The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra announced today that the French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet has withdrawn from this weekend’s performances due to illness. Pianist George Li has agreed to step in on short notice, and in his CSO debut, Li will perform Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, in place of the previously announced Liszt Piano Concerto No. 2. The rest of the program will remain intact. Louis Langrée is conducting.

Li began piano lessons at age 4; at 11 he made his debut at Carnegie Hall. He is currently earning an artist diploma at the New England Conservatory. If you check his page, he has a vast repertory… Learn more about George Li here.

This weekend will mark the CSO’s first-ever Lunar New Year celebration, in partnership with the Alliance of Chinese Culture and Arts. Ticket holders are encouraged to arrive early for performances in the Music Hall foyer by local musicians and dancers representing the vibrant Asian cultures from around the world.

The program will be:

CHEN QIGANG: The Five Elements

SAINT-SAËNS: Piano Concerto No. 2

ZHOU TIAN: The Palace of Nine Perfections

MAURICE RAVEL: Rapsodie espagnole

Information: cincinnatisymphony.org.