The two works on this program were written during the 1940s, during some of the most significant years and events in modern world history. One composer wrote their music during the height of wartime, and the other composer wrote looking back.

Shostakovich wrote Symphony No.7 during the Siege of Leningrad. Loudspeakers projected its early performance into the open air, offering a symbol of hope and bravery as the people were experiencing the tragedies of war and famine. On the other side of the world, Henri Tomasi wrote his Saxophone Concerto in 1949 not long after he had served in the French Army directing a military marching band. Classical saxophonist Steven Banks will make his debut with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in this demanding solo role. He’s an outspoken advocate for the expressive potentials of his woodwind instrument, which you will rarely hear in an orchestral setting.