This 38^th season of the Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts, founded and steered by the vision and generosity of Cathy Chan, enjoyed its climax at Jordan Hall in a concert of the Mercury Orchestra with conductor Channing Yu and pianist Kelvin Tang featuring two giants of the Romantic Era, Schumann and Brahms.

Mercury created a warm version of Schumann’s Symphony in B-flat Major, Op. 38, Spring, his first, written the year following his marriage to Clara Wieck, who encouraged him to create works for orchestra. Redolent with emotion, this unique symphony reflects conscious attachment to narrative. Inspired, in part, by a poem of Adolf Bӧttger, the composer initially labeled each movement—the Beginning of Spring or Spring’s Awakening; Evening; Merry Playmates and Spring in Full Bloom, or Spring’s Awakening, or Spring’s Farewell, but removed these monikers before the premiere, conducted by Felix Mendelssohn, with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra on March 31, 1841. The work presents, perhaps flaunts, enchanting melodies and contrasts—reminders of seasonal burgeoning delivered by Spring. Throughout its four movements, the piece provides opportunities for various orchestral sections and individual players to shine. Yu, the conductor of Mercury Orchestra since founding it in 2008, lifts the orchestra and audience with his experience as well as pianistic accomplishments. Here, his apparent sheer joy in conducting permeated the hall, and clearly buoyed the ensemble from the first glorious trumpet and horn fanfare (Karen Martin and Kira Shmeleva on trumpet and Isaac Julien and Katie Mason on horn) of the Andante un poco maestoso—Allegro molto vivace movement, then transitioning to the orchestra with shift to experiential demonstration of the passionate spring season. The first violins were ably led by concertmistress Hyunsu Ko. And woodwind solos were finely executed. The Larghetto was smooth, tuneful, seeming as often called, an extended introduction to the Scherzo: Molto vivace with its two tricky trio sections. Then the final Allegro animato e grazioso. In all, Mercury bestowed a gracious, dreamy rendition of a symphony known for introducing depth and poetry to the Romantic period.

After intermission Kelvin Tang gave the prize performance of Brahms’s Piano Concerto No.2, Op.83 as the winner of the 2026 Fou Ts’ong International Concerto Competition. If you’re either the pianist or conductor, delivering the symphonic Brahms 2^nd piano concerto might feel like “upping the ante,” if you think about it—the pianist and the orchestra must partner for the concerto to really succeed. Despite how Brahms stacked the deck and tens of thousands of notes (at least) against the piano, this 1881 concerto, premiered by Brahms himself, remains a favorite of many musicians and audiences. Here, to state the obverse of the Cerfian quip, Brahms won. Simply absorbing Tang’s involvement with the piano and phrasing felt intimate, even private, yet open for all to see. Said simply, Tang exemplified the partnership between pianist and orchestra, a necessity for a successful performance of this concerto. From the first of the Allegro non troppo, Tang both collaborated with Mercury and shone with his subtle, personal phrasing—more than the start of a symphony with piano obbligato that is sometimes said of this concerto. Particularly memorable was the artist’s apparent rapture with each phrase, even a tendency to hint at personal involvement with the piano as a being, interacting with French horn, next, winds and then strings. The Allegro appassionato slid in sharply, then calmed with strings and the piano until it revved up again with energy, drive and passion. Tang played the cadenzas with thoughtful energy. The beautiful Andante, initiated by the sonorous renderings of principal cellist, Joseph Rovine, set a mellifluous and dreamy milieu, pulling the orchestra in and then enrolling the piano. In the last Allegretto grazioso, the soloist and orchestra exemplified a happy détente. In sum, this “Brahms 2” buoyed those in the hall with command yet tenderness.

After an enthusiastic, nearly thunderous reception, Tang, a burgeoning composer, offered his own Nocturne No. 1 in A-Flat Major, Op. 9 (2025), a fitting encore. I, for one, look forward to hearing more from and by Tang, as well as from Yu and Mercury. It goes without saying, though I will, anyhow, that Chan’s NEC Summer Concert Series of the Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts, born of much devotion and dedication, enriches both players and audiences. Happily, the Foundation has other events at intervals throughout the year. See its colorful website HERE. and YouTube Channel HERE.

Julie Ingelfinger, a classically trained pianist who studied at the Hartt School of Music, Aspen Music Festival and School and at Harvard, enjoys her day jobs as professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, pediatric nephrologist at Mass General Brigham for Children and deputy editor at the New England Journal of Medicine.