Classical music fans have a packed weekend ahead -- the Louisville Orchestra and the Russian National Orchestra are both playing the Kentucky Center's Whitney Hall with acclaimed piano soloists.Jorge Mester and the Louisville Orchestra will welcome Christopher Taylor to town on Friday evening. Taylor is a professor of piano at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He's performed with the National Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the New York Philharmonic, among others. Friday's program will include Shickele's Concerto for Chamber Orchestra, Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 and Taylor on Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 1. Friday's program begins at 8 p.m.Here's Taylor playing Messiaens' "Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus" in 2003 at New York's Angel Orensanz Center for the Arts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Flym2D086zYAnd the Russian National Orchestra's coming to Louisville for one night only this Saturday. Conducted by Grammy Award-winning Nashville Symphony Orchestra music director Giancarlo Guerrero and featuring acclaimed pianist Daniil Trifonov,the program will include Smetana's Overture from "The Painted Bride," Tchaikovsy's Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36 and Trifonov on Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, Op. 26. Founded by conductor and pianist Mikhail Pletney, the RNO debuted in Moscow in 1990 and has built an international reputation as one of the world's top orchestras. The orchestra is on a 12-city U.S. tour this month.Saturday's program begins at 7:30 p.m. Here's a little taste of Trifonov playing Prokofiev's Sonata No. 3 in A Minor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NG9V8KJsB4
