»Youthful impetuousness at the highest level,« a reviewer once wrote about the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, a project initiated by Claudio Abbado. Abbado’s dream was a completely independent orchestral formation, carried by the idea of solely promoting young artists and music in general. Today, the ensemble is the only one of its kind in Europe.For its guest appearance at the Elbphilharmonie, the orchestra has been able to enlist the services of conductor Vladimir Jurowski, who sets the brilliance and maturity of experienced world-class pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard against the heady vehemence of the young musicians.No less full of opposites is tonight’s concert programme: the vivacity of a Béla Bartók contrasts with the tragedy of the great Russian composer Shostakovich, who in his Eighth Symphony reflects on all the turbulence and change of the 20th century. read less