The sold-out performance opened with Astor Piazzolla's Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, played by professor of piano Derek Polischuk. Polischuk described the piece as "a brilliant transformation of Vivaldi’s familiar work. It takes the shape of the Baroque master’s Four Seasons and breathes into it the soul of Buenos Aires — the pulse of tango, the passion of the streets, and the melancholy of passing time."

Polischuk was moved by how classical music evolves and changes over time, celebrating transformation while keeping tradition alive through its development.

"What inspires me most is how Piazzolla shows that music can both honor the past and speak in the voice of the present. It reminds us that tradition is not something to be guarded, but something to be transformed and made new," Polischuk said.

The Four Seasons is a set of four concertos that depict each season of the year, from a festive and playful spring to a harsh yet serene winter. The ensemble plays each sonnet in unique ways, their instruments either breathing as a collective or bouncing off each other like beams of light.

Following this Latin American interpretation was a performance of the famous Vivaldi piece that it was inspired by. The work is incredibly special to Berlinsky, who founded the International Chamber Soloists and has traveled the world as an esteemed violinist.

"The Four Seasons is a very special piece for me in many ways," said Berlinsky. "The music vividly represents nature and the changing scenes of the year, incorporating a wide variety of sounds — birds singing, animals and insects interacting, thunderstorms and lightning, flowing water and wind, as well as human voices, a shepherd boy’s cries, joyful hunting, and even moments of dreamlike reflection."

His goal of uniting the MSU community through music has been manifested by performing the piece numerous times at cultural events and gatherings, including the celebration for the new Billman Auditorium at the College of Music.

"Forming and working with the International Chamber Soloists has given me some of the most fulfilling and memorable experiences of my life. It has brought together so many exceptional young performers over the decades, cultivating our shared artistic vision and creating an atmosphere of musical communication and respect — one without language, cultural, or political barriers — emphasizing our love for and dedication to music," Berlinsky said.

Professor of piano and chair of the keyboard area, Deborah Moriarty, leads the West Circle Series and was glad they were able to start the series with one of Vivaldi's most famous pieces. "It's something that people are very familiar with and love, and it's a way to bring in an audience who comes to hear a piece like this and gets a taste of classical music and thinks, 'I've got to come back for more.'" 

Moriarty acknowledged the persistent interest in live concerts among the community despite the evolution of AI, saying it's "done the best possible thing for live music, because people want to go to concerts. They want to see real people do real things. They want to see human people who do extraordinary things that inspire them, and who make mistakes."

Kicking off the season with a sold-out show, Moriarty is optimistic about the additional themed concerts that will be featured at Fairchild Theatre this season, including Beethoven! and Happy Birthday Mozart!.

"I feel very good about this season," she said. "Once you have the kind of reception that you have at the opening concert, it gets people interested in coming back and wanting to hear more."