Work of the Week – Fazıl Say: Accordion Concerto

With his Accordion Concerto, Fazıl Say turns to an instrument that has long occupied a marginal position in the classical concert hall while embodying a remarkable cultural diversity. The world premiere on 4 July 2026 at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival in Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie brings together leading figures of contemporary performance: soloist Ksenija Sidorova, focus artist at this year's SHMF, alongside the Robert Schumann Philharmonic Chemnitz, and conductor Benjamin Reiners. This constellation already suggests a work that mediates between virtuosic display and orchestral nuance.

Say’s oeuvre has consistently explored questions of identity and sonic hybridity. The accordion provides an ideal medium for this inquiry, linking traditions from folk music, tango, klezmer, and contemporary composition. The concerto thus emerges not as a vehicle for conventional virtuosity but as a space for exploring a complex and layered sound world.

Between intimacy and rhythmic drive

The three movements—Adagio, Introduzione, Cadenza, Scherzo, Andante—form a structure that develops its own narrative rather than adhering strictly to classical models. The opening movement unfolds as a breathing sonic landscape in which the accordion alternates between solo prominence and chamber-like integration. The cadenza becomes less a display piece than an introspective monologue.

The Scherzo introduces rhythmic sharpness and almost mechanical energy, revealing Say’s affinity for shifting rhythmic patterns influenced by improvisational and non-Western traditions. The final Andante gathers these elements without resolving them conventionally, instead creating a contemplative sonic space that reflects on what has come before.

Throughout summer and early autumn 2026, audiences will have multiple opportunities to encounter Fazıl Say’s music live. His works continue to appear in festival programmes and orchestral seasons across Europe, situating the Accordion Concerto within a broader, ongoing presence on today’s concert stages.

Learn more:

Accordion Concerto: Work page with online score

Event page at SHMF

Fazıl Say: Composer profile

_{photos: Dario Acorst (Ksenija Sidorova), Marco Borggreve (Fazıl Say)}