Invited by the President of the National Higher Institute of Music, Dr. Hiba Kawas, and in celebration of World Music Day, the Conservatory held an exceptional musical evening at the Armenian Evangelical Church in Beirut, honoring the great Russian composers. This event was performed by the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by maestro Nikolai Vinokurov, with the participation of Ulyana Kislitsyna on violin and Sergey Slovachevsky on cello. The program included pieces by Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky. The celebration was attended by numerous diplomatic, political, media, and cultural figures, including ambassadors from Sweden, Russia (Alexander Rudakov), and Australia (Andrew Barnes), MP Ali Assirian, President of Haigazian University (and President of the Armenian Evangelical Churches Union in the Near East and Chairman of the Middle East Council of Churches elected from the Evangelical family), Pastor Dr. Paul Haidostian, UNESCO Regional Director in Beirut Costanza Farina, former ministers Tarek Metri and Elias Hanna, former MP Hakob Kasarjian, along with a large audience of classical music lovers and followers of the Conservatory's concerts.
Opening the event, Kawas welcomed the guests, the orchestra, the conductor, and the Russian musicians, congratulating them on World Music Day "which brings us together tonight in an exceptional tribute to the great Russian composers who inspired world music." She stated, "Tonight is very special because it is World Music Day, allowing us to transcend all boundaries beyond language and expression. Tonight is music from the heart with Russian music, led by maestro Nikolai Vinokurov who works with high precision with the orchestra and knows how to create a special connection between him and each musician. This is the second time we welcome conductor Vinokurov in Lebanon, and each time the musicians feel great joy playing with him. We also welcome the creative soloists Ulyana Kislitsyna on violin and Sergey Slovachevsky on cello. We thank the orchestra individually and all the musicians who join the orchestra. A deep thank you to this great edifice, the Armenian Evangelical Church in Beirut, and to this esteemed university represented by its president, Pastor Dr. Paul Haidostian. There is nothing more beautiful than the convergence of spirituality, music, and higher education in their finest form in one night, in the presence of music-loving listeners. This is how World Music Day should be."
Maestro Vinokurov opened the evening with "Shostakovich" featuring a cello solo by Sergey Slovachevsky from D. Shostakovich's (1906-1975) Cello Concerto in E-Flat for cello solo and orchestra: 1. Allegro 2. Moderato 3. Cadenza 4. Allegro. The Russian performer Slovachevsky impressed the audience with a remarkable rendition of the concerto. With a unique skill and innovative finger agility, along with his extraordinary speed on the cello's strings, he transformed the instrument into a space of mesmerizing resonance that echoed throughout the hall, conveying the musical depth of Tchaikovsky's work, which is considered one of the greatest achievements in the cello repertoire of the 20th century. Slovachevsky was able to merge professionally with the musical dimensions of the work, bringing the concerto to its highest musical manifestations, elevating it with each note to the musical intent of the composer, characterized by stunning rhythmic contrasts, high harmony, and a fitting musical tone. Through these impressive performances, the musician took the audience to distant and unique places, captivating them with his skills that have made him the principal cellist of the illustrious Mariinsky Theatre.
In the atmosphere of musical sophistication led by maestro Vinokurov, the Russian dance from Tchaikovsky’s ballet "Swan Lake" (1840-1893) was performed with Ulyana Kislitsyna, who delivered a captivating violin solo. The outstanding Russian performer carried the dance on her violin strings, gracefully intertwined with one of the most important classical masterpieces. With high skill, the performer extracted the musical depth of the piece, showcasing its infinite range, with clear finesse in her bowing speed handled by masterful hands, and an expansive sound. Her execution, marked by precise performance and an attractive brilliance, highlighted the elevated musical aesthetics, presenting them with complete and continuous creativity, sweeping the audience from the beginning of the concerto to its flawless conclusion, despite the challenges of the pieces involved. This high beauty, devoid of artificiality, transported listeners into a transcendent musical ecstasy, as expressed by the fired-up audience reacting with applause for many minutes, astonished by her skills.
With Tchaikovsky, the evening extended to a conclusion with pieces from his most notable eternal works: "Serenade Melancolique" in B-Flat Minor for violin and orchestra, Op. 26, Scherzo (Souvenir D’un Lieu Cher) Op. 42 for violin and orchestra, with violin solo by Ulyana Kislitsyna, and selections from "The Sleeping Beauty". The orchestra's performance of "Sérénade mélancolique" delivered to the attentive audience the intricate details of this piece, which seemed like a slow movement extracted from an unfinished imaginary concerto. With this sad music, the listener might be transported to a dreamy ballet scene yet to be written. The continuous pulse of the interrupted playing (pizzicato) in the subsequent segment "poco piu mosso e piu agitato" stirred a magical sensation of movement and lightness that the brilliant music of Tchaikovsky carries, which remains most impactful in memories long after the piece has ended, showcasing the influences of Russian folk song, with its fundamental layers of humming, canonic conversations, and eternal sorrow.
Always with Tchaikovsky, the orchestra delivered a splendid performance with its musicians, conductor, and violinist Kislitsyna, presenting the piece "Remembrance of a Dear Place" Scherzo for violin and orchestra, revealing the influence of Mendelssohn’s scherzo. Tchaikovsky described this movement alternately as "chant sans paroles" (songs without words), similarly resonating with Schubert in its unusual expressive musical sense, especially in its enchanting and cheerful moments—grazioso scherzando in the delightful finale.
In closing, maestro led the orchestra with the brilliant cellist and violinist, presenting enchanting excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s "The Sleeping Beauty", performing the overture and some of the mentioned movements in the program, skillfully showcasing Tchaikovsky’s innovative and imaginative orchestration of instruments in the arrangement, including various instruments to create distinctive new sounds and rich tones that impart depth and a unique feeling to his music, employing different techniques such as sound effects and blending instruments in unconventional ways.
