Sergey Rachmaninov. Farewell Triad

The Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra has achieved worldwide acclaim for their sophisticated performances and dynamic programming. The orchestra was the inspiration of Nazib Zhiganov, former Chairman of the Composers Union of Tatarstan and Dean of the Kazan Conservatory. In 1966, he received authorization and funding from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic Council of Ministers to create a symphony orchestra in Tatarstan. The TNSO gave its first concert, featuring works by Bach, Shostakovich and Prokofiev, under its first Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Natan Rakhlin on 10th of April, 1967.

Under its current Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Alexander Sladkovsky, the TNSO has further developed its cultural and social influence through new festivals, artistic collaborations and educational and community outreach.

The orchestra regularly performs in Russian’s major cities and around the world through its extensive touring schedule. Its festivals and special events, including the Rakhlin Seasons, White Lilac, Kazan Autumn, The Creative Discovery and Denis Matsuev & Friends series, are amongst the most notable public, cultural events in Tatarstan and Russia. It is also frequently featured at the Crescendo, Stars on Baikal, The Cherry Orchard and the Hibla Germava Invites festivals.

The TNSO enjoys a long, successful history of collaborations with renowned operatic and instrumental luminaries including Galina Vishnevskaya, Irina Arkhipova, Olga Borodina, Hibla Gerzmava, Albina Shagimuratova, Simone Kermes, Plácido Domingo, Roberto Alagna, Dmitry Hvorostovsky, Leonidas Kavakos, Sergei Krylov, Gidon Kremer, Yuri Bashmet, David Geringas, Boris Berezovsky, Barry Douglas and Igor Butman among others.

The orchestra’s commitment to social and charitable causes has twice earned the Philanthropist of the Year award from the President of the Republic of Tatarstan. Through The Republic’s Heritage project, the TNSO supports both talented music conservatory students and local schools through a series of educational programmes and outreach. The orchestra’s Musical Healing programme is dedicated to helping severely ill and disabled children through a multi-faceted series of cultural events.

The TNSO is an exclusive Sony Music Entertainment Russia recording artist and has released several albums on the Sony Classical and RCA Red Seal labels. Their concerts have also been broadcast on Medici.tv and Mezzo.

Alexander Sladkovsky is a Russian conductor, the People’s Artist of Russia, the People's Artist of the Republic of Tatarstan, who graduated from Moscow and St. Petersburg conservatories. He was born in 1965 in Taganrog. Prize-winner at the Prokofiev International Competition (St Petersburg, 1999). Made his debut as a conductor in 1997 at the Opera and Ballet Theatre of the St. Petersburg Conservatory with Mozart’s opera Così fan tutte. Has been a conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of the St. Petersburg State Capella (1997–2003) and Principal Conductor of the St. Petersburg Conservatory Opera and Ballet Theatre (2001–2003). In 2005 he assisted Mariss Jansons on a production of the opera Carmen, and in 2006 he assisted Mstislav Rostropovich on a production of the programme Unknown Musorgsky (both at the St. Petersburg Conservatory). Subsequently served as Principal Conductor of the St. Petersburg State Capella (2004–2006) and conductor of the State Symphony Orchestra Novaya Rossiya (2006–2010).

Since 2010 he has been Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra. In 2016 the orchestra presented concerts at the Brucknerhaus in Linz and the Musikverein in Vienna. December 2018 featured a tour to China, while in 2014 (in Japan) and in 2019 (in France) the orchestra participated in the festival La Folle Journée.

In the 2014/15 season Alexander Sladkovsky and the Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra appeared at the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia (as part of an anniversary concert commemorating ten years of the Crescendo festival) and the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre.

In 2012 the ensemble released An Anthology of Music by Tatarstan Composers and the album Enlightenment (featuring Tchaikovsky’s Manfred symphony and Rachmaninoff’s Isle of the Dead) on the labels Sony Music and RCA Red Seal, while in 2016 with Melodiya it recorded the First, Fifth and Ninth Symphonies by Mahler and all of Shostakovich’s symphonies and concerti. In May 2020 the Sony Classical label released the box set Tchaikovsky 2020 commemorating one hundred and eighty years since the composer’s birth – a recording of all of Tchaikovsky’s symphonies and concerti. In August 2020 the Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Alexander Sladkovsky recorded symphonic works by Rachmaninoff on the Sony Classical label. Presentation concerts of the box set Sergei Rachmaninoff. Symphonic Collection was held in March 2021 in Moscow, St Petersburg and Kazan.

In 2019 Alexander Sladkovsky received the Sergei Rachmaninoff International Award in the category “Special project in the name of Rachmaninoff” for his particular focus on the composer’s music and for organising the White Lilac festival in Kazan which is dedicated to him. In the autumn of 2019 he founded an annual personal scholarship at the Moscow Conservatory for students of the Opera and Symphony Conducting Faculty. In 2019 he also conducted Verdi’s La Traviata at Moscow Helikon Opera Theatre (directed by Dmitry Bertman). In 2021, upon the invitation by the President of the Zhiganov Kazan State Conservatory, he took the position of Professor of the Opera and Symphony Conducting Department. In 2022, he became the inaugural recipient of the 440 Hertz Orchestral Grand Prix in the ‘Conductor’ category.

Ekaterina Mechetina was born in Moscow into a family of musicians. She began to study music at the age of four then studied at the Central Music School of the Moscow Conservatory (class of Professor Tatyana Koloss) before enrolling at the Conservatory’s undergraduate programme (class of Professor Vladimir Ovchinnikov) and continuing her education at its postgraduate assistantship programme (class of Professor Sergei Dorensky). During her studies, she was a fellow of the Vladimir Spivakov and Mstislav Rostropovich foundations and undertook an internship in Paris in 2004 at the invitation of the latter. 

Ekaterina has been a prize-winner of 7 international piano competitions, including Ferruccio Busoni Competition in Bolzano (Italy) and the World Piano Competition in Cincinnati, U.S. (1st Prize and Gold Medal).

The pianist has appeared at world-renowned venues including Consertgebouw (Amsterdam), Yamaha Hall and Casals Hall (Tokyo), Théâtre des Champs-Elysées and Salle Gaveau (Paris), Great Hall of the Milan Conservatory, Milan Auditorium, Cecília Meireles Hall (Rio de Janeiro), Alice Tully Hall (New York), and others. Her performances can also be heard in Moscow and other Russian cities. 

Ekaterina Mechetina's broad repertoire includes over 50 piano concertos and numerous recital programs. She has appeared under the baton of Mstislav Rostropovich, Vladimir Spivakov, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Saulus Sondeckis, Yuri Simonov, Pavel Kogan, Vladimir Ponkin, Dmitry Liss, Maxim Vengerov, Konstantin Orbelian, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Alexander Sladkovsky, Gintaras Rinkevicius, Alexander Skulsky, Fedor Glushchenko, Lawrence Foster, Christian Badea, Barry Douglas, Fabio Mastrangelo, and Maria Eklund. 

In chamber programmes, she has appeared with Rodion Shchedrin, Vladimir Spivakov, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Alexei Utkin, Alexander Knyazev, Alexander Ghindin, Boris Andrianov, Daniil Kogan, Graf Murzha, and other famous performers. In 2007, Ekaterina Mechetina, Nikita Borisoglebsky, and Sergei Antonov formed a trio that frequently appears in public and explores an extensive repertoire. 

Ekaterina has taken part in major international festivals, including December Nights of Svyatoslav Richter, Moscow autumn, Crescendo, Rodion Shchedrin Music festival, Russian Winter; and Benois de la danse in Moscow, Stars on Baikal in Irkutsk, Dubrovnik Festival, Consonances, Lille Piano(s) Festival, and Europalia (Belgium). 

She actively collaborates with contemporary composers such as Rodion Shchedrin (who entrusted her with the world premiere of his 6th Piano Concerto), Alexei Rybnikov, Tolib Shakhidi, Kuzma Bodrov, and many others. 

Ekaterina Mechetina has been teaching at the Moscow Conservatory since 2009 (being Associate Professor since 2020), and at the Conservatory’s Central Music School since 2016. Every year she gives master classes at the UNESCO Summer Creative School New Names in Suzdal. She has been member of the jury of Russian and international competitions (including the Nutcracker Television Competition for Young Musicians, the International Delphic Games, Astana and Seoul competitions) and hosts Diary of a Pianist and Musical Alphabet with Ekaterina Mechetina programmes on Radio Orpheus. 

The pianist's recordings have been released by Fuga Libera (solo album with Rachmaninoff works, 2005), Empire of Music (compositions by Shchedrin and Tolib Shakhidi, 2008), and Melodiya (music by Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky and Rachmaninoff, 2013). In 2019, the Moscow Conservatory label recorded and released her album Author's Suite with Tchaikovsky's pieces. 

Ekaterina Mechetina has received the Triumph youth award, Parabola independent award by Andrei Voznesensky foundation, 3rd degree Order of Catherine the Great from the National Committee of Public Awards, Prize of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Russian Muses for the World Foundation, and Presidential Prize for Young Culture Professionals. In 2011, she became a member of the Culture and Art Council under the Russian President. 

Since 2013, Ekaterina Mechetina has been heading the Green Noise International Youth Art Festival (Surgut). In 2015, she was awarded the Honorary Badge of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) for Strengthening Peace and Friendship of Peoples. In November 2017, she became a laureate of Russian Rome International Cultural Festival in the category Worldwide Promotion of Musical Culture. She was awarded the honorary title of Merited Musician in 2016 and Honoured Artist of Russia in 2018.