The Youngstown Symphony Orchestra will open its 2012-13 classical season on Saturday with guest artist Di Wu.
Conductor Randall Craig Fleischer will present an all-Russian program that includes Tchaikovsky's ''Marche Slav'' and his Fifth Symphony.
Wu will perform Rachmaninoff's ''Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini.''
The Chinese-born pianist made her professional debut at the age of 14 with the Beijing Philharmonic, and has since appeared with such orchestras as Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Hamburg Philharmoniker, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
In addition to orchestra engagements, Wu has performed as a soloist at Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall in New York and has appeared in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco as well as the Ravinia Festival and the Portland Piano Festival.
She is a frequent performer in Europe and in major venues throughout Asia. Her most recent appearance in Tokyo, at an arena concert recorded and released by Epic Records in Japan, took place before an audience of more than 11,000 people.
Wu is the winner of multiple awards, including a coveted prize at the 2009 Van Cliburn Competition; The Juilliard School's Petschek Award; The Virtuosi Prize at Lisbon's prestigious Vendome Competition; and the winner of Astral Artists' 2007 National Auditions.
The concert starts at 8 p.m. Saturday at Powers Auditorium, 260 W. Federal St., Youngstown. Tickets range from $40 to $55 and are available at the DeYor Performing Arts Center box office and by calling 330-744-0264.
The orchestra also will play its second Stained Glass Concert at 4 p.m. Sunday at St. Nicolas Roman Catholic Church, 764 Fifth Ave., Struthers. Members of the orchestra and Fleischer will perform favorites of the classical repertoire and will be joined by a community chorus organized by Michael Moritz, the church's music director. Admission is free.