The pianist will play Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No 1 and George Gershwin’s joyful Rhapsody in Blue in ‘a masterstroke in programming’ by the ACO

• Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email

Youthful and rebellious is how Alexander Gavrylyuk describes Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No 1, the work with which he will mark his debut appearance with the Australian Chamber Orchestra on Friday.

“It’s a work where he fights to be heard,” says the Australian-based virtuoso, speaking from a waterside cafe a stone’s throw away from the ACO’s Walsh Bay home. “One gets a feeling that it’s been written by someone cornered who is trying to remain an individual in resistance to the system.”

Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning