Culver City Symphony Orchestra returns with Romantic Russian music

Culver City residents and classical music enthusiasts will have the chance to attend a free concert with the Culver City Symphony Orchestra on April 19 at 4 p.m. at the Robert Frost Auditorium, featuring two violin concertos with young soloists. In addition to the concertos — both written by Russian composers — the orchestra will play music by Romantic-era Russian composers, with the concert being aptly named “A Little Russian Romance.”

As part of its Parness Concerto Competition, the Culver City Symphony Orchestra showcases winners in three different age groups — Senior, Intermediate, and Junior — in performances throughout the following season. This 2025-26 season marks the return of these showcases after the COVID-19 pandemic, with this concert — the third of the season — including two out of the three winners of 2024's competition.

Junior winner Alicia Huang, age 12, will play the first movement of Kabalevsky’s Violin Concerto in C major — a piece that features a lively dialogue between the orchestra and the violin. Intermediate winner Minji Choi, age 16, will play the first movement of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D major. This piece, while unconventional compared to other concertos in the genre, has become one commonly seen in the repertoire of virtuoso violinists.

Both of these soloists have a list of achievements despite their young age. In her biography, Alicia Huang noted her experience with multiple orchestras, including playing with the Pacific Academy Foundation Orchestra and leading the second violins in Pacific Symphony Santiago Strings. As a soloist, Huang has earned recognition in addition to the Parness Concerto Competition, including winning first place in the Global Musical Arts international competition.

Minji Choi has also found success in musical competitions, winning first prizes at the Music Teachers National Association California State Competition and the American String Teachers Association Bowed String Solo Competition.

Stephen Turk, President of the Board of Directors and cellist in the orchestra, recalled being blown away by Choi’s audition.

“The moment she started playing the first note,” Turk said, “it sent a shiver down my spine.”

Finding a common thread between the Kabalevsky and Tchaikovsky violin concertos, Creative Director Clyde Mitchell chose to lean into works by Russian composers. The concert will open with Alexander Borodin’s In the Steppes of Central Asia, a piece originally composed to be presented for Emperor Alexander II’s 25th anniversary on the throne, celebrating the expansion of Russia into Asia. A story is told through a Russian musical theme meeting an Asiatic musical theme, depicting travelers crossing paths.

Other music on the program includes Vasily Kalinnikov’s Chanson Triste, meaning “sad song” in French. Originally written for piano and voice, Kalinnikov composed this piece while his health declined, finding a lyrical and melancholic melody that made it one of his most well-known compositions.

For the finale, the orchestra will perform Tchaikovsky’s second symphony, often called “The Little Russian” — titled in reference to Russia’s name for Ukraine in Tsarist times. This symphony includes authentic folk tune themes, inspired by the melodies Tchaikovsky heard peasants sing while at his family home in Komenka.

On the orchestra’s official website, Mitchell notes, “Tchaikovsky brilliantly transforms the simple melody through shifts in orchestration, dynamics, and tempo, gradually building tension and excitement.”

The program, according to him, promises the intense and emotional music that often characterizes Romantic music.

To reserve a spot, click here. To learn more about the Culver City Symphony Orchestra and their upcoming concerts, visit their website.