An ambitious new score from James MacMillan

The work of the Scottish composer James MacMillan, at its best, boasts a wonderful combination of imposing dramatic heft and expressive intimacy — the one traceable to his commitment to the orchestral tradition, the other to his robust Catholic faith.

Any opportunity to encounter a new work from his prolific pen is a chance worth grabbing, and this week the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra gives the first U.S. performance of his Fourth Symphony, a co-commission with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Pittsburgh Symphony.

Guest conductor Elim Chan will step in for Music Director Joana Carneiro, leading a program that also features pianist Shai Wosner as soloist in Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto.