For the second weekend of February, experience a rendition of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and see a different side of “The Little Mermaid” with two performances by George Li and Xian Zhang, respectively, at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on Feb. 7, 8, and 9. Although composed in different eras and scenarios, Tchaikovsky and The Mermaid are both fraught with emotional highs and lows, allowing their composers to sing through the instruments decades upon decades after first being played. Prior to the performances, Michael Abels will take the stage for “Emerge.”

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Words: David Sosa

Two incredible pieces

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the original composer of Piano Concerto No. 1, is a mainstay at the Hall. While he may not be immediately recognizable by name to some, his catalog speaks for itself, with the instantly recognizable ballets for The Nutcracker and Swan Lake still holding a fixed level of notoriety all over the world. Piano Concerto No. 1 is up there with one of his achievements, exemplifying Tchaikovsky’s place in history as a romantic composer for its emotionality and being among the reasons why he’s still known among Russia’s music pantheon.

While “The Little Mermaid” is best known for its Disney adaptation, the original Danish fairy tale was published all the way back in 1837, known then as “Die Seejungfrau.” Taking inspiration from the story, Austrian composer Alexander von Zemlinsky wrote the large orchestra fantasy after the pupil he was romantically involved with left him for Gustav Mahler. Both the story and his personal life informed the rarely performed orchestration, which remains a deeply romantic yet tragic work of music that influenced composers well into the late 20th century and early 21st century.

The performers behind the music

Piano Concerto No. 1 comes after “Emerge” by composer Michael Abels. On the piano is George Li, a silver medalist in the 2015 International Tchaikovsky Competition who’s accomplished so much in a career that began when he was six years old. He first made his LA Phil debut in 2016, performing Variations on “I Got Rhythm,” a piece composed by George Gershwin in the 1930s based on “I Got Rhythm” from the musical “Girl Crazy.” Now, he goes further into the past with Piano Concerto No. 1, composed in the 1870s.

Following the intermission, conductor Xian Zhang will perform Alexander von Zemlinsky’s “The Mermaid.” Zhang, the Music Director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, keeps busy as a guest conductor, often in LA. Just last year, she conducted Richard Wagner’s “Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” at the Hollywood Bowl. In 2022, Zhang won multiple Grammys for Letters for The Future, a recording done with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Time for Three.

Enhance your experience

With the three dates for the program, there’s a variety of options for people to take the whole family with them. The Friday, 11 AM, and Sunday 2 PM times, in particular, are great for families who want to avoid late nights, especially with Sunday starting since it’s a school night. Before the concert begins, there’s also Upbeat Live with Robert Fink, which starts at 9:45 AM. For anyone familiar or unfamiliar with the music being performed, this precursor event seeks to inform the audience and answer any questions, free with your ticket.

For more concerts coming up at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, please visit their website.