BURLINGTON, VT: The Vermont Symphony Orchestra season finale on Saturday, May 4, presents two blockbuster works--Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade. The concert, conducted by VSO music director, Jaime Laredo, features acclaimed pianist Natasha Paremski. This special performance at the Flynn Center in Burlington begins at 8:00 p.m.

The Rachmaninoff concerto, know as “Rach Three,” featured in the Oscar-winning movie, Shine, is feared by even giants of the keyboard for its legendary difficulty. Scheherazade is another work with musical demands providing lush rewards for the audience. Fantastic aural images and bravura orchestral solos convey the fairy tale wonders of “A Thousand and One Nights.”

With her consistently dynamic performances, 24 year-old pianist Natasha Paremski reveals astounding virtuosity. She continues to win over audiences with her musical sensibility and flawless technique. The award-winning pianist was born in Moscow and began her piano studies at the age of four at the Andreyev School of Music. In 1995 she emigrated with her family to the United States; she became a U.S. citizen in 2001. She studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music before moving to New York to study at Mannes College of Music, from which she graduated in 2007. Her growing list of awards includes the Prix Montblanc 2007, the 2006 Gilmore Young Artist Award, top prize in the 2002 Bronislaw Kaper Awards sponsored by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and top prize in the Young Artists in Carnegie Hall 2000 International Piano Festival.

A pre-concert discussion, “Musically Speaking,” moderated by VPR classical music host Joe Goetz will be held at 7 p.m., free for members of the audience. The discussion will feature Jaime Laredo and Natasha Paremski providing insight into the music, composers, and musicians. 

Concerts by the VSO are made possible in part by the State of Vermont and individuals, businesses and foundations throughout Vermont. Vermont Public Radio is the co-sponsor for the 2012/2013 season. WCVT-FM is the 2012/2013 Masterworks series media sponsor. Trapp Lager is the official lager of the VSO. Additional support is provided by the Concert Artists Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation, and the Lintilhac Foundation. This concert is sponsored by The Automaster; Dinse, Knapp & McAndrew; Kittell, Branagan, and Sargent; Northeast Delta Dental; and Westaff; with underwriting support from Bravo Society members Yoine and Elaine Goldstein.

Single tickets for the May concert start at $16. Student tickets are available for $9. For additional information or tickets, please visit the FlynnTix Regional Box Office website at www.flyntix.org, telephone (802) 86-FLYNN (863-5966), or visit the VSO website at www.vso.org.