Pinchas Zukerman (photo Paul Labelle)

(LENOX, Mass.) – On Friday, August 10, 2012, at Tanglewood, Pinchas Zukerman — who first performed at Tanglewood in 1969 — acts as both conductor and solo violinist in an all-Bach program — a popular concert format throughout the history of the festival — that highlights some of the exceptional talent within the ranks of the BSO. In addition to Zukerman and guest harpsichordist John Gibbons, BSO principal flutist Elizabeth Rowe, principal oboist John Ferrillo, and concertmaster Malcolm Lowe take solo turns in a program featuring the Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 3 and 5, the Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, BWV 1041, the Concerto in D minor for two violins and strings, BWV 1043, and the Concerto in C minor for violin, oboe, and strings, BWV 1060.

Yo-Yo Ma returns to the Shed stage Saturday, August 11, 2012, as soloist in Elgar’s Cello Concerto, with conductor Stéphane Denève, who also leads the orchestra in the world premiere of Music for Boston, a BSO-commissioned new work by André Previn, and Shostakovich’s riveting Symphony No. 5.

Christoph von Dohnányi takes the podium once again Sunday, August 12, 2012, for a program spanning almost 200 years of the Austro-German music tradition. Widely acclaimed pianist Paul Lewis makes his BSO and Tanglewood debuts as soloist in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 in A, K.488, bracketed by Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 and Strauss’s Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks.