A piano climbing from darkness to light. A pulsing rhythm, bright with energy and colour. And a passionate melody, soaring against a storm-swept sky. The opening of any piece of music draws you into a new emotional world, and however familiar the melodies that follow, a great live performance makes you feel like you鈥檙e experiencing it for the first time.

That鈥檚 certainly the case when guest conductor Gemma New conducts the 大象传媒 SSO, described by The Scotsman as 鈥渙ne to watch鈥�. Together with pianist Alessio Bax, she鈥檒l bring something wholly new to Rachmaninov鈥檚 most popular piano concerto. To open, two postcards from America: Barber鈥檚 symphonic testament to an age of anxiety, and John Adams鈥� supercharged fanfare.