US Premiere of Klebanov’s Symphony No. 1 with Modesto Symphony

On November 14 and 15th, 2025, at 7:30 PM at Gallo Center for the Arts, Modesto, CA, John Sawoski played celesta with the Modesto Symphony in the United States premiere of Ukrainian composer Dimitri Klebanov’s long-suppressed Symphony No. 1.

Here’s the story about the Soviet suppression of this piece and how it came to be performed for the first time outside of Ukraine through the work of Modesto Symphony’s music director Nicholas Hersh.

Also featured on California Public Radio: https://www.capradio.org/music/classical/2025/11/19/modesto-symphony-premieres-a-long-lost-symphony-from-an-exiled-ukrainian-composer