The National Minsk Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra (= MPCO) was founded in 1968 by the composer, organist and conductor Oleg Jantschenko. One year later Juri Zirjuk, graduate of the Belarussi and Leningrad Conservatories, was appointed as the artistic leader and principal conductor. In 1975 the MPCO appeared with big success at the International Chamber Orchestra Festival in Vilnius. In 1977 the MPCO won also the title "Preisträger des Allunionswettbewerbs der Berufsorchester”.
Appearances in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and in all Republics of the former Soviet Union followed. The orchestra was highly estimated artistically also in the UK, Germany and France, as well as the countries of Central Europe and Scandinavia. They have appeared together with outstanding soloists, like Sviatoslav Richter, Juri Baschmet, and Mstislav Rostroprovich. From 1992 to 1998 the MPCO was led by the German conductor Ingo Ernst Reihl. Since September 1999 the Saint Petersburg conductor and harpsichordist, Dmitri Subov, is the principal conductor of the orchestra. Already since 1992 the orchestra has expanded in re repertoire, which includes works by J.S. Bach, George Frideric Handel, W.A. Mozart, Schubert, Igor Stravinsky and Béla Bartók. |