State Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Tatarstan (Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra) |

Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra

The idea of ​​creating a symphony orchestra in Tatarstan belonged to the chairman of the Union of Composers of Tatarstan, rector of the Kazan State Conservatory Nazib Zhiganov. The need for an orchestra in the TASSR has been discussed since the 50s, but it was almost impossible to get a large creative team for the autonomous republic. Nevertheless, in 1966, the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR on the creation of a Tatar symphony orchestra was issued, and the Government of the RSFSR took over its maintenance.

On the initiative of Zhiganov and the first secretary of the Tatar regional committee of the CPSU Tabeev, the conductor Nathan Rakhlin was invited to Kazan.

“…Today, a competition commission for the recruitment of orchestra members worked at the Philharmonic. Rakhlin is sitting. The musicians are excited. He patiently listens to them, and then he talks to everyone else … So far, only Kazan players are playing. There are many good ones among them… Rakhlin wants to recruit experienced musicians. But he will not succeed – no one will give apartments. I myself, although I condemn the attitude of our hosts towards the orchestra, do not see anything wrong if the orchestra will mainly consist of young people who have graduated from the Kazan Conservatory. After all, from this youth Nathan will be able to sculpt whatever he wants. Today it seemed to me that he was leaning towards this idea, ” Zhiganov wrote to his wife in September 1966.

On April 10, 1967, the first concert of the G. Tukay State Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra conducted by Natan Rakhlin took place on the stage of the Tatar Opera and Ballet Theater. The music of Bach, Shostakovich and Prokofiev sounded. Soon a concert hall was built, for a long time known in Kazan as a “glass”, which became the main concert and rehearsal venue for the new orchestra.

The first 13 years were among the brightest in the history of the Tatar orchestra: the team successfully appeared in Moscow, traveled with concerts to almost all major cities of the USSR, while in Tatarstan its popularity knew no bounds.

After his death in 1979 Renat Salavatov, Sergey Kalagin, Ravil Martynov, Imant Kocinsh work with Natana Grigoryevich’s orchestra.

In 1985, Fuat Mansurov, People’s Artist of Russia and the Kazakh USSR, was invited to the post of artistic director and chief conductor, by that time he had worked in the State Symphony Orchestra of Kazakhstan, in the Kazakh and Tatar opera and ballet theaters, in the Bolshoi Theater and in Moscow Conservatory. Mansurov worked in the Tatar orchestra for 25 years. Over the years, the team has experienced both success and difficult perestroika times. The 2009-2010 season, when Fuat Shakirovich was already seriously ill, turned out to be the most difficult for the orchestra.

In 2010, after the death of Fuat Shakirovich, Honored Artist of Russia Alexander Sladkovsky was appointed as the new artistic director and chief conductor, with whom the Tatarstan State Symphony Orchestra began its 45th season. With the advent of Alexander Sladkovsky, a new stage in the history of the orchestra began.

The festivals organized by the orchestra – “Rakhlin Seasons”, “White Lilac”, “Kazan Autumn”, “Concordia”, “Denis Matsuev with Friends” – are recognized as one of the brightest and most notable events in the cultural life of Tatarstan and Russia. Concerts of the first festival “Denis Matsuev with friends” were shown on Medici.tv. In the 48th concert season, the orchestra will present another festival – “Creative Discovery”.

The orchestra has established the project “Property of the Republic” for gifted pupils of music schools and students of the conservatory, the educational project for schoolchildren of Kazan “Music Lessons with an Orchestra”, the cycle “Healing with Music” for disabled and seriously ill children. In 2011, the orchestra became the winner of the Philanthropist of the Year 2011 competition, established by the President of the Republic of Tatarstan. The musicians of the orchestra finish the season with a charity tour around the cities of Tatarstan. According to the results of 2012, the Musical Review newspaper included the team from Tatarstan in the top 10 best Russian orchestras.

The State Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Tatarstan has taken part in many prestigious festivals, including the International Music Festival “Wörthersee Classic” (Klagenfurt, Austria), “Crescendo”, “Cherry Forest”, the VIII International Festival “Stars on Baikal”.

In 2012, the State Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Tatarstan conducted by Alexander Sladkovsky recorded an Anthology of Music by Tatarstan Composers on the Sony Music and RCA Red Seal labels; then presented the new album “Enlightenment”, also recorded on Sony Music and RCA Red Seal. Since 2013, the orchestra has been an artist of Sony Music Entertainment Russia.

In different years, performers with world names performed with the RT State Symphony Orchestra, including G. Vishnevskaya, I. Arkhipova, O. Borodina, L. Kazarnovskaya, Kh. Gerzmava, A. Shagimuratova, Sumi Cho, T. Serzhan, A. Bonitatibus, D. Aliyeva, R. Alanya, Z. Sotkilava, D. Hvorostovsky, V. Guerello, I. Abdrazakov, V. Spivakov, V. Tretyakov, I. Oistrakh, V. Repin, S. Krylov, G. Kremer, A. Baeva, Yu. Bashmet, M. Rostropovich, D. Saffron, D. Geringas, S. Roldugin, M. Pletnev, N. Petrov, V. Krainev, V. Viardo, L. Berman, D. Matsuev, B. Berezovsky, B. Douglas, N. Luhansky, A. Toradze, E. Mechetina, R. Yassa, K. Bashmet, I. Boothman, S. Nakaryakov, A. Ogrinchuk, State Academic Choir Chapel of Russia named after A. A. Yurlova, State Academic Russian Choir named after A. V. Sveshnikova, choir under the direction of G. Ernesaksa, V. Minina, Capella im. M. I. Glinky.