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Conductor Kyle Wiley Pickett guides the musicians with sweeping motions as the audience listens. He led the orchestra through a dramatic performance.
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Nicole Limones plays the violin during the concert. She performed as part of the ensemble in the evening.
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Musicians follow Pickett’s lead as the music fills the hall. They performed under his direction during the evening concert.
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The musicians face the audience as applause fills the hall. The Topeka Symphony Orchestra stood after completing their first performance of the evening.
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Cellists and bassists sit ready with their instruments as the program continues. They played together during the first half of the concert.
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The musicians continue to play in harmony as the concert unfolds. The orchestra performed energetically during the evening program.
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The brass and woodwind sections prepare for the next piece as the program continues. They performed with intensity during the concert.
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Vitaly Starikov, pianist, plays with focus as the musicians follow along. He performed with the orchestra during the evening concert.
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Starikov exchanges applause with Pickett as the audience cheers. He was recognized on stage following his performance with the orchestra.
The Topeka Symphony Orchestra opened its 2025–2026 season Sept. 27 at White Concert Hall with a performance that was as bold as it was beautiful. Packed with drama, passion and moments of pure elegance, the evening reminded listeners why live orchestral music remains such a powerful art form.
The concert began with Richard Strauss’s “Don Juan,” a tone poem famous for its fiery pace and sweeping lines. Zsolt Eder, professor of violin and viola at Washburn University, explained just how demanding it is for musicians.
“‘Don Juan’ is one of the hardest pieces an orchestra can play,” Eder said. “The violins are flying through notes at lightning speed. It’s like a wild ride for 18 minutes.”
Eder added that the piece’s importance extends beyond the stage.
“The first page of ‘Don Juan’ is on nearly every orchestra audition list in the world. It’s the ultimate test of technique and control. To play the entire piece live, with a full orchestra, is a thrill,” Eder said.
After the storm of Strauss, the program moved to Valerie Coleman’s “Umoja.” The word means “unity” in Swahili, and the piece reflected the meaning with lyrical melodies and a warm, uplifting atmosphere.
The night’s centerpiece was Tchaikovsky’s “Piano Concerto No. 1,” performed by Vitaly Starikov, winner of the 2025 Van Cliburn Silver Medal. Starikov’s playing moved between thunderous chords and soft, graceful passages, holding the audience’s attention through every moment. The orchestra, led by conductor Kyle Wiley Pickett, matched his energy, creating a performance that earned gasps and cheers.
For Matthew Carlyon, a new double bass player, the evening was also personal.
“‘Don Juan’ is a hard piece — really fun to play, very exciting, but it also has beautiful, sophisticated moments,” Carlyon said. “Even for double bass players, who might not always get the most fun parts, this one is a challenge, and that makes it exciting for all of us.”
Carlyon shared that this was his very first performance as a full-time member of the symphony.
“I just won an audition to be in a permanent spot with the Symphony,” Carlyon said. “So this is my first performance as a full member, and I’m very excited to start my career and a long journey with Topeka.”
From the opening rush of Strauss to the lyrical close of Tchaikovsky, the concert flowed like a story: intense, graceful and unforgettable. The concert hall was filled with people, and when the final notes rang out, the audience leapt to their feet. A long, thunderous standing ovation closed out the night.
Washburn students receive 50% off tickets when they present their Washburn student ID at the ticket counter prior to the concert. For details on upcoming performances, visit Topeka Symphony Orchestra.
Edited by Anson Appelhanz and Stuti Khadka
