MANCHESTER — The Augusta Symphony Orchestra will perform its first concert of the 2015-16 at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Hope Baptist Church. The program will include the “New World Symphony” by Antonin Dvorak and “Piano Concert” by American composer Amy Beach. Piano soloist will be Virginia Eskin.

Virginia Eskin, a California native but long-time Bostonian, has performed with many professional orchestras from the east coast to San Francisco, including the Boston Pops. She has also been a soloist with the New York City and Boston Ballet Companies, and given concerts all over U.S. and Europe, including the Morgan Library in New York and Jordan Hall in Boston. Her connection with Augusta stems from her long-time collaboration with the Portland String Quartet, with whom she has both recorded a Dvorak Piano Quintet, and played the Amy Beach Quintet.

Paul Ross, ASO Conductor is the former cellist for the Portland String Quartet. She last performed with the ASO in 2013 (Mozart Piano Concerto #20). Eskin is a versatile solo pianist and chamber player, skilled at both the Classical repertoire and Ragtime. Recent career highlights include a recital tour of Croatia, a presentation of works by African American women composers at Boston University, and a recital at the U.S. embassy in Madrid – all in 2014.

Known as a champion of the works of women composers, she premiered Vítezslava Kaprálová ‘s “Partita” with the Chamber Orchestra of Boston at Jordan Hall in 2009. Her list of recordings is long and varied, and includes a collection of Amy Beach pieces (though not this concerto).