The Department of History’s Professor Christoph Mick, a specialist of modern Russian and Eastern European history, is to give a pre-concert talk at the forthcoming concert by the Warwickshire Symphony Orchestra on Saturday 14^th October in All Saints Church, Leamington Spa. The orchestra is performing Shostakovich’s masterpiece, Symphony no. 7 in C, the Leningrad. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Leningrad Symphony’s first performance and the siege of Leningrad it commemorates. After its completion, the initial dedication of the work to Lenin was changed by Shostakovich in favour of the people of Leningrad and it remains one of his most well received compositions. It quickly became very popular in both the Soviet Union and the West as a symbol of resistance to Nazi totalitarianism and militarism. It is still regarded as the major musical testament to the estimated 25 million Soviet citizens who lost their lives in World War 2. Professor Mick’s talk will provide context for the symphony, which was actually composed during the siege, and will help in bringing it to life.