Review: Klaus Mäkelä brings forth the innately raw, edgy intensity of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 4

Conductor Klaus Mäkelä, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's music director designate, received a warm reception from the Chicago audience during his recent performance of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 4.
While critical opinion might be mixed on Klaus Mäkelä, who will become the full-fledged artistic director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra next fall, the Chicago audience has completely embraced the 30-year-old Finnish conductor with his fresh-faced flair.That became very clear Thursday evening, when the CSO’s music director designate returned for his first-ever three-week run with the ensemble and received an ardent round of cheers before one note had even sounded.After more than a decade of…
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