National Philharmonic of Russia, Vladimir Spivakov conductor and Denis Matsuev piano soloist

Founded in 2003 at the initiative of the Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Ministry of Culture, the National Philharmonic of Russia has quickly become a musical symbol of the new Russia. Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Vladimir Spivakov has assembled some of Russia's intrumental elite into an ensemble combining technical virtuosity with a rare capacity to become immersed in the music and draw the audience into that experience. National Philharmonic of Russia is making music on the highest level and touring the world making the enrapturing purity of their sound and their stunning musical command available to all.  Please check the official website of the orchestra for more information  www.nfor.ru/eng/index.php

Joining Maestro Spivakov is the extraordinary young Russian pianist, Denis Matsuev. One of the brightest and most gifted graduates of the Moscow Conservatory remarkable for his "perfect technique and artistry," Denis Matsuev is a rising star becoming known internationally for his brilliant interpretations of the great Romantic period piano repertoire, including Lizst, Schumann, Chopin and Rachmaninoff. Gold medalist at the 1998 International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, Mr. Matsuev has appeared on tour in the US with the Bolshoi Symphony, Russian National Orchestra and the Russian State and in more than 400 cities world-wide, with recent performances in Lyon, France; Seoul, Korea; Warsaw, Poland; Sydney, Australia; Beijing, China and Tokyo, Japan.

Official artist's website www.matsuev.ru/eng_index.mhtml

“Spivakov and company had an abandon that made the music’s drama hit home. The sheer range of the orchestra’s sounds, from murmurs to flashes, played up the phantasmagorical streak that runs through the whole piece.”
—The Charlotte Observer

“[Matsuev’s] technique is phenomenal: blistering passagework, steely chords. Perhaps he is the new Horowitz.”
—The London Times

Program:

Tchaikovsky: Polonaise from "Eugene Onegin"
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 1
Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet
Tchaikovsky:The Sleeping Beauty: Suite