Julian Rachlan and the RTÉ Philharmonic Choir

National Concert Hall, Dublin Tonight 8pm 10-35 01-4170000

National Concert Hall, Dublin Tonight 8pm 10-35 01-4170000

The RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra continues this season’s Shostakovich/ Tchaikovsky theme with an all-Russian programme. Julian Rachlin (left), the highly regarded, Lithuanian- born, Viennese-trained violinist, makes his NSO debut in Shostakovich’s demanding First Violin Concerto.

The Shostakovich concerto is framed by Borodin's Polovtsian Dancesand Tchaikovsky's Third Symphony, the Polish. The conductor is the Danish- Italian Giordano Bellincampi.

Fans of great singing will want to catch Welsh bass baritone Bryn Terfel’s appearance with the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast’s Waterfront Hall on Saturday. And some of the great singers of the future may be spotted at the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition, which runs at the NCH from Wednesday, with the finals on January 26th.

Michael Dervan

Michael Dervan

Michael Dervan is a music critic and Irish Times contributor