Vladimir Spivakov and “Moscow Virtuosi” give an anniversary concert in Minsk on 21 October at the Palace of the Republic.

Spivakov’s name is known not only to professional musicians and audiophiles, but also to all people who listen to classical music at least occasionally. “Playing Vladimir Spivakov” is, in fact, already a brand. This amazingly talented man started out as a wonderful violinist (today he plays the violin by Antonio Stradivari, received for life from patrons of art), travelled the whole world, then began conducting, founded the best chamber orchestra in Russia “Moscow Virtuosi”, which he has been leading for 25 years.

A quarter of a century is not a youth for a music group. Not only generations of performers naturally change during such periods. Spivakov managed in his time to avoid the fate of King Lear, when the main skeleton of “virtuosos” fell apart in the years of a Spanish stranger. The orchestra was renewed by new income.

And although only six musicians play in the current line-up of “former” musicians, the “Virtuosos” brand has remained the same. So is the popular passion.

“Komsomolskaya Pravda” (16 October 2005)