"THE MOSCOW CONSERVATORY WITNESSES THE BIRTH OF A NEW SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA"
July 9, 2017
The birth of any new symphony orchestra is certainly a significant event, especially when it happens in such a huge metropolis as the capital of Russia. Given the richness of Moscow's cultural life and our dynamic times, when the number of large and small performance groups are impressive in both quantity and quality, such a coalescence is even more impressive. But, in my opinion, this would never have happened if not for the perseverance and dedication to beloved ideals that this orchestra's Artistic Director, Vladimir Gorbik, keeps true to. The premiere performance of this new symphony took place under his direction on May 27th of this year. The symphony orchestra was introduced to the world during the yearly recital given by the Choral School of the Moscow Metochion of the Holy Trinity - St. Sergius Lavra. This concert was given within the hallowed walls of the Great Hall of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. On that memorable afternoon "Dies Irae" from the Requiem by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and "Let us bow down to those great years" by Alexandra Pakhmutova and Nikolay Dobronravova, sung by the soloist Mikhail Davydov, seamlessly blended into a varied concert program. Several choral opuses, like Dmitri Bortniansky’s "Let God arise", were also conducted by Vladimir Gorbik during the concert. His tireless improvement of skills, creative research, and extraordinary dedication describe Maestro Gorbik as a sincere devotee of sacred and classical music. Under his hands an incredibly touching performance made a lasting impression on the audience, filled with a special light, and most convincing in its serious professional aspects. The orchestra, like the choir, possessed an unusually keen sense of the music, with both the instrumental performance and singing bright and technically perfect. The result was a standing ovation and many shouts of "Bravo" from the appreciative audience of the Great Hall. This response confirmed the fact that here was borne a remarkable group of musicians, which could in but three months, go from birth to major professional status, and also to plan concert tours in Russia and the United States, in the EU and in Australia. However, I would like to recount everything in order. To begin with, in February of this year I had the happy occasion to meet with Vladimir Gorbik, when he arrived once again in Tashkent. He actually started his development as a musician here, where he spent his childhood and teenage years. That February night, I conducted the concert of The Honored Collective of the National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan, with Maestro Gorbik as my honored guest conductor, who enthusiastically conducted several immortal opuses of Beethoven, Bizet and Tchaikovsky. Even then I realized that before me stood a man of rare devotion to the art, fully immersed in rigorous and inspiring work on the quality of the music’s performance. His work has achieved excellent results. After the concert, Vladimir Aleksandrovich warmly remembered his stunning Tashkent viola and cello teachers, though he regretted that he no longer remembers their names from his childhood. But his old piano teacher, Dilara Amanovna Sadykova, he did remember and he found her here, these 33 years later. With his light hand Gorbik conducted in the Tashkent Chamber Orchestra called the "Soloists of Uzbekistan" at the Golden Autumn International Art Festival. That night he told me that he had long dreamed to create his own symphony orchestra. This was not surprising. My colleague has a great musical education. He graduated from the conducting and choral Department of the Academic Music College of the Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory, in the class of the honored worker of culture Yuriy Bibin. After this he then studied with the Choral Conductor Faculty, Professor Yuris Radyshkevich, Professor Boris Tevlin, and the Orchestra Faculty of the Moscow Conservatory in the field of Opera and Symphony Conducting, with Professor Igor Dronov. Gorbik also studied composition with Professor Roman Ledenyov. In addition, he is the winner of two First Prizes in the Haynuvka International Conducting competitions, held in Poland. Since 2012, he has been a successful teacher at the Moscow Conservatory. Vladimir Gorbik is known as the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Choir and the Capital Symphony Orchestra, and the co-founder of Patriarch Tikhon Russian-American Music Institute in the South Canaaan, Pennsylvania, USA. And that's not all. In recent years he has also worked as a guest conductor and leader of master classes in the USA, Canada, Australia, and Uzbekistan. Thus, the creative and artistic experience of Maestro Gorbik is quite evident. But, back to the dream of Vladimir Alexandrovich to have his own orchestra. In March 2017, the dream came true. The announcement went out about the upcoming formation of a new symphony. This generated a lot of interest. Naturally, as the orchestra was being assembled, Mastro Gorbik applied his large retinue of very useful practical skills. He was engaged in listening to each and every candidate who auditioned. As a result, the orchestra comprises of 60 people from the best performing groups in Moscow: the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra, the State Orchestra, the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia, as well as musicians from the Moscow Conservatory, the Music Academy of Ippolitov-Ivanov and others. The pride of this new group is the famous Russian musician, Ivan Paisov, the soloist of the Moscow Philharmonic and the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, a laureate of international competitions, and himself Founder and Artistic Director of the chamber music ensemble Ars Musicae. Each performance of this talented oboe player attracts the attention of critics who note his playing as "great, pure, noble and unique in the richness of the sound." Faith in the success of the Maestro and his musicians was supported by the supporters and friends of the project, Russian producers Alexei Gubarev and Natalia Korzun, USA partners - Dr. Nicholas Reeves, Director and Producer Seraphim Hanisch and soloists of the Helikon Opera, Mikhail Davidov and Pyotr Morozov. Their advice helped the staff and professors of the Faculty of Opera, Symphonic and Choral Conducting at the Moscow Conservatory. Finally, the TV channel Culture provided a rehearsal room in the State House Studio of Radio and Television Recording (GDRS), in whose fifth studio rehearsals for the upcoming concert were in full swing. Additionally, in this studio was made the first professional recording of the orchestra known both in Russia and abroad, by sound engineer Pavel Lavrinenkov. The fact that the musicians gathered together only three months before the upcoming first performance in front of an audience supports a general belief in Vladimir Gorbik as their conductor. His gentleness, intelligence, and unquestionable professionalism create a special atmosphere where this hard work becomes a real joy. According to the musicians themselves, this quality opened a kind of second wind to them. As you know, the process of musical improvement is endless - long rehearsals, nuance for nuance, verifying every detail and every accent, in order to be closer to the intent of the composers. As the rehearsals progressed, the date of their first concert was inexorably approaching. Today that day arrived. All the members of the new group were excited because they had the most important test before them - their debut in the prestigious Great hall of Moscow Conservatory before this discerning audience. And so, on May 27th, many Muscovites witnessed the birth of a new symphony orchestra, distinguished by high professionalism and a huge, all-consuming love for the musical arts. The hall was full; the experience was great, and indeed, success is certain! For many people that afternoon’s performance opened a new world. The audience gratefully said, "No, talent in Russia has not dried up!" There were many bouquets of flowers, many warm smiles, and praise of the new musicians, and their magical performance. Bravo to the new symphony orchestra, whose driving purpose is to perform music of different epochs and styles, and also to perform the works of contemporary composers with the same grace and beauty! Maestro Gorbik’s 30-year dream is now a reality. Ahead lies a concert tour through cities across Siberia, the United States, European Union countries and Australia. Negotiations for performances of the orchestra in Tashkent are underway. Foreign conductors are standing ready to corroborate with the symphony orchestra, including such names as Professor Neil McEwan of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Nikos Culos, the rector and the artistic Director of the Symphony Orchestra of the Athens Conservatory, and Anwar Raimjanov, the chief conductor of the Soloists of Uzbekistan Orchestra. We wish the new orchestra and its sincere enthusiasts many successful concerts and new achievements, fascinating perspectives and creative enthusiasm, applause and faithful fans! Let it grow in its skill, develop a tradition, and preserve its youth!
Inessa Gulzarova, musicologist.
Translated by Galina Levina.