/Prokofiev

Description

Prokofiev: Overture on Hebrew Themes 

Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 26 (the Coronation); arr Andre Timo Andres - Featuring pianist Louise Costigan - Kerns 

Beethoven: Symphony No. 1

Redwood Symphony presents the finale of its 2025–2026 season, with a program featuring classical music’s brightest stars on Saturday, July 25, 2026, 7:30 pm, at Cañada College Main Theater. 

The evening’s concerto is an imaginative reinterpretation of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 26 (“Coronation”) by acclaimed composer/pianist Timo Andres. Prokofiev’s klezmer-inspired overture sets a festive tone for the evening. 

Prokofiev wrote the Overture on Hebrew Themes in New York in 1919 at the request of the Zimro Ensemble, a touring group of Russian-Jewish immigrant musicians. Though Prokofiev was not Jewish, he accepted the commission and improvised the spirited piece based on a notebook of Jewish folk melodies provided by the musicians. 

Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 26, reimagined by Timo Andres, fills in the original’s incomplete left-hand manuscript, adding inventive cadenzas and adapting the orchestration for an agile chamber ensemble - while preserving the music’s intrinsic beauty and charm. 

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1, composed after years of piano works and concertos, stands as a tribute to the traditions of Mozart and the still-living Haydn while showcasing Beethoven’s own startlingly independent spirit. Audiences in Vienna were captivated by its artistry and innovation at the premiere, and it has remained a beloved staple of the classical repertoire ever since. 

Louise Costigan-Kerns has gained international acclaim as both a concert and collaborative pianist. Her performances have been described as “inspiring and technically amazing,” and her previous appearances with Redwood Symphony have been noted for their magical artistry.