UTAH SYMPHONY, Abravanel Hall, Oct. 21; second performance  Oct. 22, 8 p.m., tickets at 801-355-2787 or 888-451-2787 or www.utahsymphony.org

Friday night’s Utah Symphony concert featured two young guest artists in a concert of music by Russian composers. Each composition came early in the career of the composer and made for an interesting comparison to the better known works that came later in each composer’s career.

The evening began with Igor Stravinsky’s op. 1: his Symphony No. 1 in E-flat major, written in 1905. Stravinsky is, without a doubt, most famous for the series of ballets he wrote not too long after this work. These compositions culminated in the iconic The Rite of Spring in 1913, though his influence on modern music extends far beyond what that single work accomplished.

For those only familiar with Stravinsky`s ballets, the symphony may have sounded surprising: it existed somewhere between classicism and romanticism and contained many clean lines and muscular harmonies. There were definitely hints of what was to come, but overall the work showed the strong influence by Rimsky-Korsakov, who was Stravinsky’s teacher while the symphony was written.

The performers handled the work well, and presented a very nice interpretation. If I were to nitpick, I would point out that the tempo across the orchestra never quite settled into place during the first two movements, but perhaps this is to be expected with a guest conductor. Ensembles and conductors have a complex relationship that takes time to develop, and guest conductor Garry Walker, while a fine conductor, only had a small amount of time with this particular orchestra before the opening night performance.

Next on the program was Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 1 from 1912. Featuring 25-year-old Russian pianist Denis Kozhukhin, the work contains plenty of youthful energy. Kozhukhin highlighted that energy by taking a blistering tempo in the outer movements. While the young pianist wowed the audience with his extreme technical ability and total grasp of his interpretation, if I were to nitpick again I would point out that the blistering tempo sacrificed the clarity of some notes, though each gesture and phrase did remain intact. I’m willing to give Kozhukhin the benefit of the doubt on this matter, though. The energy he brought to the work, along with a commanding stage presence, made him a joy to watch and hear.

Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 2 lived up to its top billing. The orchestra and conductor seemed to have settled into place and were working well together. The work’s rich orchestrations and striking harmonies were played nearly perfectly by the orchestra, and Walker’s leadership made for a beautiful interpretation. Here, there was nothing to nitpick.

Overall, the symphony presented a wonderful evening of music. My guess is that the concertgoers on Saturday night will probably hear a better concert overall now that the musicians and the conductor have a performance under their belts. It was interesting to hear the progression throughout the evening from slightly shaky to completely solid. My reservations are small; my admiration for the performers is not.