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FOR THE SEASON’S FIRST CONCERT


The Northern Neck Orchestra’s opening concert of the 2026-2027 season features the debut of the orchestra’s new Steinway concert grand piano and a stirring performance of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s beloved Piano Concerto No. 2, conducted by Music Director Michael Repper and performed by acclaimed pianist Fei-Fei Dong.

The program also includes Dmitiri Shostakovich’s joyous Festive Overture and Ruth Gipps’s heartfelt Symphony No. 2.

The performance at the new Lancaster High School Auditorium, 100 Visionary Way in Irvington, begins at 7:30 p.m. and will be preceded by a pre-concert talk at 6:45 p.m.

Please Note Program Change: Fei-Fei will perform the piano concerto in place of Nina Schumann. Due to delays in the visa procces, Schumann is unable to perform at this concert.
 
It is indeed thrilling to begin an exciting new season in a beautiful new auditorium with a very special new piano, a Steinway Model D concert grand piano. 

I am especially pleased that my friend Fei-Fei could appear on such short notice. She will be the first pianist to perform a concerto on this magnificent piano which is the longtime favorite of the world's greatest pianists.

This flagship Steinway model also has a new technology called Spirio. It is a high-resolution player piano system that offers access to a vast library of music virtually indistinguishable from live performance and provides artists with the capabilities to record, edit, playback, search and save their performances. 

Michael Repper, Music Director
​The concert begins with the Festive Overture by Dmitri Shostakovich. Filled with vivid colors and spectacular energy, the electric overture dazzles with vibrant rhythms and stirring themes. Its glowing brass fanfares and breathtaking pace have made it one of the composer’s most popular works. 

The orchestra next will perform the Symphony No. 2 by British composer Ruth Gipps. This lyrical work highlights the composer’s remarkable depth and expressiveness. Composed in 1945, the heartfelt symphony is beginning to receive the attention it deserves.

The evening concludes with Sergei Rachmaninoff’s enduring Piano Concerto No. 2. Memorable for its virtuoso brilliance,
soaring melodies and timeless beauty, the concerto will be performed by Fei-Fei.
​The concerto places great demands 
on both the pianist and orchestra as they continually exchange themes, emotionally support each other and produce breathtaking moments of serenity and passion.

Celebrated for her virtuoso artistry and technical brilliance, Fei-Fei's expressive personality shines through every note she performs.

Projects include a Carnegie Hall performance and tour of Spain with the New York Youth Symphony conducted by Michael Repper, a performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 at Lincoln Center, and tours of Germany and China. 

She was a finalist in the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2013. A graduate of the Juilliard School, Fei-Fei lives in New York City.
Tickets for the concert are $40.00
Season tickets for all five concerts are $160.00. 
Tickets may be purchased online or at the door. 
Students are admitted free with an online reservation.
     All concerts will be performed at the new 
Lancaster High School Auditorium
100 Visionary Way in Irvington
Dominion Energy is the Lead Sponsor of the 
2026-2027 Season of the Northern Neck Orchestra