National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia,
Young Chil Lee, Alexander Ramm,
Philipp Kopachevsky

Alexander Ramm was born in 1988 in Vladivostok. Graduated from the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory (cello class of Natalia Shakhovskaya and chamber ensemble class of Alexander Bonduriansky) and completed a postgraduate course at the conservatory. Continued his studies at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin (class of Frans Helmerson).

Prize-winner at the Moscow Competition for Young Cellists (2003; 1st prize), the Cambridge International Boston Competition (2005; 1st prize), the Moscow Romantic Music Festival (2006; Grand Prix), the Unisa International String Competition (Pretoria, South Africa, 2010; 4th prize), the Beijing International Music Competition (2010; 2nd prize), the All-Russian Music Competition (Moscow, 2010; 1st prize) and the International Cello Competition Antonio Janigro (Zagreb, 2012; 4th prize). In August 2012 together with pianist Anna Odintsova he took 4th prize at the Swedish International Duo Competition (Katrineholm). In April 2013 he won 3rd prize at one of the most prestigious cello competitions – the Paulo Cello Competition in Helsinki, making him the first Russian musician to be a prize-winner at that contest. In June 2015 he won 2nd prize and the Silver Medal at the International Tchaikovsky Competition.

Since 2011 he has featured in concert programmes of the Moscow Philharmonic Society, including the project Stars of the 21st Century, and has been a soloist at the St Petersburg Music House. Regularly performs at the Moscow Easter Festival.

In 2018 he recorded a CD of Benjamin Britten’s cello suites that received the Listeners’ Choice Award by the Violoncello Foundation in New York.

Has toured to many towns and cities in Russia, Great Britain, Lithuania, Sweden, Austria, Finland, South Africa, Japan, France and Bulgaria; performs at the Brucknerhaus in Linz, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, the Philharmonie de Paris, London’s Cadogan Hall, the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre and the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow. Collaborates with such conductors as Michail Jurowski, Vladimir Jurowski, Vladimir Spivakov, Valery Gergiev, Vasily Petrenko, Alexander Sladkovsky, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Yuri Bashmet, Antoni Wit, Stanislav Kochanovsky, Alexander Lazarev, Valery Polyansky, Dmitry Liss.

A soloist of the Moscow State Philharmonic and a prize-winner at international competitions, the young pianist Philipp Kopachevsky had won tremendous audience admiration and acclaim by the age of twenty-three. He regularly appears in recital in Great Britain, Germany, the USA, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Greece, Poland and Spain as well as throughout Russia. Kopachevsky has won particular popularity in Japan, where especially for NHK TV he recorded a disc of piano music by Chopin. 

Philipp Kopachevsky was born in Moscow in 1990. He graduated from the Central School of Music of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatoire. He is currently a student at the Moscow Conservatoire (class of Professor Sergei Dorensky). He has been a prize-winner at eight prestigious international competitions, among them the Х International Franz Schubert Piano Competition (Germany).

The musician has performed with the world’s great orchestras, among them English Chamber Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of the Kolobov Novaya Opera Theatre in Moscow, Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra, Russian National Orchestra, National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia, Moscow State Academic Symphony Orchestra, Novaya Rossiya State Symphony Orchestra, Svetlanov Symphony Orchestra and the Academic Symphony Orchestra of the St Petersburg Philharmonic. He has collaborated with such illustrious conductors as Mstislav Rostropovich, Valery Gergiev, Vladimir Spivakov, Mikhail Pletnev, Yevgeny Kolobov, Yuri Simonov, Alexander Dmitriev, Andrew Gourlay, William Noll, Bjarte Engeset, Charles Olivieri-Munroe, Yevgeny Bushkov, Maxim Vengerov, Paul Watkins, Jan Latham-Koenig, Dorian Wilson and Dmitry Liss among others. 

Philipp Kopachevsky has appeared at numerous international festivals, such as the Andrei Sakharov Festival (Nizhny Novgorod), the Vera Lotar-Shevchenko Memorial Competition (Novosibirsk), the Steinway Festival, the Miami Piano Festival, the Arts Naples World Festival (USA), the Colmar International Festival (France), the Mstislav Rostropovich Memorial Festival (Baku), the Baltic Seasons festival (Kaliningrad), Vladimir Spivakov Invites, Stars on Baikal, Crescendo and Denis Matsuev Invites among numerous others. 

Philipp Kopachevsky performed at the world premiere of choreographer Benjamin Millepied’s ballet Without at the Mariinsky Theatre. He is involved in the Moscow State Philharmonic’s project Stars of the 21st Century. Previous engagements include concerts at the Moscow Conservatoire and the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall and appearances with the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia under Jan Latham-Koenig, the State Academic Symphony Cappella of Russia under Philipp Chizhevsky and the Svetlanov Symphony Orchestra under Terje Mikkelsen.

The National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia (NPR) was founded in January 2003 by the Ministry of Culture. The Orchestra united top orchestra musicians and gifted youth. During the years of its activities, the NPR has succeeded in becoming one of the best symphonic orchestras of Russia and in gaining admiration from the audience and recognition from the professionals. 

The Orchestra is headed by Vladimir Spivakov, a world-known violinist and conductor. 

The National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia has been collaborated prominent conductors such as Michel Plasson, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Krzysztof Penderecki, James Conlon, Okko Kamu, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Alexander Lazarev, John Nelson, Jan Latham-Koenig, Alexander Vedernikov, Tugan Sokhiev, Ken-David Masur, Simon Gaudenz, Stanislav Kochanovsky, Alexander Soloviev, Gabriel Bebeşelea, Pierre Bleuse and others.

The NPR has performed with many outstanding artists, such as Jessye Norman, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Kiri Te Kanawa, Dmitry Hvorostovsky, Renee Fleming, Juan Diego Florez, Matthias Goerne, Waltraud Meier, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Marcelo Alvarez, Ramon Vargas, Violeta Urmana, Anna Netrebko, Ildar Abdrazakov, Gidon Kremer, Gil Shaham, Natalia Gutman, Alexander Knyazev, Arkady Volodos, Evgeny Kissin, Vadim Repin, Martha Argerich, Boris Berezovsky, Kun Woo-Paik, Marc-Andre Hamelin, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Renaud Capuçon, Gautier Capuçon, Viktoria Mullova and others. 

Among many artists who have worked with the NPR on a regular basis are John Lill, Denis Matsuev, Nikoly Lugansky, Vadim Gluzman, Hibla Gerzmava, Albina Shagimuratova, Anna Aglatova, Vasily Ladyuk, Dmitry Korchak, Nikolay Tokarev, Alexander Romanovsky, Sergey Dogadin, David Garrett, Alexander Ramm. 

The NPR’s repertoire covers the period from early classical symphonies to the newest works of modern composers. In the course of eleven years the Orchestra has presented many exceptional projects, world premieres, unique transcription series and concert cycles. 

In accordance with its status and name, the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia gives concerts not only in Moscow, but in various regions of Russia as well. The NPR ends up each season with a tour in Russia. Every year the NPR takes part in the International Music Festival in Colmar, France. The Orchestra has toured extensively over the CIS countries and the Baltic countries, in Europe, the USA, China and Japan. 

In May 2005 the Capriccio Recording Company released CD and DVD of Isaak Schwartz’s Concert for Orchestra, titled Yellow Stars, recorded by the NPR under the baton of Vladimir Spivakov to whom the composer dedicated the work. In 2010–2016 Sony Classical released several NPR’s CDs with music of Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Rimsky-Korsakov, Grieg etc. In 2014–2021, a number of recordings of Russian music were released under the Spivakov Sound label, including Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky, a triple album with works by Tchaikovsky (Symphonies No. 4-6, Italian Capriccio, Romeo and Juliet); The Bells and The Spring by Rachmaninoff, as well as his complete piano concertos (with Alexander Romanovsky); the albums Holy Russia (sacred works by Rachmaninoff and Taneyev), Magic in Music and Masterpieces of Russian Music (Lyadov, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Scriabin). It is planned to release three Rachmaninoff's symphonies for the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth.

One of the busiest Asian conductors of our time, Maestro Young Chil Lee has become recognized worldwide as an artist who actively encourages a new style in symphonic orchestral music that combines in a unique fashion Eastern and Western musical expressions.

Maestro Young Chil Lee was born in Seoul, Korea. He studied in the USA where he received his BM and MM degrees from the Mannes College of Music, subsequently obtaining a Doctor degree in Music from the State University of New York. Then he studied with Vasil Kajandjiev at the State Musical Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Maestro Lee has performed together with famous soloists, such as the violinists Julian Rachlin, Svetlin Roussev - Concertmaster of Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra, Vesko Eskenazy - Concertmaster of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Guy Braunstein-1st concertmaster of Berliner Philharmoniker, with the cellist Alexander Knyazev, the pianist Vadim Rudenko and with many different orchestras around the world. His repertoire is vast and he is conducting more than fifty concerts each year.

He has been well-known all over Europe by the press and critics due to his more than two hundred successful concerts all around Europe. Since 2008, he has been performing not only in the Czech Republic, Rumania, Ukraine, Serbia, Spain, Hungary and Poland, but also in many other countries. He is also a life conductor of 80 years’ tradition Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra.

He has conducted numerous orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on June 2nd in 2009 in London at Cadogan Hall and the NHK Symphony Orchestra on July 11th in 2009 in Tokyo at Orchard Hall. KBS(Korean Broadcasting System) television program “Wednesday Special” broadcasted a documentary about him on January 6th in 2010. He also conducted Finland Jyvaskyla symphony orchestra on November 17th in 2010, Turkey Izmir symphony orchestra on December 24th in 2010, New City symphony orchestra on January 9th in 2011 in Tokyo, and Moscow Philharmony Orchestra(the first Korean ever conducting at Tchaikovsky concert hall) on April 21st in 2011.

His most recent concerts include appearances with symphony orchestras in the countries of Bulgaria (Several City-Philharmonic Orchestras tour including with Sofia Philharmonic orchestra, etc.), Rumania(a Philharmonic Orchestras tour with “George Enesco “Philharmonic Orchestra in Bucharest), Sarajevo Philharmonic orchestra in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgrade Radio and TV symphony orchestra in Serbia, Prague Bohemian Symphony orchestra and Janacek Philharmonic orchestra in Czech Republic, Budapest MAV Symphony orchestra in Hungary, The UK (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at London’s Cadogan Hall), Ukraine(a Philharmonic Orchestras tour including the State Symphony Orchestra in Kiev, Odessa Philharmonic orchestra and others.), Russia- a Tour with the Saint Peterburg State Hermitage Symphony Orchestra, with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra in Russia(Tchaikovsky grande concert hall), with the Macedonian National Opera-Gala Concert, Japan (the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo, Tokyo New City Orchestra), Poland(Philharmonic Orchestras including the Opole Philharmonic Orchestra),Turkey (Izmir State Symphony Orchestra) and many others.

Some festivals he attended are: in 2008– invited to the Ohrid Summer Music Festival in Macedonia with Bohemian Symphony Orchestra of Prague from the Czech Republic; Kotor Music Art Festival in Montenegro with Bohemian Symphony Orchestra Prague from the Czech Republic; Figueres Summer Music Festival in Spain. In 2009 he is conducting the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra during a big tour in Korea (5concerts with different programs- in Seoul Art Center, KBS Hall, Sejong Art Center and others).

His upcoming performances include concerts in Ukraine, Bulgaria, Rumania, Italy, Germany, Korea, Poland, Russia, Chile, Japan and also with major symphony orchestras in Belarus, Greece, Turkey Concert Tours and several other countries. Apart from the symphonic and opera performances a Maestro Lee’s CD was published by the Star Sound Classical (Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4, Wieniawski Second Violin Concerto and Beethoven Triple Concerto and the EMI (Brahms Symphony No. 4 and a concerto with flutist Philippe Pierlot) labels. Maestro Lee has also recorded several other albums – from Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn symphonies to Strauss's “Don Juan”.

Since 2008 Maestro Lee has been holding the position of a Chief conductor at the Bohemian Symphony Orchestra in Prague. Between 2006 and 2008 he is a foreign guest conductor at the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra Bulgaria. Also he is a chief guest conductor at several other orchestras including at the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra (from 2007-2009), since 2008 he has been a permanent guest conductor of the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra in Bulgaria and at the MAV Symphony orchestra in Budapest, Hungary.

Maestro Young Chil Lee is also one of the missionaries of the Korean classical music having a leading role in presenting the country of Korea to the world. No one has doubts that he is becoming a mentor for many people in Korea because he acts as a New Korean Wave with the skyrocketing Korean national image, developing a high quality brand image of the country. Prove for this is the 2010 Korean Wave Award received by him for his role in promoting Korean national image and Korean wave as a cultural power.