Huang Mengla

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of great composer Leonard Bernstein.

In light of this, Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is joining hands with Shanghai violinist Huang Mengla to stage a concert Friday for locals. Conducted by Yang Yang, Huang will perform Bernstein’s “Serenade After Plato’s ‘Symposium’” in collaboration with SSO.

The 30-minute piece for solo violin, strings and percussion is a five-movement concerto written by Bernstein in 1954. The composer drew inspiration from Plato’s “Symposium,” a dialogue of related statements in praise of love, each statement made by a distinguished speaker. As the violin is the most prominent solo instrument in its orchestration, the work can be considered a violin concerto. One of the representing works of Bernstein, this piece has been regularly performed.

Huang won the first prize at the prestigious Paganini International Violin Competition in Italy in 2002, where he was also awarded the Renato De Barbieri Memorial award for the best interpretation of Paganini’s caprices and the Mario Ruminelli Memorial award.

SSO will also perform Brahms’ “Symphony No. 1 in C Minor.” The piece has been dubbed “Beethoven’s No. 10” due to perceived similarities between the work and various compositions of Beethoven.

Time: 8 p.m., Feb. 2

Tickets: 50-880 yuan

Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Intersection of Hongli Road and Yitian Road, Futian District (福田区红荔路和益田路交汇处深圳音乐厅)

Metro: Line 3 or 4, Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit D(Debra Li)