From Tchaikovsky to Copland

Program Highlights

Clarinetist Cory Tiffin, featured on Aaron Copland’s Clarinet Concerto

Russian Lineage: Arensky’s Variations

Hear how Anton Arensky honors his teacher, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, creating a direct musical and historic connection.

Clarinet, Centerstage: Copland’s Concerto

Cory Tiffin, California Symphony’s principal clarinet, performs Aaron Copland’s concerto, which was originally commissioned and premiered by jazz legend Benny Goodman.

An American Icon: Barber’s Adagio for Strings

Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings is one of the most recognizable pieces in American music, heard in concerts, films, and national moments of reflection.

Tchaikovsky’s Personal Serenade for Strings

Tchaikovsky himself described his Serenade for Strings as “a piece from the heart,” and is one of his most enduring orchestral works.

Musical Contemporaries

Arensky paid tribute to his mentor while developing his own lyrical Russian style. Barber and Copland—born the same year—explored complementary visions of American orchestral music, from Barber’s expressive lyricism to Copland’s folk-inspired “Americana.”