Dalbavie's concerto was co-commissioned by the BBC, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the Chicago Symphony. The BBC Symphony gave its world premiere at the Proms in August; the Chicago Symphony will perform it in February 2006. Andsnes appears in all three performances, as well as recording the work for EMI with the Baravian Radio Symphony and Welser-M‹st.
"I like very much that Dalbavie has written a real concerto: a virtuoso piece for piano and orchestra and not, like so many newer pieces, a work where the piano part is simply written into the orchestra," Andsnes said. "The ideas transform from one thing to the next: an idea starts as an accompanying figure and might transform itself to a melodic element or motif. This is a fascinating aspect of his music it's all about the transformation of ideas."
The Cleveland Orchestra premiered Dalbavie's Concertate il suono in 2000 and his Rocks Under the Water in 2002.