Press releases

MINSK, 27 September (BelTA) – Maestro Yuri Bashmet and his state symphony orchestra Novaya Rossiya will open the 12^th edition of the Yuri Bashmet International Festival at the Belarusian State Philharmonics on 27 September, BelTA has learned.

The orchestra has prepared a program of the best music masterpieces for the Belarusian audience. Maestro Yuri Bashmet will conduct and also perform solo.

Virtuoso pianist Aleksei Volodin will give a solo concert on 29 September. The musician is a holder of many prestigious contests and one of the most popular pianists in the world. He performs at the world’s best concert hall, including London’s Wigmore Hall, Amstredam’s Royal Concertgebouw, the Philharmonie de Paris, and the Moscow State Conservatory.

The East-West Chamber Orchestra under the baton of famous Belarusian pianist and conductor, and also art director of the Yuri Bashmet festival Rostislav Krimer enjoys full houses. The orchestra will give two concerts this time: on 4 and 8 October.

The concerts of the orchestra will feature world-renowned artists, including accordionist Kseniya Sidorova from Riga. The musician gained wide recognition after her performance at the BBC Proms in London.

The second concert of the East-West Chamber Orchestra will wrap up the music forum on 8 October. Outstanding violinist Julian Rachlin will present the Legends on the Stradivari Violin program.

The baby concert Music of Your Heart will be held as part of the Yuri Bashmet International Festival on 5 October. The program of Mozart works has been developed by Rostislav Krimer.

On 7 October well-known Polish musician, composer and conductor Krzysztof Penderecki will conduct a big concert in Minsk as part of the Yuri Bashmet International Festival for the first time. Krzysztof Penderecki will present his composition written to mark the 3,000^th anniversary of Jerusalem (1997) Seven Gates of Jerusalem. Tubaphones, especially made for the symphony and weighting several tonnes, will be delivered to Minsk.

The concert will feature the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Belarus, the Shirma State Academic Choir of Belarus, the State Chamber Choir of Belarus, soloists from Poland Ivona Hossa (soprano), Anna Lubanska (mezzo-soprano), Piotr Nowacki (basso), Karolina Sikora (soprano), Adam Zdunikowski (tenor), Slawomir Holland (reader).

The 12^th edition of the Yuri Bashmet International Festival will be held in Minsk on 27 September-8 October. This annual event was first held in 2006.