Moscow State Symphony Orchestra

The MSSO was founded in 1943 by the USSR government and is one of the oldest symphony orchestras in Russia. Leo Steinberg, the Peoples Artist of USSR and conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre, became the MSSO first Chief Conductor, a post he held until his death in 1945. He was succeeded by a series of distinguished Soviet musical giants that has included Nicolay Anosov (1945–1950), Leo Ginsburg (1950–1954), Mikhail Terian (1954–1960), Veronica Dudarova (1960–1989), and Pavel Kogan (1989–2022). Owing to the collaboration with such figures the orchestra became one of most prominent national symphonic ensembles, but in the first place it was known through its performances of Russian and Soviet classical music, involving many premieres of Myaskovsky, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Glier.

The Moscow State Symphony Orchestra became renowned around the globe under the leadership of Pavel Kogan. In 1989 he was engaged as Music Director and Chief Conductor and immediately enriched the orchestra repertoire by the works of European and American musical literature. A landmark of the MSSO has been to present the great cycles of complete symphonic works from leading composers: Brahms, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, R. Strauss, Mendelssohn, Mahler, Bruckner, Sibelius, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Glazunov, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Scriabin, Berlioz, Debussy and Ravel. The orchestra’s wide-ranging programs combine great orchestral, operatic, and choral classics with equally significant music of the 21st century, including many forgotten or neglected works. 

The MSSO plays some 100 concerts annually. Along with the series in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory and in Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra performs in the Great Hall of the Saint-Petersburg Shostakovich Philharmonic Society and on the stages of many other Russian cities. The MSSO tours regularly overseas including the USA, United Kingdom, Japan, Spain, Austria, Italy, Germany, France, South Korea, Australia, China and Switzerland. The Moscow State Symphony Orchestra also has a long and distinguished recording history with DVD and CD studio and live recordings, television and radio broadcasts. In 1990 the Pioneer made a live recording of Tchaikovsky’ piano and violin concertos, performed by the MSSO and Maestro Kogan (soloists – Aleksey Sultanov, Maxim Vengerov). In the early 1990s Russian television released the documentary Travels with the orchestra about the MSSO and Pavel Kogan tour in Europe and Saint-Petersburg. Their Rachmaninov cycle, released by Alto, which recorded all the symphonies and Symphonic Dances, has become a chart-topping album.

The MSSO has a proud history of collaborating with eminent conductors and soloists including Evgeny Svetlanov, Kirill Kondrashin, Aleksandr Orlov, Natan Rakhlin, Samuil Samosud, Valery Gergiev, David Oistrakh, Emil Gilels, Leonid Kogan, Vladimir Sofronitsky, Sergei Lemeshev, Ivan Kozlovsky, Svyatoslav Knushevitsky, Sviatoslav Richter, Mstislav Rostropovich and Daniil Shafran. 

Lin Tao, Professor of Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China. the artistic director and chief-conductor of Kuzbass Symphony Orchestra, Kemerovo in Russia.

In 1987, Tao entered the Central Conservatory of Music from Attached Middle School of Central Conservatory of Music, majoring in Composition. One year later, he won the government scholarship to study in the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, studying in both Composition, with Prof. Albert Leman, and Conducting, with Prof. Dmitri, Kitayenko. In 1994, he received the Mater Degree in Composition, and Master Degree in Conducting one year later. In 1997, he was awarded the Doctor Degree in Conducting by the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory.

LIN Tao has won several prizes, including the 3rd prize in the 1st Prokofiev International Conducting Competition in 1993; The International Conductor Prize and the best interpretation of Polish Music Prize in the International Grzegorz Fitelberg Competition in 1999; Winner of the  13th International Nicolai Malko Competition for Young Conductors in 2001.

From 1993-1996, Tao was the assistant-conductor for both Valery Gergiev in Mariinsky Theatre and Alexander Dmitriev in St. Petersberg Philharmonic Orchestra; From 1995-1996, Tao was invited to be the chief visiting conductor in the Tomsk Symphony Orchestra; From 1996-1999, he was the chief-conductor of Krasnoyarsk Symphony Orchestra; Since 2000, he has been the artistic director and chief-conductor in the Kuzbass Symphony, Orchestra, Kemerovo until now. Meanwhile, he was also working in the Saratov Philharmonic Orchestra as the artistic director and chief-conductor from 2003 to 2007.

