HSE Centre of Music Projects Opens 20th Season
In early September, Stanislav Korchagin, winner of the third prize in the 17th International Tchaikovsky Competition, gave a concert at the Small Hall of the HSE Cultural Centre. The event opened the new season by HSE Centre of Music Projects.
The 2023/24 concert season is an anniversary one. The project grew out of the cycle ‘Professors’ Wednesdays’, initiated by Professor Lev Lyubimov, one of HSE’s founders with the long-term support of Natalia Savelieva, who held the position of HSE Academic Secretary.
Twenty years ago, in December 2003, the Glinka State String Quartet performed at the first concert at the Professors' Club on Myasnitskaya Ulitsa. Marina Lebed, who was at that time a student of the Moscow State Conservatory and who now heads up HSE Centre of Music Projects, organised the first concert.
‘It was so unexpected, so fresh and so enthusiastically received that we definitely wanted the project to keep going! It wasn’t only about the beautiful music. ‘Professors’ Wednesdays’ became a place for informal communication among HSE staff,’ says Marina Lebed recalling the first concert. ‘And we still want that now. HSE University is huge and is only getting bigger. We are growing, we have new faculties, new curricula, new people are coming. And our chamber concerts in a small hall are the perfect way to get to know colleagues, to experience unforgettable moments of listening to music together, to see students at concerts, to hear world renowned musicians who have come to visit us, and even to get their autographs. I know that musicians also like to visit us, because here the audience enjoy their performance like nowhere else: we have an enthusiastic, very attentive audience. Many of the musicians have become our friends and come to us on informal occasions. So everyone is here for the love of it.’
Over the years, first at the hall on Myasnitskaya, and then at HSE Cultural Centre on Pokrovka, many outstanding musicians have performed at HSE University. Pianists Alexey Lyubimov and Tigran Alikhanov, cellists Alexander Rudin, Boris Andrianov and Alexander Ramm, the legendary Borodin State Quartet and the New Russian Quartet, guitarists Dmitry Illarionov and Artyom Dervoed, soloists of the Bolshoi Theatre and the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre sang here. Jazz musicians Daniil Kramer, Andrey Kondakov and Vyacheslav Gaivoronsky, folklorist Sergey Starostin and the bards Sergey and Tatiana Nikitin, Yuli Kim, and Galina Khomchik have all been guests at ‘Professors’ Wednesdays’ over the years.
For the 20th anniversary season, the HSE Centre of Music Projects is presenting a traditional concert series ‘Winners of the Tchaikovsky International Competition at HSE University’. For many years, since 2007, after the completion of one of the most significant music competitions in the world, concerts of laureates and participants of the competitions have been held in the chamber hall of HSE Cultural Centre. This year's guests include the pianists Stanislav Korchagin and Konstantin Khachikyan, violinists Ravil Islyamov and Daniil Kogan, along with many others.
Other concert plans include an evening of vocal music by Mikael Tariverdiev and a unique programme of 20th century music performed by pianist Alexei Goribol and violinist Vladislav Pesin. Birthdays are usually celebrated with friends, so in this season, accordion player Maria Vlasova and, possibly, the outstanding Daniil Kramer will come to HSE University to perform for regular listeners. Many concerts are still being planned, but there will definitely be a lot of interesting meetings and good music in the upcoming season.
Reflecting on the future of HSE Centre of Music Projects, Marina Lebed shares a dream: ‘I am proud that we have great chamber programmes, at the level of the best halls in Moscow. But, understanding the educational role of the project, I would like to add live orchestral music to them. Of course, I really value the HSE Symphony Orchestra, which I supervise, and this is much more than just a job to me. But it would be great if other orchestras performed at HSE University, there would be more sound of a larger type. I remember how the Musica Viva chamber orchestra and the Intrada vocal ensemble performed on the stage of the Russian Academic Youth Theatre at the celebration of the 10th anniversary of HSE Centre of Music Projects, which took place on the same day as the Golden HSE Award. You can imagine what kind of concert it was with such outstanding artists! I would love it if, several times a season, we could listen to symphonies or fragments of opera music, even in concert. It's so mind-expanding and impressive!’
Faculty and staff, students and graduates of HSE University gathered together to listen to Ravel's ‘Valses Nobles et Sentimentales’ and Rachmaninoff's Preludes Op. 32 for piano in a brilliant performance by Stanislav Korchagin. The guests shared their impressions of the concert.
Vasil Sakaev, HSE University graduate
I graduated from HSE University this year and it’s not the first time I’ve attended a concert organised by HSE Centre of Music Projects. They always organise excellent events with first-class artists. Marina Lebed and Kristina Agaronyan are constantly active in this regard. I will continue to attend these concerts, I like them a lot. Moreover, it’s always nice to return to your alma mater.
Maria Lastochkina, HSE University graduate
I attended the course ‘The History of European music from antiquity to the present day’ by Marina Lebed, and started going to concerts when they were still held at the Professors' Club on Myasnitskaya. And now I come here with great pleasure. It was a beautiful evening. Thank you all!
Alexey Boldyrev, HSE University employee
I have been working at HSE University for six years and today I came to the concert of the Centre of Music Projects for the first time. I am an amateur musician myself, I play the piano, I have been going to other concerts for many years, but this is my first time here. I enjoyed it very much.
Olga Sec, guest
I have no direct connection to HSE University. I found out about this concert from Stanislav Korchagin's VK page. I can say I'm a fan of his work, since I have been to his performances more than once — both before the Tchaikovsky Competition, and, of course, during the competition itself. So I have something to compare it with. I really liked the format of today's concert, there was a warm and sincere atmosphere. I wish there were more events like this.
Katya Filippova, 2nd-year student, HSE University
I'm here with my classmates. We go to exhibitions and the theatre together, we attended the concert on the Student's Night, but it’s our first time at the piano concert, and so far I liked it the most. We are now going to come to the concert of another participant of the Tchaikovsky Competition, which will be held next Thursday.