Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
The work was commissioned by the eminent conductor/pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy as a concerto which could be conducted from behind the piano, with Ashkenazy serving as soloist and conductor simultaneously. Ashkenazy did premiere the concerto in this dual role with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra in 1999. He has since toured around the world performing the concerto, subsequently recording it on Ondine, a Finnish record company.