So far, LIN Tao has been conducting many famous orchestras, including  St.Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Russian State Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of The Mariinsky Theatre, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, St.Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, Ural Philharmonic Orchestra, Novosibirsk Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Wien, Prague Symphony Orchestra in Czech, Murcia Symphony Orchestra in Spain, Presidential Symphony Orchestra in Turky, Philharmonic Ochestra of UNAM Mexico and Taipei Symphony Orchestra in Taiwan. During this time, he was also invited to be the visiting conductor in many orchestras in Russia and China.

In March, 1999, Tao conducted the China National Symphony Orchestra in Beijing for the first time and immediately drew the attention of Chinese music circle. In October, 2000, the tour in Spain was successfully given under his baton with the Ural Philharmonic Orchestra. In October and November, 2000, he led the Kuzbass Symphony Orchestra, Kemerovo to perform in 10 cities in China. In April, 2001, he was conducting the Prague Symphony Orchestra in 4 cities in China. In December, 2002 and January, 2003, he gave another tour in 10 cities in China, conducting the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Spain.

Recently, LIN Tao has not only been invited to conduct the China National Symphony Orchestra for many times, succesfully conducted the symphony concert in the National Centre for the Performing Arts in China, but also conducted the Chinese New Year concert in the Goldener Saal Wiener Musikvereins. In 2009, he as well successfully conducted the premiere of Opera "Song of Youth" by TANG Jianping as music director.

So far, Tao has given over 1000 concerts and more than 20 operas all over the world and was acclaimed by the audiences and critics. In 2002, the Spanish Opera by Ural Philharmonic Orchestra under his baton was published by EMI.

The famous composer Mr. Rodion. Shchedrin said LIN Tao is "a very talented musician", and he said: "the successful premiere of my work in the National Centre for the Performing Arts once more proved that you will make a great career."

Nikita Borisoglebsky's rise to prominence came in 2010 when he won the International Jean Sibelius Violin competition and the International Fritz Kreisler Violin competition. He has also been awarded top prizes in the nine other prestigious violin contests including the Tchaikovsky, the Queen Elisabeth and the Monte Carlo Violin Masters competitions.

The violinist has performed with many major orchestras, including the Mariinsky Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic, Moscow Philharmonic, Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia Varsovia, Brussels Philharmonic, Kansai Philharmonic, Beijing Symphony Orchestra, Goethenburg Symphoniker, Antwerpen Royal Philharmonic, London Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra “Musica Viva”, Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia under such conductors as Valery Gergiev, Okko Kamu, Sakari Oramo, Hannu Lintu, Eri Klass, Vladimir Fedoseev, Dmitry Liss, Conrad van Alphen, Gilbert Varga, David Afkham, Lionel Bringueir. He appears regularly at many of the important festivals including the Menton Festival, Rheingau Festival, S.Richter’s “December Nights” in Moscow, Beethovenfest in Bonn, Ohrid summer festival, Dubrovnik summer festival, “Stars of the White Nights” and “Arts Square” in Saint Petersburg, “Crescendo” and “Stars on Baikal” festivals of Denis Matsuev, and others.

In addition to solo engagements, Nikita has enjoyed working in collaboration with renowned musicians including Seiji Ozawa, Rodion Shchedrin, Natalia Gutman, Gidon Kremer, Yuri Bashmet, Augustin Dumay, Andras Schiff, Boris Berezovsky, Jean-Philippe Collard, Alexander Kniazev, Rafael Wallfish, Michel Strauss, Jean-Claude Vanden Eyden, Lovro Pogorelich, David Geringas and others.

In collaboration with the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel and the Belgian record label "Fuga Libera" the violinist has released the two CDs: the Third violin concerto of Henri Veiuxtepms with Liege Royal Philharmonic and Patrick Davin, and the monographic album of Edouard Lalo with Sinfonia Varsovia, Augustin Dumay and Jean-Philippe Collard. The Lalo’s CD was given a 5-star review in the French magazine “Diapason”.

Nikita Borisoglebsky was born in Volgodonsk, Southern Russia. His mentors in different years were Eduard Grach and Tatiana Berkul in Moscow, Augustin Dumay in Brussels, Ana Chumachenco in Kronberg.

In the last years he has become a recipient of the several international awards and titles - "Violinist of the Year" from the International Maya Plisetskaya and Rodion Shchedrin foundation (USA); “Person of the Year” from the major Russian magazine “Musical review”; “Virtuoso” award from the Italian string society and the Antonio Stradivari foundation; "Jean Sibelius birthplace medal" from J.Sibelius foundation in Hameenlinna, Finland.

The violinist plays on Matteo Goffriller’s violin from 1720-s.