The Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra presents The Planets on April 18, 2026, at the Palace Theatre in Greensburg, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The concert opens with Brahms’ Concerto in D Minor featuring Radu Ratoi, accordion followed by Gustav Holst’s The Planets, conducted by Artistic Director Daniel Meyer.
“Our final classical concert of the season is Gustav Holst’s The Planets (1917), a seven-movement orchestral suite where each planet Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune has its own musical personality. Holst was fascinated in astrology and wrote the work during World War I, and it was an instant success, said Artistic Director Daniel Meyer. “To pair with The Planets, I invited Radu Ratoi to perform J.S. Bach’s Concerto in D minor. The accordion brings such a fascinating voice to the Bach and Radu is an absolutely genius performer. It’s going to be an incredible evening and a fitting finale to our classical series.”
Radu Ratoi began playing the accordion at the age of six in his hometown in the Republic of Moldova. Ratoi studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen, where he was awarded the Sonning Music Prize, one of Denmark’s most prestigious honors. In 2022, Ratoi released his debut album, Greatest Organ Works Arranged for Accordion, featuring works by J.S. Bach and F. Liszt.
The Planets
Saturday, April 18, 2026, 7:30 p.m.
PROGRAM
J.S. Bach: Concerto in D minor
Radu Ratoi, accordion
Gustav Holst: The Planets
Tickets: $23+, student rush tickets $10 night of the concert with i.d.
724.837.1850 or http://www.westmorelandsymphony.org
