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By Olga Fyodorova
…The year 1968. At the Moscow Conservatory, Professor Tatyana Gaidamovich
is conducting a class of chamber music.
“Much as I like your bubbling energy and no-compromise attitude my friends,
what I still like most about you is that you are such a great team and
excellent musicians all. I guess these qualities were definitely not lost
on the examiners who gave you all “A”s. Well, now that you’re through with
your postgraduate course, what next?”
“It’s hard say, Professor... Each plans for himself, you know. Thanks for
getting us together, we learned a lot and we’ve had many happy moments
working together. It’s a pity we’ve got to split now and go our own ways…”
“And what about sticking together and keep working on? You’ve just starting
out but you are already great ensemble players. There are many ensembles
in Russia, but only a handful of them are real good. I reckon that after
playing for some more time together you could hit the big time in chamber
music. And there is so much wonderful music written for trios that it will
take one a whole life time to play it all!”
“Well, sounds pretty good… We’ll get together and think it over…”
“Looks like I gave you a good idea, didn’t I? It will work out just fine,
I know that, just get down to business and I guess the “Moscow Trio” would
be a good name for you, how about that?”
That’s how Professor Tatyana Gaidamovich launched the “Moscow Trio” chamber
ensemble back in 1968…
The new trio immediately caught on with the city’s concert going public
and the press with their very special performing manner, clockwork precision
and the diversity of their repertoire.
And proof of their mastery didn’t take long coming either. Climbing to
the second spot of the 1969 international competition in Munich, Germany,
the “Moscow Trio” quickly firmed up their success with gold medals won
in Belgrade and Budapest.
Joining the Moscow Philharmonic Society and acting on the strength of their
successful showing in major international competitions, the “Moscow Trio”
were now playing the world’s premiere venues…
“Their interpretations are absolutely amazing. The sound, nuancing and
style are extra class all!” raved a French newspaper.
“The Moscow Trio is excellent! Their harmonic cohesion really boggles the
mind!” enthused the British…
“The Moscow Trio belongs to the very cream of the chamber ensemble world!”
the Germans joined in the loud international chorus of praise and admiration.
Let’s take, however, a closer look at the members of the ensemble
…
Pianist Alexander Bonduryansky was born in Ukraine, graduated from the
conservatory in Moldavia and was a Conservatory postgraduate in Moscow.
An excellent lead player, Alexander, then still a student, became a winner
of several competitions, but his penchant for chamber music eventually
prevailed over his original desire to be a frontman…
Also touted as a would be solo great, violinist Vladimir Ivanov studied
under the famous Moscow Conservatory Professor Yuri Yankelevich who immediately
knew a talented person when he saw one. During his conservatory years Vladimir
also shined playing in a number of competitions crowning his successful
streak with a hands down win at the J.S.Bach contest in Leipzig, Germany.
Mikhail Utkin, cello, has also had his full share of competition wins,
raising eyebrows at the Concertino Prague competition when he was still
a kid and later becoming a winner of the world-famous tournament in Liege.
The student of the acclaimed maestro Mstislav Rostropovich, he, like other
members of the trio, once dreamed about a solo career, but eventually became
hooked on ensemble playing.
The “Moscow Trio” is a team of like-minded colleagues and, listening to
their well thought out interpretations where there is so much attention
paid to detail and nuance, one can fully appreciate their fresh
and free flowing playing manner that makes their concerts so charming and
inimitable.
Their extensive repertoire features more than 200 stylistically diverse
compositions written at different times, including all trios by Mozart,
Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms. The “Moscow Trio” is equally good
at playing contemporary music written expressly for them, including a trio
by the 20th century Russian classic Georgy Sviridov.
Using their extensive and diverse repertoire, members of the ensemble offer
a series of fascinating programs, like for example, the Musical Capitals
of the World concerts showcasing masterpieces by composers from different
countries they offer for three years running.
Busy as they are playing concerts in and out of Moscow, members of the
ensemble also do teaching work each conducting a class of his own at the
Moscow Conservatory. As a member of the art council of the New Names Fund,
Alexander Bonduryansky also works with musically endowed children setting
up a number of junior outfits, one of which recently won a major national
competition.
The “Moscow Trio” is by far and without a doubt the best Russian chamber
outfit. The proud winners of the prestigious Moscow Prize award, they regularly
collaborate on stage with top-notch singers, instrumentalists and composers
and many of their recordings are an industry standard for others to emulate.
And, what is most important, the ensemble always plays to full houses and
are very popular with young people. Who knows, maybe some of the present
day Conservatory students will also sacrifice their much aspired solo career
to friendship and some day will set up a chamber orchestra just like members
of the “Moscow Trio” once did…
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