Honoured Artist of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic

Vitaly Khandras was born in Grodno (Belarus). In 1992 he graduated from the Second Specialised School of Music of the Belarusian State Conservatory, where his teachers were R. Matyukova, B. Dinerstein, L. Kolos and A. Yanpolsky. During this period Vitaly Khandras became a laureate of the Republican competition and a diploma winner of the Wieniawski Youth Competition. Since 1992 the musician has continued his studies at the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory in the class of G. Feygin, and since 1996 – in the class of A. Melnikov. In 1997 he graduated with honours from the Conservatory and entered the postgraduate course (class of A. Melnikov).

He was a concert master of the Moscow Conservatory Symphony Orchestra (conductor – Lev Nikolaev), in 1993-1994 he took part in summer tours of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra (conductor – Claudio Abbado). From 1993 to 1998, he played in the Franz Lefort Ensemble (from 1993 to 1996 he was also artistic director of the ensemble), and from 1998 to 1999 he played in the Franz Lefort Ensemble. – From 1998 to 1999 he was a member of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Nations under the direction of Eustace Franz.

Since 1999, Vitaly Khandras has been an artist with the State Chamber Orchestra «‎Moscow Virtuosi».

As a soloist he has performed with the «‎Moscow Virtuosi» and other famous chamber and symphony orchestras.

He is the author of the idea and compiler of many subscriptions to the orchestra «‎Moscow Virtuosi».

He is one of the founders, art director and permanent participant of the festival «‎Dobrotvorsky» in Kovrov (Vladimir region) since 2003.

Together with A. Markin and the Vladimir Governor’s Orchestra, he has also created the «‎Glebov Fest» in Vladimir since 2018.

He is the founder of the Commonwealth of Musicians «‎AVE Classic!», which focuses on the performance of chamber music in various styles and directions (from baroque to 21st century music).

Ensembles

«‎Franz Lefort Ensemble»

Awards

2013 – honorary title «‎Honored Artist of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic»