Dedicated to Svetlanov.
"Birds"

The National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia (NPR) was founded in January 2003 by the Ministry of Culture. The Orchestra united top orchestra musicians and gifted youth. During the years of its activities, the NPR has succeeded in becoming one of the best symphonic orchestras of Russia and in gaining admiration from the audience and recognition from the professionals. 

The Orchestra is headed by Vladimir Spivakov, a world-known violinist and conductor. 

The National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia has been collaborated prominent conductors such as Michel Plasson, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Krzysztof Penderecki, James Conlon, Okko Kamu, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Alexander Lazarev, John Nelson, Jan Latham-Koenig, Alexander Vedernikov, Tugan Sokhiev, Ken-David Masur, Simon Gaudenz, Stanislav Kochanovsky, Alexander Soloviev, Gabriel Bebeşelea, Pierre Bleuse and others.

The NPR has performed with many outstanding artists, such as Jessye Norman, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Kiri Te Kanawa, Dmitry Hvorostovsky, Renee Fleming, Juan Diego Florez, Matthias Goerne, Waltraud Meier, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Marcelo Alvarez, Ramon Vargas, Violeta Urmana, Anna Netrebko, Ildar Abdrazakov, Gidon Kremer, Gil Shaham, Natalia Gutman, Alexander Knyazev, Arkady Volodos, Evgeny Kissin, Vadim Repin, Martha Argerich, Boris Berezovsky, Kun Woo-Paik, Marc-Andre Hamelin, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Renaud Capuçon, Gautier Capuçon, Viktoria Mullova and others. 

Among many artists who have worked with the NPR on a regular basis are John Lill, Denis Matsuev, Nikoly Lugansky, Vadim Gluzman, Hibla Gerzmava, Albina Shagimuratova, Anna Aglatova, Vasily Ladyuk, Dmitry Korchak, Nikolay Tokarev, Alexander Romanovsky, Sergey Dogadin, David Garrett, Alexander Ramm. 

The NPR’s repertoire covers the period from early classical symphonies to the newest works of modern composers. In the course of eleven years the Orchestra has presented many exceptional projects, world premieres, unique transcription series and concert cycles. 

In accordance with its status and name, the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia gives concerts not only in Moscow, but in various regions of Russia as well. The NPR ends up each season with a tour in Russia. Every year the NPR takes part in the International Music Festival in Colmar, France. The Orchestra has toured extensively over the CIS countries and the Baltic countries, in Europe, the USA, China and Japan. 

In May 2005 the Capriccio Recording Company released CD and DVD of Isaak Schwartz’s Concert for Orchestra, titled Yellow Stars, recorded by the NPR under the baton of Vladimir Spivakov to whom the composer dedicated the work. In 2010–2016 Sony Classical released several NPR’s CDs with music of Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Rimsky-Korsakov, Grieg etc. In 2014–2021, a number of recordings of Russian music were released under the Spivakov Sound label, including Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky, a triple album with works by Tchaikovsky (Symphonies No. 4-6, Italian Capriccio, Romeo and Juliet); The Bells and The Spring by Rachmaninoff, as well as his complete piano concertos (with Alexander Romanovsky); the albums Holy Russia (sacred works by Rachmaninoff and Taneyev), Magic in Music and Masterpieces of Russian Music (Lyadov, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Scriabin). It is planned to release three Rachmaninoff's symphonies for the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth.

French conductor Pierre Bleuse is fast becoming one of the most exciting and sought-after conductors, newly announced as Chief Conductor of Odense Symphony Orchestra from the 2021/22 season, as well as the new Artistic Director of renowned Pablo Casals Festival in Prades (France). Pierre Bleuse will be the next Musical Director of the Ensemble intercontemporain to commence with the 2023/24 season. He will succeed Matthias Pintscher, who has held the position since 2013. 

The 2021/22 season started with a first concert as Odense Symphony’s new Chief Conductor, followed by debuts with Orchestre National de France at the Theatre des Champs-Elysées, Singapore Symphony, Tokyo Symphony, Berner Symphonieorchester, Flanders Symphony orchestra on tour, as well as Orchestre Symphonique de Québec and Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège. Further to that, Pierre Bleuse returns to the Tonkünstler Orchestra, conducting rising-star pianist Marie-Ange Nguci, Ensemble Intercontemporain at the Philharmonie de Paris, Radio France Présences Festival and National Philharmonic of Russia.

Other recent highlights include invitation to such major orchestras as the Orchestre de Paris, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, MDR Sinfonieorchester Leipzig, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Basel and Paris chamber orchestras, Russia National Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic, Belgium National Orchestra, China National Symphony Orchestra and Utah Symphony. He continues to consolidate his role in French musical life, regularly appearing with the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Opéra National de Lyon, Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, Orchestre National d’Île-de-France, Bordeaux National Orchestra, Orchestre d’Auvergne, de Cannes, de Nancy, as well as Rouen, Tours and Toulon opera orchestras. 

He regularly works with some of the most sought-after international soloists such as Sol Gabetta, Nicholas Angelich, Bertrand Chamayou, Emmanuel Pahud, Renaud and Gautier Capuçon. 

He is committed to opera and last season conducted Dido and Aeneas Remembered – a theatrical work based on fragments of Purcell – at the Ruhrtriennale, working with the Opéra National de Lyon for the third time. He made his debut with the company in 2017, with Rimsky-Korsakov’s Mozart and Salieri. He also conducted Opéra National de Lyon for the televised Victoires de la Musique Classique awards ceremony in 2018, working alongside Angela Gheorghiu, Gautier Capuçon, Sabine Devieilhe and Jakub Jósef Orliński. 

As a champion of new music, Pierre Bleuse serves as Joint Music Director of Lemanic Modern Ensemble, which focuses on 20th and 21st century repertoire and is resident at Geneva’s Victoria Hall. 

In 2019, he’s invited to guest-conduct George Benjamin’s Into the Little Hill for ensemble and voices at the prestigious Festival Présences in Paris, with Ensemble intercontemporain. In 2018 he celebrated composer Michael Jarrell’s 60th anniversary, conducting Emmanuel Pahud and Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. His close relationship to Jarrell began when he performed the composer’s opera Cassandre in Aix-en-Provence’s Grand Théâtre in 2017. 

In his role as cultural leader, Pierre Bleuse founded the Musika Orchestra Academy in Toulouse in 2008, bringing together talented young musicians from around the world to offer them professional orchestral experience and career support. 

He studied conducting with Jorma Panula in Finland and Laurent Gay at the Haute École de Genève. Originally trained as a violinist, he served as concertmaster and Associate Conductor of the Toulouse Chamber Orchestra (2000 – 2010) and was a member of the Satie Quartet.