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MOSCOW VIRTUOSI PRINCIPALS
The
denominated
Russian School
is not a unit of musicians who belong to the same town or who
share similar or collective artistic principles. To belong to
the Russian school, means the sharing of a musical mentality, an
artistic philosophy. It is the same way of seeing, listening to
and feeling music: extremely sharp, deeply emotional. For
professionals of the category of those belonging to the Russian
school, to interpret music is as vital as living and breathing.
The communication that is established between the performing
musicians is something deeper than just interpreting. It is to
share and to feel with their colleagues what is most precious to
them.
The great
artistic inquietude of this quartet is one of the main reasons
that guided them towards forming this group and their
admiration for the concept of the Russian school which is the
inheritance received from the great Russian musicians of the
last century and founders of the prestigious Russian
Conservatories.
The Moscow Virtuosi Principals
is a group of chamber musicians founded in 1979 by Vladimir
Spivakov, one of the most famous violinists of our day, who
selected for this group soloists of high quality, those
musicians coming mainly from major positions held in important
orchestras of the former Soviet Union, in order to form their
own musical ensemble.
From the first
moment of their creation, the Moscow Virtuosi Principals
have been requested to undertake extensive tours all over
Europe, Asia and America. Following several delays caused by the
difficult diplomatic relationships between the United States and
the USSR, the orchestra was finally able to perform their long
awaited premiere in the United States in 1978. The welcome they
received was so enthusiastic that they have to return every
year, visiting the most important Concert Halls of the whole of
North America and Canada.
The
Moscow Virtuosi Principals have also been chosen as
the permanent orchestra by the
International Festivals of
Marbella, Rheingau Musik
Festival of Wiesbaden, Festpiele Wiltz Festival, Schleswig
Holstein Festival, and the International Festival of Colmar,
etc.
Arkadiy Futer,
Alexander Gelfat, Igor Suliga, Mikhail Milman and Alexei Utkin
are the founder members who already played together in Moscow
before the formation of the Moscow Virtuosi Principals. They
have been performing for the last 20 years at all types of
concerts and formations, both in quartet, quintet or sextet and
also as soloists of this prestigious ensemble. The list of
places and festivals where they have played is very extensive,
and it ranges from Russia to Spain, including Finland, the
United States, Japan, Holland, etc... etc... etc...
ARKADIY FUTER
- Violin.
He was
born in Moscow in 1932. After concluding his studies at the
Tchaikovsky Conservatory of their native city, he post-graduated
with the highest of qualifications. He was the pupil of the
eminent professor Yuriy Yankelevitch. He is the
‘concertino’ of the Moscow Virtuosi Principals and has been
performing with them since their formation in 1979 by Vladimir
Spivakov. He participates in the quartet directed by Vladimir
Spivakov, the “Spivakov Kvartet." Recently he has recorded
different violin concerts with Vladimir Spivakov at the RMG-RCA
and NET-SEAL recording companies.
Arkadiy Futer
has worked under the direction of famous conductors such as
Rozhsdesvensky, Svetlanov, Kondrasin, Jarvi, Kitayenko, Mazur
and others. He has taken part in concerts and recordings with
D.Oistrakh, L.Kogan, M.Rostropovich, E.Guilels, V.Spivakov,
V.Kraiñev, E.Virsaladze, F.Kissin...
ALEXANDER GELFAT
- Violin.
He was
born in 1943 in Kuybischev. He studied at the "Gnessin"
Institute of Moscow, then at the “Tchaikovsky” Conservatory. He
received tuition from the very well-known professor Yuriy
Yankelevitch. In 1963 he was rewarded at the International
Violin Competition of Hungary. He worked with the Moscow
Orchestra of Chamber Music, later with the Academic Symphonic
Orchestra of the same city and under the direction of Kondrasin,
working in parallel with the chamber music activity. He has
collaborated with important musicians such as Rostropovitch,
Rozhsdesvensky, Oistrakh, and Kogan.
OLEG LEV -
Viola.
He
finished his studies of the viola brilliantly at the State owned
Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Moscow. From the very beginning, he
has worked with important State Orchestras such as that of
Cinematography, the Soviet State Orchestra, both directed by the
famous Svetlanov. At the same time he worked as professor
of the viola at the School of Music for Children, which belongs
to the Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Moscow. Being a great
enthusiast of chamber music, he has performed at numerous
concerts in duet, trio and quartet with distinguished artists.
MIKHAIL MILMAN
- Violoncello.
He was
born in Moscow in 1947. He studied the violoncello with
Valentine Verlinsky at the Ippolitov-Ivanov Music College,
passing later to study at the Conservatory of Moscow with
Natalia Gutman and Mstislav Rostropovich. Since the formation,
he is the principal violoncellist of the chamber music
orchestra, the Moscow Virtuosi Principals.
Mikhail Milman is very active as soloist and chamber musician.
As soloist of
the Moscow Virtuosi Principals, he has recorded
several pieces with the BMG-RCA and NET-SEAL recording
companies. Also as a member of the group “The Soloists” of the
Moscow Virtuosi Principals, he has made recordings
with "Melodía". As a chamber musician, he has performed with
several famous soloists such as Vladimir Krainev, E. Kissin,
Mario Joao Pires, Yuriy Bashmet, Ivan Monigetti, etc. In January
1993 he recorded “Souvenir de Florence” with the “Borodin
String Quartet” for Teldec Classics International, part
of a series dedicated entirely to Tchaikovsky, and for this he
received the GRAMOPHONE Prize in October 1994. The
Quintet for 2 violoncellos by Schubert was also recorded with
the “Borodin String Quartet” in 1996.
ALEXEI UTKIN
- Oboe.
Student
of Petrov at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory of
Moscow, where he graduated in 1983. In the same year he won
First Prize at the Russian National Competition for Oboe. He has
played at the most important halls in the world: Carnegie
Hall (New York), Concertgebauw (Amsterdam), Palau de la Música
(Barcelona), Auditorio Nacional (Madrid), Academia Santa Cecilia
(Rome), Champs Elysees (Paris), Moscow Conservatory Great Hall,
Hercules Hall (Munich), Beethoven Hall (Bonn) etc... He is a
soloist of the Moscow Virtuosi Principals. He has
made numerous recordings with RCA and BMG. He has played with
Eliso Virdsaladze, Natalia Gutman, Radovan Vladkovitch, E.
Brunner, Alexander Rudin, Valery Popov and of course with
Vladimir Spivakov. At the moment he is Professor
of Oboe at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory of
Moscow
and professor at the International
Double Reed Society.
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