Symphony Orchestra of the Belgorod State Philharmonic (Belgorod Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra) |

Belgorod Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra

The Symphony Orchestra of the Belgorod State Philharmonic is today one of the most famous and recognized orchestras in Russia, a team of high artistic performing level.

The orchestra was created in October 1993 on the initiative of the director and artistic director of the Philharmonic Ivan Trunov on the basis of a chamber orchestra (conductor – Lev Arshtein). The first conductor was Alexander Surzhenko. In 1994, the team was headed by Alexander Shadrin. Since 2006, the chief conductor and artistic director of the symphony orchestra has been Rashit Nigamatullin.

Over the 25 years of its development, the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra has become a popular and large musical group (about 100 people), which has laid down completely new cultural traditions in Belgorod and the region. In the process of gradually mastering the world symphonic repertoire, the orchestra developed an individual repertoire policy. Diversity in the unity of the overall development strategy of the orchestra has become decisive for the conductors R. Nigamatullin and D. Filatov, who organically complement each other.

The creative arsenal of the symphony orchestra includes masterpieces of world music, the best examples of Russian and foreign musical classics of different eras and styles – from I.S. Bach, A. Vivaldi to A. Copland and K. Nielsen, from M. Glinka to A. Schnittke and S. Slonimsky, S. Gubaidulina. The repertoire of the Belgorod Symphony Orchestra includes the whole rich world of feelings and emotions of domestic and foreign symphony, its best examples, as well as operas, ballet music, popular programs, contemporary music and numerous educational, children’s and youth programs.

In the past, close creative contacts connected the Belgorod Symphony Orchestra with outstanding Russian performers and composers: N. Petrov, I. Arkhipova, V. Piavko, V. Gornostaeva, D. Khrennikov, S. Slonimsky, V. Kazenin, A. Eshpay, K. Khachaturian. Currently, creative ties are developing with composers A. Baturin, A. Rybnikov, E. Artemyev, R. Kalimullin. The orchestra’s relations with young talented performers, the pride of modern Russia, are also growing stronger. Bright, unforgettable evenings of classical music were the performances of the symphony orchestra with famous young virtuoso musicians, which took place within the framework of the project of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation “Stars of the XXI century” – pianist F. Kopachevsky, violinists N. Borisoglebsky, A. Pritchin, I. Pochekin and M Pochekin, G. Kazazyan, cellist A. Ramm.

Currently, the orchestra closely cooperates with the academic choir of the Philharmonic. Thanks to this creative tandem, previously impossible programs were released – the Requiems by D. Verdi and A. Karamanov, the Stabat mater cantatas by D. Rossini and A. Dvorak, the Ninth Symphony by L. Beethoven, the Second and Third Symphonies by G. Mahler, the opera “Iolanta” and cantatas “Moscow” by P. Tchaikovsky, “Alexander Nevsky” by S. Prokofiev and “Spring” by S. Rachmaninov, poems “The Bells” by S. Rachmaninov and “In Memory of Sergei Yesenin” by G. Sviridov.

The orchestra is not limited to one style or era, it plays modern music, Russian and Western, with equal success: T. Khrennikov Jr., A. Baturin, A. Iradyan, V. Lyutoslavsky, K. Nielsen, R. Vaughan Williams. This has a positive effect on the overall development of the team, on expanding the musical horizons of the orchestra’s artists and educating the listeners.

Participation in festivals refreshes the current activity of the symphony orchestra, gives it vitality and stimulates development. International music festival BelgorodMusicFest “Borislav Strulev and friends” (2016 – 2018) contributed to the work of the orchestra with such outstanding artists as: A. Markov, I. Abdrazakov, A. Aglatova, V. Magomadov, O. Petrova, H. Badalyan , I. Monashirov, A. Gainullin.

The orchestra owes another festival, Sheremetev Musical Assemblies, the expansion of classical horizons and performing names: A. Romanovsky and V. Benelli-Mozell (Italy), N. Lugansky, V. Tselebrovsky, V. Ladyuk, V. Dzhioeva, N. Borisoglebsky, B Andrianov, B. Strulev, State Academic Symphony Chapel of Russia. A.A. Yurlov and the State Academic Choir of Russia under the direction of V. Polyansky.

At the closing of the All-Russian Festival of the Union of Composers of Russia, held under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the Russian Musical Union (2018), the symphony orchestra performed three premieres – “The Northern Sphinx” by Alexei Rybnikov, Concerto for tenor saxophone and orchestra by R. Kalimullina and a suite from music by Eduard Artemiev for the play “The Cabal of the Holy” based on the play by M. Bulgakov.

In 2018, the Symphony Orchestra took part in the All-Russian Philharmonic Seasons program of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, touring the cities of the Central Federal District of Russia (Kaluga, Bryansk, Tula, Lipetsk, Kursk). The concerts were held under the baton of chief conductor Rashit Nigamatullin with great success and resonance in the media. Music by A. Khachaturian and S. Prokofiev was performed.

Over the past three years, the Symphony Orchestra has become an active participant in the creative projects of the Belgorod State Philharmonic – SOVA open-airs (in the UTARK castle) and the Etazhi art festival, aimed at a youth audience (conductor – Dmitry Filatov).

In May 2018, the chief conductor of the symphony orchestra, Rashit Nigamatullin, was awarded the honorary title of Honored Artist of the Russian Federation. This is the overall victory of the conductor and the team.

In the immediate plans of the orchestra – the third performance in the Concert Hall. P.I. Tchaikovsky in 2019.

The Belgorod State Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra is one of the youngest and most promising orchestras in Russia. The team is rapidly developing, setting new creative and performing tasks. The panorama of the orchestra’s activities is expanding in each new concert season.

Information provided by the public relations department of the Belgorod State Philharmonic