Sergei Prokofiev and his achievements have left an indelible mark on 20th century music. In this concert, two major works from different eras are placed side by side. While a student at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, Prokofiev showed an early sketch of his Piano Concerto No.2 to his classmate Max Schmidthof, who unfortunately took his own life. Prokofiev then dedicated this work to Schmidthof. This complex work contains multiple layers of emotions, matching perfectly with a young man’s honest thirst for life. Prokofiev once described his Symphony No.5 as a landmark work in praise of the human spirit. In fact, this work heralds Prokofiev’s creative breakthrough during the time when he witnessed his country at war.