The year 2023 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of composer-pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff, a great figure of the Romantic era who gave the world of orchestral, chamber, and piano composition some of its most monumental and beloved works. In tribute to his legacy, this program highlights the personal inspirations that directly influenced Rachmaninoff, tracing the lineage of his particular style of piano-forward composition, as well as highlighting his musical heritage and appreciation for his teachers Anton Arensky and Sergei Taneyev, along with fellow composer-pianist Anton Rubinstein. In 1893, along with much of the music world, a 20-year-old Rachmaninoff was shaken by the sudden death of his close mentor Pyotr Tchaikovsky; ending this program is Rachmaninoff’s three-movement Trio in D minor, written not only in the style of Tchaikovsky’s famous Piano Trio, but also in his memory.