Verdi’s tangled and tragic operatic tale La Forza del Destino complements the symphonic fantasy Francesca da Rimini, Tchaikovsky’s interpretation of the eternal torment of elicit lovers depicted in Dante’s Inferno narrative. Concertmaster Nikki Chooi tackles the celebrated improvised cadenzas of Beethoven’s monumental Violin Concerto in D major.

Dreamlike images in orchestral colors infuse the ethereal Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, Debussy’s iconic tone poem. Buffalo-born Robert Paterson’s colorful Triple Concerto compellingly examines Earth’s fragility, while Beethoven’s gentle Sixth Symphony portrays a charming countryside turn, evoking deep relaxation and contentment.

Only sixteen Lieder (songs for voice and piano) survive from Alma Mahler's vast output, as her husband Gustav curtailed her publication efforts. Five poem-based works evoke love—intoxicating, intimate, infinite, and reflective of loves' past. Gustav's initially panned Symphony No. 1 employs musical imagery akin to a song cycle, interpreting nature's joys and sorrows.

Brahms' vibrant and lively Hungarian Dances were inspired by the cherished traditional heritage of a long-time friend. Schumann's passionate Fourth Symphony, emblematic of his joyful marriage to Clara, languished for ten long years before final publication. Grieg's heroic Piano Concerto shines with rich Norwegian folk melodies, virtuosic cadenzas, and majestic flourishes.