BACK AT RICHARDSON: Violinist Aubree Oliverson is the soloist in Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D Major with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra on the inaugural weekend of its 2024-25 season at Richardson Auditorium. Rossen Milanov conducts. (Photo by Nick Bayless)

On September 14-15, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) opens its 2024-25 season celebrating Edward T. Cone Music Director Rossen Milanov’s 60th birthday. Violinist Aubree Oliverson makes her debut with the PSO as soloist in performances of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35. Also on the program are Gemma Peacocke’s Manta, performed with members of the Youth Orchestra of Central Jersey, and Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98.

Milanov conducts the concerts on Saturday, September 14 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, September 15 at 4 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium. He also hosts a 3 p.m. pre-concert talk, free to ticket holders, before the Sunday performance.

“I am delighted to introduce Aubree Oliverson to our audiences,” Milanov said. “She is an exciting artist who performs with confidence and clarity — an absolute joy to watch and listen to. I’m also looking forward to working with YOCJ’s young musicians as they join us in performing Gemma Peacocke’s recent work. Throughout this season we’ll perform some of my favorite works in the orchestral repertoire and continue to bring exceptional artists to Princeton.”

Oliverson has appeared with the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Christopher Dragon, Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by David Danzmayr, and the Princeton Symphony Orchestra led by Milanov. She will also appear with Milanov in performances with the Costa Rica Symphony Orchestra after being invited to return. In addition to several concert highlights, Oliverson is making her Montreal debut at the Bourgie Hall, accompanied pianist Frederico Gad Crema, to showcase a selection of chamber works.

Tchaikovsky composed his sole concerto for violin in 1878, following an inspiring session of music-making with violinist Iosef Kotek in Clarens, Switzerland on Lake Geneva. Gemma Peacocke, currently the Mark Nelson Ph.D. Fellow in composition at Princeton University, captures the natural grace and motion of the manta ray in Manta, written for orchestra and youth chamber string orchestra. Drawing inspiration from the eras of Beethoven and Bach, Brahms’ Fourth Symphony demonstrates his compositional genius as a master of multiple forms.

Single tickets start at $40 and subscriptions are available. Youths 5-17 receive a 50 percent discount with an adult purchase. Visit princetonsymphony.org.