Caprice No. 24 - the only impress of three great musicians of different ages and from different geographical areas: Paganini, the one who composed it, Lutoslawski and Rachmaninoff, the ones who composed other works inspired by the same theme - bestirs the imagination and talent of the pianist Horia Mihail, who is offering an amazing musical journey to the music loving audience in Bucharest, Cluj and Iaşi at the beginning of a new year.

The pianist Horia Mihail, a soloist of the Radio Orchestras and Choirs, will perform three concerts interpreting the only musical piece composed by Witold Lutosławski, that survived the Second World War - Variations on a Theme by Paganini, for Piano and Orchestra in January: at the Athenaeum in Bucharest on 10^th and 11^th January (07:00 p.m.), at the State Philarmonic - The Academic House (Casa Universitarilor) in Cluj-Napoca on 18^th January (07:00 p.m.) and at the State Philarmonic in Iaşi on 25^th January ( 07:00 p.m.). The audience will also watch the pianist Horia Mihail performing the Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini, 0p.43 (1934), a work of the famous Russian composer Serghei Rachmaninoff.

In Bucharest, the audience will have the chance to listen to Variations on a Theme by Paganini, for the Piano and Orchestra, a work composed by Lutosławski in 1941, for two pianos, but revised 37 years later, in version for piano and orchestra. The concerts at the Athenaeum will be performed by the 'George Enescu' Symphony Orchestra conducted by Martin Panteleev. The programme also includes "Four Sacred Pieces" by Verdi to highlight the events dedicated to the Verdi Year (200th year anniversary from the birth of the composer). The choir of the 'George Enescu' Philarmonic will be conducted by Iosif Ion Prunner.

In Cluj, the audience will listen to the pianist Horia Mihail performing both the work of Lutoslawski inspired from the famous Caprice no. 24, and the Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini, op.43. One of Rachmaninoff's late works, the Rhapsody, being rather an expression of the passionate Post-Romantic style, does not resemble the other works composed during the last decades of the composer's life. The musical event on 18^th January will be performed by the Transylvania State Philharmonic Orchestra from Cluj-Napoca, and conducted by Tiberiu Soare, the main conductor of the National Radio Orchestra. The audience will enjoy the Symphony no.8 by Antonín Dvořák in the second part of the concert.

The concert in Iaşi ending these events on 25^th January will be held by Horia Mihail together with the State Harmonium from Iaşi, under the guidance of the conductor Tiberiu Soare. The last part of the concert will highlight the Wagner Year (200th year anniversary from the birth of the composer) with the following musical pieces: Tristan and Isolde - Prelude, The Death of Isolde and Lohengrin, Preludes to acts I and III.

The array of events organised with the help of the Polish Cultural Institute is occasioned by the celebration of 100th year anniversary from the birth of one of the most important composers of the XXth century: Witold Lutosławski (1913-1994), a Polish artist with various international prizes, who composed four symphonies, a concert for the orchestra, various instrumental concerts and other compositions which had significant impact on the musical heritage.