Since the first time I heard Gershwin's Concerto in F as a young boy, it has become one of my favorite concertos ever written. To me, it has the qualities that make a concerto long-lasting: incredible interplay between the soloist and orchestra, memorable themes, incredible virtuosity, and an originality that separates it from the other works of this genre.

Gershwin brought the music of his time into the classical music stage. The Charleston, the blues, and Broadway are his concerto's fabric and inspiration; youth, optimism and romance its characteristics. This piece was written in 1925, commissioned by Walter Damrosch and the New York Symphony. Straight from the success of Rhapsody in Blue, the premiere of Gershwin's Concerto in F was one of the most anticipated concerts of the year at Carnegie Hall.