“I prefer to suffer for my beliefs rather than kill for my beliefs.” Although similar to Beethoven’s Fate Symphony which opens in C minor and gradually shifts to C major, Shostakovich’s Eighth Symphony only portrays the havoc and devastation of war with no hint of the triumph. It is Shostakovich’s lament after he saw the rampant destruction of WWII, and the siege and famine of Leningrad, his hometown, forcing its residents to kill for food. He employed his versatile composing skill to manipulate all kinds of musical forms to build up this symphony. Five movements press onward with relentless momentum. They depict the agony of wartime and also convey his firsthand experiences. As another autobiographical piece, Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto is a fierce eruption of energy. Transmuting geniality from bleakness, the astounding virtuosity is intertwined with profound musical ideas. Each listening experience is like seeing through Shostakovich’s eyes. Kavakos, the contemporary virtuoso of string instruments, will collaborate with his colleague Shao-Chia Lü for the second time in Taipei. Witness how they navigate seeing the world from Shostakovich’s perspective, asking how we find the glory of humanity in the wasteland.