The Symphony Orchestra of the Vitebsk Regional Philharmonic celebrates its 10th anniversary
The original title is not accidental, shares Vladimir Belyavsky, artistic director and conductor of the orchestra:
– We have overcome the first serious step in our careers, scoring a creative goal in our favor. Much has been achieved over these ten years, but I believe that there are no less discoveries, encounters, and, of course, various good music ahead.
The anniversary concert, which will undoubtedly become a bright page in the cultural life of Vitebsk, will feature works by E. Grieg, J. Brahms, S. Rachmaninoff, F. Lehár, D. Brubeck, A. Márquez, and D. Ellington. The audience will enjoy a classical and popular music program. In the first part, laureate of international competitions, soloist Ekaterina Ivanova will perform Grieg's "Piano Concerto with Orchestra" for the first time for the Vitebsk Regional Philharmonic. The first part will conclude with another premiere. Also, laureate of international competitions, soloist Maria SkorInova will perform "Fast Movement" – a part of A. Tsfasman's jazz suite.
The second part features a long-time friend of the philharmonic, Vitaly Yamuteev from Minsk. He can rightly be called a multi-instrumentalist, as the musician's arsenal includes tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones, clarinet, and bass clarinet. Together with Yamuteev, the symphony orchestra will perform both hits well-known to the Vitebsk audience and a new piece – the melody by Italian composer Nino Rota from the film "Romeo and Juliet."
Among the pleasant surprises will also be the performance of the original work by orchestra artist Evgeny Polovinsky, "Dance of Time." Philharmonic stars will participate in the concert program: Oksana Novikova (soprano), Elena Pavlenkova (soprano), Sergey Belousov (baritone), Julietta Tarakhchyan (popular vocal).
INTERESTING FACT
The Symphony Orchestra was established at the Vitebsk Regional Philharmonic in 2012. The ensemble's debut took place on June 19, becoming the main event of the XXIII concert season. The orchestra was formed on the basis of the chamber orchestra that had existed at the philharmonic since 2002. The first conductor of the chamber orchestra was Viktor Kornilov; since 2008, the newly formed ensemble has been led by Vladimir Belyavsky.
It is noteworthy that about 100 years ago, the only symphony orchestra in Belarus appeared precisely in Vitebsk. Its establishment in what was then a quiet provincial town was achieved by the outstanding St. Petersburg musician Nikolai Andreevich Malko. Art historians rank this event alongside the creation of the Vitebsk Art School. The orchestra consisted of 60 musicians, and its first concert took place on November 18, 1918. In the subsequent three years of its existence, the orchestra gave 120 (!) concerts per year.
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