The Strad Premiere of the Month: "A violin concerto that reaches new heights"

American composer Eric Nathan’s new violin concerto is inspired by the act of climbing a mountain. ‘It’s a difficult physical act, and that can become a metaphor for overcoming personal and societal challenges,’ he says.

Excerpts from The Strad: Premiere of the Month

Photo credit: Toby Oft

Violinist Yevgeny Kutik, who will premiere the work with the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, adds to this: ‘In the piece, there is a gradual ascent that you really have to work to sustain, interspersed with the natural ebbs and flows that come with striving towards something in life.’…

Nathan sees the violin as the protagonist in both competition and dialogue with the orchestra, which represents the mountain. 'Gradually throughout the piece, you realize the orchestra is not something to be battled, but to be accepted."

The Mountains We Climb will premiere on September 19th 2026 with the Rhode Island Philharmonic and soloist Yevgeny Kutik, conducted by Ruth Reinhardt. More details here.

Read full article in The Strad here

Read more about Eric Nathan at www.ericnathanmusic.com