Radio 3's American Roadtrip: the Minnesota Orchestra and pianist Bruce Liu.

Thomas Søndergård conducts one of America's top orchestras at Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis.
Founded in 1903, the orchestra was one of the first to embrace radio broadcasts under legendary conductors such as Bruno Walter and former music directors, Eugene Ormandy and Dimitri Mitropoulos before finding an international following with its state-of-the-art recordings with Antal Dorati. More recent principal conductors have included Sir Neville Marriner and Osmo Vänskä, and that post has been filled since 2023 by Thomas Søndergård. Tonight the glittering acoustics of the Lindahl Auditorium are put through their paces in Rachmaninov's dazzling Symphonic Dances. The orchestra has always attracted the starriest of soloists – with Rachmaninov joining them in his own Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Bruce Liu, one of the most brilliant pianists of the younger generations, joins that starry line up before the interval, to play Prokofiev's Piano Concerto no. 3, a captivating blend of wit, athleticism and melody.

Presented by Ian Skelly.

Carlos Simon: Four Black American Dances
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C, op. 26;
Interval
Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances, op. 45

Bruce Liu (piano)
Minnesota Orchestra
Thomas Søndergård (conductor)

Recorded in the Lindahl Auditorium at Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis June 2025.