Russkaya Conservatoria Chamber Capella (Rissian: Русская консерватория;Russian Conservatoire) is a Russian vocal and instrumental ensemble, founded in 2008 by Russian conductor Nikolay Khondzinsky. The ensemble (including an orchestra, chorus and soloists) consists of graduates of the best Moscow musical higher education institutions. Historical accuracy along with the young musicians’ creative passion yields a surprising result: performing music always sounds modern and is thus stylistically faultless.
The ensemble has managed to earn a reputation as rediscoverers of unfairly forgotten masterpieces of Russian music of the 20th century, as well as of some European music Baroque memorials which are unknown in Russia. The most significant works of Russkaya Conservatoria include international and national premieres:
Yuriy Abdokov: the world premiere of the ballet Three Poems (Moscow, 2014);
Jan Dismas Zelenka: the world first performance of Gloria ZWV 30; the first Russian performance of Miserere ZWV 56; the first Russian performance of Miserere ZWV 57; the world first performance of Kyrie, Sanctus and Agnus Dei ZWV 26; the first Russian performance of almost all orchestral compositions;
Georgy Sviridov: the first performance of the choruses from the cycle A hard times song;
Yuriy Abdokov: the first performance of orchestral music: Autumn Prayers, On the Verge of Thawing and Ice and others;
J.S. Bach: the first Russian performance of a number of sacral cantatas and instrumental works;
Georg Philipp Telemann: the first Russian performance of cantatas Du aber Daniel, gehe hin, Sei getreu bis in den Tod; etc.
The programmes done by Nikolay Khondzinsky and his ensemble under the Terra Barocco project are performed annually Moscow concert halls (Moscow International House of Music, Moscow Conservatory, etc.). British reviewer W. Mark Poberts in DSCH Journal, said that a recording done by the Russian Conservatoire headed by Nikolay Khondzinsky «in the foreseeable future is unlikely to be surpassed for quality».[
Among current projects of Nikolay Khondzinsky and the ensemble:
The first Russian performance of all J.S. Bach's sacral cantatas;
The first performance and recorfings of compositions by G. Sviridov (the cycle A hard times song, compositions for chorus accompanied by instrumental ensemble);
The first performance and recordings of compositions by J.D. Zelenka (including ZWV 26; ZWV 30);
The first performance and recordings of compositions by Y. Abdokov Autumn Prayers, On the Verge of Thawing and Ice, etc.;
Terra barocco: first Russian performances of a number of compositions by G.P.Telemann, Johann David Heinichen, Bach’s family, J.D. Zelenka, George Frideric Handel, Biber and others;
Russkaya Conservatoria Chamber Capella has taken part in many All-Russian and International festivals, such as:
“Sviridov December Evenings” held annually at the composer’s birthplace (2009)
10th International Organ Festival of the Moscow Conservatory (2010)
International Bach's festival "From Christmas to Christmas" (2010, 2011)
Discography: V.Y. Shebalin: the first complete recording of choral cycles (Toccata Classics, London, 2008/2011); B.A.Thaikovsky: Andersen Fairy Tails, (Naxos, London 2009) (choir); Dmitri Shostakovich: the first recording of The Songs of a Guard's Division (Toccata Classics, London, 2010/2011); G.V. Sviridov: the first recordings of works for choir, accompanied by an instrumental ensemble - the poem Lapotny Mushik, etc. (in preparation); Y.B. Abdokov: the first recordings of orchestral works (in preparation). |