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Two young stars joined the Utah Symphony on the penultimate weekend of its season, giving lively performances of American and Bohemian music.

Korean-born pianist Joyce Yang, 30, is this year's Evelyn Rosenblatt Artist, a distinction the orchestra gives to one up-and-coming guest each season. Yang, who played Dmitri Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 1 in her last visit to Abravanel Hall, performed another 20th-century favorite, George Gershwin's Concerto in F, this time around. Once again, Yang impressed with the finesse and clarity of her technique on Friday, and the Utah Symphony offered suave and stylish accompaniment. Of particular note was Travis Peterson's bluesy second-movement trumpet solo.

Romanian conductor Cristian Macelaru, 35, made his Utah Symphony debut in this weekend's program. In preconcert comments, he quipped that Antonín Dvorák's music "should smell like garlic, rather than Chanel No. 5"; he supported this argument with a hearty and occasionally spicy performance of the composer's Symphony No. 6. At times the sound was piquant, while at others — particularly in the slow movement — it was more reminiscent of mellow roasted garlic. The symphony's best-known movement is the third, based on the aptly named folk dance the furiant. In Macelaru's reading on Friday, that movement took on a surprisingly dark tone that made the swirl of woodwinds stand out all the more.

The concert opened with a boldly colored performance of Samuel Barber's Second Essay for Orchestra that featured particularly expressive playing from the Utah Symphony woodwinds. —

Utah Symphony

Music of Samuel Barber, George Gershwin and Antonín Dvorák

With • Conductor Cristian Macelaru and pianist Joyce Yang

Where • Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City

When • Reviewed Friday, May 20; repeats Saturday, May 21, at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets • $34-$84 (discounts for students, under-30s and groups); utahsymphony.org

Vivace • Saturday's performance is a Vivace event; tickets for the concert and after-party at Bistro 222, 222 S. Main St., are $34 or $15 for students; use promo code arttixvivace when ordering