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The Russian State Philharmonic Orchestra is one of Russia's finest ensembles and numbers Gennady Rozhdestvensky and Maxim Shostakovich amongst its previous directors. If classical music is about anything, it's about emotion - and no-one understood emotion like Tchaikovsky. "With desire and passion", he wrote on the score of his Fifth Symphony, and this grand, sweeping romantic epic begins in despair, and ends in roof-raising celebration. No wonder it's one of the most popular symphonies ever composed - and you haven't really heard it at all until you've heard it played by a genuine Russian orchestra and conductor. Valery Poliansky has been Artistic Director of the Russian State Philharmonic Orchestra for over two decades; together, they'll drive straight to the heart of Tchaikovsky's inspiration. First, though, they tackle the Everest of Romantic Piano Concertos - Rachmaninov's mighty Third Concerto. Fans of the film Shine will remember it defeating David Helfgott: no fear of that tonight, as Poliansky and his team are joined by a real giant amongst British pianists, Peter Donohoe. This should be a first night to remember