PROGRAM:
Dmitry Bortniansky: "Sinfonia" Overture from Il Quinto Fabio
Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47
Interval
Maxim Berezovsky: Our Father, arr. Sirenko
Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98
National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine
Volodymyr Sirenko, Artistic Director & Chief Conductor
Maya Wichert, violin
Formed by the Council of Ministers of Ukraine in November of 1918, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine is considered one of the finest symphony orchestras in Eastern Europe. Its founding conductor was Oleksandr Horilyj; Natan Rachlin was the Artistic Director of the Orchestra from 1937 until 1962; Stefan Turchak, Volodymyr Kozhukhar, Fedir Hlushchenko, Igor Blazhkov and Theodore Kuchar consequently conducted the Orchestra as its Principal Conductors.
Other conductors who worked with the NSOU include Kostiantyn Simeonov, Leopold Stokowski, Igor Markevitch, Kurt Sanderling, Kiril Kondrashin, Kurt Masur, Hermann Abendroth, Willy Ferrero and others. Soloists who performed with the NSOU include Artur Rubinstein, Yehudi Menuhin, Isaac Stern, David Oistrakh, Sviatoslav Richter, Mstislav Rostropovich, Emil Gilels, Leonid Kogan, Gidon Kremer, Oleh Krysa, Monserrat Caballe, Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo, Andrea Bocelli and Juan Diego Flores. The NSOU was entrusted with the premier performances of the works of composers Borys Liatoshynsky, Valentyn Sylvestrov, Myroslav Skoryk, and Evhen Stankovych.
The Orchestra has gained international recognition from its robust international touring and recording art. The NSOU has toured Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and the United States of America.
Since 1993, the NSOU has released more than 100 sound recordings which include both Ukrainian and international repertoires to high critical acclaim. In 1994, the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC) rated NSOU’s recording of Borys Liatoshynsky’s Symphonies No. 2 and No. 3 as “The Best Recording of the Year.” Their CD of Sylvestrov’s “Requiem for Larissa” was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2005; their recording of Bloch and Lees’ Violin Concertos was nominated for another Grammy Award four years later.
Volodymyr Sirenko has been the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the NSOU since April of 1999. Alexander Hornostai has served as Managing Director and Producer since June of 2006.
