VALERY GOROKHOLINSKY (clarinet) was born in 1960 in Ukraine. In 1973 Valery moved to Moscow in order to continue his education at the Central Music School. In 1978 he entered the Moscow State Conservatory, class of world famous clarinetist V. Petrov. In 1983 Mr. Gorokholinsky graduated from the Moscow Conservatory and at the same year won the first prize in the All-Union Competition for woodwind instruments. Since that time, Valery Gorokholinsky worked as the principal clarinetist of Ministry of Culture Orchestra under the baton of Gennady Rozhdestvensky, then as the principal clarinetist of Russian National Orchestra under the baton of Mikhail Pletnev, he also performed under the baton of Zubin Mehta, Maris Jansons, Maxim Shostakovich and Vladimir Pon'kin. Valery has been actively promoting the solo and chamber music written for clarinet. His performances include Mozart Concerto on the festival in Austria with the Wiener Chamber Orchestra “Simfonietta”, Moscow performances of K. Stamitz Concert No. 4 for clarinet and violin with orchestra, Hoffmeister Concerto for clarinet and bassoon with orchestra, Mozart’s Concertante for oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn with orchestra, Rossini’s Introduction, Theme and Variations, Weber’s Concertino for clarinet with orchestra, Debussy’s Premiere Rhapsodie for clarinet with orchestra. His chamber repertoire includes works by Bartok, Berg, Bernstein, Beethoven, Brahms, Bruch, d'Indy, Glinka, Khachaturian, Lachner, Martinu, Mendelssohn, Milhaud, Muczynski, Prokofiev, Poulenc, Saint-Saens, Stravinsky, Spohr, Schumann, Schubert, Zemlinski. He made Russian premieres of Trio for piano, clarinet and cello by Louise Farrenc, Quintet for clarinet and strings by Jean Francaix, Theme and Variations for clarinet with orchestra by Paul Hindemith. Since 1995, Valery Gorokholinsky performs only as a solo and chamber player. He is a member of the trio “Opus 11” and his other collaborations include appearances with such artists as National Artist of Russia Vladimir Ivanov (violin), Valery Popov (bassoon), Mikhail Utkin (cello) and Marina Gorokholinskaya (piano). Valery Gorokholinsky has recorded music by Brahms, Bruch, Debussy and Schumann on “Classical Records” label.
THE NEW RUSSIAN QUARTET
Julia Igonina, Violin I
Elena Kharitonova, Violin II
Alexander Galkovsky, Viola
Alexey Steblev, Violoncello
“Magic sounding, perfection of phrasing, free and exciting performance…” “The Moscow Times”
These words fairly describe the musicians who have devoted many years to the art of quartet playing and who have broad experiences in the field of ensemble performance, namely the musicians of the “New Russian Quartet”. The name of the ensembles means that the musicians remain faithful to the great Russian performing tradition and at the same time conquest the new peaks of chamber music. This ensemble has brightly showcased the musicians’ skills. They have played in collaboration with such prominent musicians such as Jessie Norman, Siegfried Palm, Vladimir Spivakov, Edward Brunner, Dan Thai Shon, Alexander Rudin, Daniel Kramer, Nikolay Petrov, Yuri Bashmet. The New Russian Quartet performs in Russia’s best concert halls and participates in festivals throughout Europe and Asia. Musical friendship connects the New Russian Quartet and outstanding musician Shlomo Minz. Their concerts in Italy in a season of 2008 were met by a storm of applause and enthusiastic reviews. This interesting union of the New Russian Quartet and Maestro Shlomo Minz where the famous violinist represents himself as the viola player will have continuation in a season of 2009–2010, where musicians will perform Brahms, Mendelssohn, Bruckner and all Mozart’s string quintets. The New Russian quartet has performed in Asolo chamber music festival, Festival Delle Nazione in Citta di Castello, Tikhon Khrennikov Festival in Russia, European music festival in Bulgaria and other. The Italian press called The New Russian Quartet one of the best ensembles of Russia. The creative range of a quartet reaches from the Viennese classics up to very contemporary music and jazz compositions, naturally includes the masterpieces of Russian composers. Musicians of the quartet perform on unique Italian instruments from the Russian State’s collection.
“…Musicians manage to transfer the mysterious spirit peculiar to music of late Brahms. Singularity of this performance full of sounds simultaneously powerful and soft, as velvet, in aspiration to step over border of chamber music and to enter the virtual symphonic measurement…” “La Gazzetta di Reggio Emilia”
“…Deep penetration into each piece performed, amazingly beautiful sounding, the highest professionalism, these are the integral qualities of The New Russian quartet.” Dmitriy Shebalin, violist of the Borodin String Quartet
“…Every performance amazes with depth of interpretation, carefulness to the smallest details and rare skill to achieve harmony of the form. It is possible only when each of participants of the quartet is an outstanding master.” Andrey Eshpay, Russian composer
“…An alloy of the refined taste, depth and genuine sincerity in execution.” “Culture”
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