Recent events

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The Order “For the services to the Fatherland”

 On 28 July 2011 during the award-giving-ceremony in the Kremlin, Maestro Simonov was decorated with the Order “For the services to the Fatherland”

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70 Jubilee

    Maestro turned 70 in March 2011. He celebrated it with a special jubilee program in Moscow Tchaikovsky Concert Hall. The program consisted of Dvorak’s Symphony 9 “From the New World” in first part and Wagner’s Prelude to “Tristan and Isolde” plus Stravinsky’s Suite “The Firebird” (1919).

    Two greeting-telegrams from the President Dmitry Medvedev and from the Prime-minister Vladimir Putin were being announced before the concert by the minister for Culture Mr. Alexander Avdeyev.

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The Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra met the New Year 2011 in China.

    They played three New Year Concerts: two in Beijing (under baton of Maestro Simonov) and on in Tianjin 

(under baton of Maestro Botnari).

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On 18 December 2010, at Moscow Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, Maestro Simonov and MPO gave a World Premiere 

of Sergey Slonimsky’s Symphony No. 27. The composer himself was present at premiere.

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In May 2009 MPO performed six concerts on Spain tour, under batons of maestro Yuri Simonov and maestro Iurii Botnari.

In November 2008 MPO made a nine-concert-tour to Japan. They performed in Tokyo, Shizuoka, Yamagata, Fukushima, Iwate and Aomori. One of the concerts was in Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall with famous soprano Sumi Jo as a soloist.

In October 2008 MPO toured Great Britain. Maestro Yuri Simonov conducted concerts in London, Leeds, Bristol, Reading, Middlesbrough, Swansea, Sheffield. The other five concerts were conducted by Jonathan Brett

                  

                 

 12 - 20 May 2008 Maestro Simonov has led The St.-Petersburg Philharmonics on their European tour. There were eight concerts: three in Spain, three in Switzerland, one in Vienna and one in Prague at Prague Spring Festival.

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On 10 April 2008 Maestro Simonov and the MPO have played an opening concert for the “Moscow Season in Gdansk” festival.

The program has consisted of Beethoven’s Egmont Overture; Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.2 (soloist Dmitry Gordin) and Tchaikovsky’s Large Suite from “Sleeping Beauty” (compiled by Yuri Simonov).

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During MPO 2007 Japan tour Sumi Jo sang a TV show and two concerts. One of pieces in the program was famous air "C'est bien lui" with two fluts from G. Puccini's opera "L'Etual du Nord"

Firstly, I am very thankful and grateful to Maestro. I was delighted to work with Maestro, and very impressed by him. He is the best conductors I have worked with in my career. Maestro is the “energy maker” of the orchestra. What I mean by this is, his presence and conducting creates the world of music and his energy is so influential that it brings the orchestra and soloist together in a very special way. The “energy” of Maestro radiates to all musicians and without him, the music we made cannot be created.

Secondly, I am very thankful to have worked with the flutists (both the two young musicians, and the elder one(principal) ). The emotions and feelings are in the sounds they make. I was also amazed at how each and every one of the musicians in the orchestra was prepared to perform any piece of music. This orchestra’s capacity of each player in adapting the music is exceptional. For example, they can play the Rachmaninov very well, but they can play the Rossini as good as Rachmaninov also. They have the ability to adapt to any music.

Lastly but not least, I truly wish to work with the Maestro and the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra again, many many times to come in the future. Also, I want to go to Russia to perform with them.  
Sumi Jo
2007. Dec. 10

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On the 1 October 2007 Maestro opened his season number ten with MPO in Moscow.

The program contained Mendelssohn overture to “The Fair Melusine”, Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante” (version for Violin and Cello) and Tchaikovsky’s Large Suite from “Sleeping Beauty” compiled by Y. Simonov.

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On 29 June 2007 the MPO and Maestro Simonov took part in Tchaikovsky competition.

They accompanied to singers at their third leg of the competition:

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On 24 May Hungarian Opera celebrated 30 years jubilee of collaboration with Maestro Simonov.

His first performance there – “Karmen” (Bizet) took place on 17 April 1977.

During those thirty years Maestro has appeared in Opera almost every year; he made new productions of all Wagner operas as well as Tchaikovsky’s “Queen of Spades”.

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Hong Kong Arts Festival

In February 2007 there were three opening concerts for 35^th Hong Kong Arts Festival

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Concert with soprano Sumi JO

On 29 September 2006 in Moscow was a concert with world famous soprano Sumi JO

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Concert at UNESCO (Paris)

In September 2006 maestro Simonov conducted MPO concert at UNESCO (Paris). The program was dedicated to 100 anniversary of Dmitri Shostakovich.

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New production at Hungarian Opera House ( Budapest) 

On 20 May, 2006 Maestro Simonov conducted opening night of  Wagner's "Die Nuernbergen Meistersinger".

Further performances were on 24, 27, 31 May, 3 and 11 June.

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In November 2005 Yuri Simonov led Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra on UK tour

There were eleven concerts in different cities.

Photo at Birmingham Symphony Hall - November 12, 2005.