On October 24th, 2013, Teng Li will be performing Alfred Schnittke’s Concerto for Viola and Orchestra with Esprit Orchestra. Teng Li made a splash when she hit the Toronto music scene in 2004 by landing the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) Principal Viola position at the astonishing age of 21. TSO Music Director Peter Oundjian describes her as “an extraordinary talent”.
Schnittke’s Concerto for Viola and Orchestra is a powerful response to a lifetime of dynamic social and political forces in Soviet Russia. It abounds in musical influences and references conveyed through the intense virtuosity demanded of the soloist and orchestra.