"Eternal Love: Sverdlovsk Philharmonic and Denis Matsuev Celebrate Decade with Annual Festival"
Let's Talk About the Xth Musical Festival "Dennis Matsuev Presents..." in Yekaterinburg
From June 7 to 9, the passionate romance known as the Xth Musical Festival took place in Yekaterinburg. Ever since its inception in 2016, this festival has been a yearly affair that our hearts anticipate and then mourn its swift departure. People's Artist of Russia Dennis Matsuev, who curates this event, shares our sentiment, stating, "This romance will be eternal."
The setting for this musical extravaganza is none other than the breathtaking Sverdlovsk Philharmonic, where the globally acclaimed pianist graced the stage with Beethoven and Rachmaninoff piano concertos, as well as chamber program performances of Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Shostakovich compositions.
At the festival's grand opening, Matsuev shared the stage with the Ural Youth Orchestra, under the direction of Dmitry Filatov, and at the rousing finale, he was accompanied by the Ural Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Dmitry Liss. The pianist expressed his delight at having two such extraordinary orchestras in one city, stating, "It's important to have a 'golden reserve', a 'breath on your back', one laboratory where creativity reigns."
Traditionally, the festival provides a platform for the laureates of the interregional charitable program "New Names" from among the students of the Ural Specialized Music School. The 2025 laureates included Kirill Belts (guitar), Ivan Dobrodny (piano), Kamila Karabatova (clarinet), and Konstantin Yakimov (bayan).
Throughout the festival, there were moments that touched spectators' hearts, earning them the nickname 'diamonds' or 'sparks'. The level of young musicians in Yekaterinburg continues to impress, prompting Maestro to express gratitude to the teachers and parents of these prodigious children.
The final day of the festival saw Matsuev take the stage once more, this time to perform Rachmaninoff's Grand Piano Concerto No. 3. This piece, the signature number of the festival, holds a special place in Matsuev's heart, as it was the very concert he first performed with an orchestra in Yekaterinburg back in 1999, following his victory at the International Tchaikovsky Competition. No matter how many times he's played this challenging piece, each performance feels like the first climb to the top of Mount Everest.
Insight: Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 – A Festival Highlight
Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor is a demanding piece with a rich history. The concerto, which premiered in 1909, is renowned for its technical difficulty, making it a major challenge for pianists worldwide. Notable performances include those by Vladimir Horowitz and Sergei Rachmaninoff himself. The concerto remains a favorite among pianists and audiences, requiring a high level of technical skill and musicality. In recent years, pianists like Yunchan Lim have breath-taking interpretations of this concerto, demonstrating its enduring appeal. With its thrilling composition and iconic status, it's easy to see why Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 has become a signature piece for the Dennis Matsuev Presents... Musical Festival in Yekaterinburg.
Entertainment seekers were captivated by the enthralling performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3, a pinnacle of the Xth Musical Festival, embodying the essence of musical complexity and history. This demanding piece, renowned for its technical difficulty and iconic status, has become a signature entertainment item at the Dennis Matsuev Presents... Musical Festival in Yekaterinburg.
