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4–12
August
2025
Competition · Concerts
Masterclasses

Saleem Ashkar, Professor of ClaviCologne, Opens Milwaukee Symphony’s 2025 Season

Ashkar’s upcoming role as a professor at ClaviCologne highlights his dual commitment to performance and education. The festival, set to take place in Pescara, Italy, from August 4-12, 2025, is renowned for bringing together some of the world’s leading pedagogues. His participation in both the MSO concert and ClaviCologne underscores his standing as a globally sought-after musician and educator.

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (MSO) opened its 2025 season on January 17-18 with an evening of Classical brilliance, featuring guest conductor Nicholas McGegan and renowned pianist Saleem Ashkar. Widely recognized for his artistry and teaching, Ashkar—who will serve as a professor at the upcoming ClaviCologne International Piano Festival (August 4-12, 2025, in Pescara, Italy)—delivered a stellar performance that brought a touch of international prestige to the season opener.

The program began with Mozart’s Symphony No. 33, led by McGegan, a specialist in Baroque and Classical repertoire. McGegan’s approach brought out the grace and joy inherent in Mozart’s writing, with an effortless first movement and a spirited finale that captured the composer’s signature elegance.

Saleem Ashkar took center stage for Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1, a dazzling showpiece that allowed the pianist to showcase his technical finesse and interpretative depth. Ashkar’s commanding presence was evident from the bold opening movement, where his fluid passagework and dynamic control brought the score to life. The second movement revealed a more introspective side, with Ashkar’s thoughtful phrasing adding emotional weight. In the virtuosic finale, Ashkar and the orchestra delivered a thrilling conclusion that earned rapturous applause. As an encore, Ashkar performed Schumann’s Träumerei, offering a tender and reflective moment that left the audience spellbound.

The program also included two movements from Johann Michael Haydn’s suite Zaïre, a delightful rarity that showcased the orchestra’s versatility. The evening concluded with a rousing performance of Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 100, the “Military Symphony,” with McGegan and the MSO delivering a spirited interpretation that highlighted the work’s dramatic contrasts and lively finale.