Peter and I became members of the New York Philharmonic this year after receiving a cold call from a promoter. (I wonder what his conversion percentage was. Super nice guy.) It seemed like a good opportunity to explore the new David Geffen Hall while listening to world class classical music.

On Sunday, we attended a matinee show conducted by Dalia Stasevska featuring Surge, a contemporary piece by Wang Lu, Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with Lisa Batiashvili on the violin and Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2.

The concert was absolutely fantastic, showcasing how truly gifted high caliber, professional musicians truly are. Peter and I had the extra pleasure of sitting behind the orchestra with a full view of Dalia’s expressive and energetic conducting. (A New York Times reporter described it as a cardio workout.) For me, being just a couple of feet behind the brass section, it felt like I was back in the orchestra following the maestro’s baton. I had so much fun observing and listening to the concert from this new vantage point, a distinctive feature of the new Wu Tsai Theater.

While I didn’t care much for Surge, the rendition of Tchaikovsky and Sibelius were incredible. Lisa shined on the violin for the Tchaikovsky concerto. She played the concerto at a slightly faster pace that only highlighted her mastery of the instrument even more. I was in awe of her endurance, precision and elegance. And the orchestra accompanied her beautifully, really letting her “sing” with her special instrument.

Similarly, I loved listening to Dalia’s interpretation of Sibelius’s symphony. Dalia, a Finnish conductor born in Kyiv, is a “Sibelius expert”. She trained at the Sibelius Academy in Finland and is the artistic director of the International Sibelius Festival. (She’s even married to Sibelius’s grandson!) The rendition was powerful in so many ways. I’ve always appreciated how much Sibelius highlights the brass and woodwind sections, and at New York Philharmonic really made those passages epic.

Only after the concert did I appreciate some of the political subtext of the program. Sibelius’s symphony “evokes something of Tchaikovsky” (a Russian composer) but also has a distinctive Finnish, nationalistic fervor to it. Sibelius’s compositions during this time were said to be a declaration against Czar rule. Dalia, as a born Ukrainian with family still there, has become a vocal activist herself and has even driven supplies across the border to help people in the country. Lisa also showed her support for Ukraine in Friday evening’s concert by wearing a yellow and blue dress.

I’m thankful for these two strong women – Dalia and Lisa – and what they were able to bring to life on Sunday. The concert was so powerful and evocative. I sat behind the orchestra totally mesmerized for the entire program. I’m also thankful that Peter pushed us to take the leap and become members of the New York Philharmonic this year. It’s so special to be able to listen music like this.