PENDERECKI CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FESTIVAL

Previous Years

20 19 - 24

20 24

Concert Program

04. 04

19:30

Krzysztof Penderecki - Violin Concerto No.2 “Metamorphosen”

I․ Allegro ma non troppo

II․ Allegretto

III․ Molto

IV․ Vivace

V․ Scherzando

VI․ Andante con moto

Intermission

Krzysztof Penderecki - Symphony No.5 "Korean"

Sergey Smbatyan

Conductor

Ju-Young Baek

Violin

11. 04

19:30

Aram Khachaturian concert hall

LLudovico Einaudi - “Wetlands” Symphonic Poem

Behzad Ranjbaran - Flute Concerto

I․ Grave lamentoso-Allegro con spirito

ll․ Adagio cantabile

Alexander Rosenblatt - Jazz Rococo Variations for Bass Guitar and Orchestra

Homage to Pyotr Tchaikovsky

Natalie Murray Beale

Conductor

Aleksandr Haskin

Flute

Anton Davidyants

Bass guitar

18. 04

19:30

Patricia Morehead - “Voyage Across Centuries” Symphonic Poem

In honour of Beethoven and Champlain creating and exploring new places and ideas

Sergei Slonimsky - Jewish Rhapsody։ Concerto for Piano, Strings, Flute and Percussions

Dedicated to Julia Zilberquit

I․ Moderato

Sir Karl Jenkins - Excerpts from the Mass "The Armed Man" (A Mass For Peace)

I․ The armed man

VI․ Hymn Before Action

Sergey Smbatyan

Conductor

Julia Zilberquit

Piano

20 23

PENDERECKI CONTEMPORARY CLASSICS' FESTIVAL

The Armenian State Symphony Orchestra brings you the third edition of the Annual Penderecki Contemporary Classics’ Festival, dedicated this year to the legendary Polish composer’s 90th anniversary. The festival's concerts will be held at the “Aram Khachaturian” Concert Hall on April 27 through May 12, 2023.
This is the only festival named after Krzysztof Penderecki that is held outside the composer’s native Poland. Most of the works included in the concert programs of the festival will be performed in Armenia for the first time.

Concert Program

27. 04

19:00

Aram Khachaturian concert hall

Joanna Wnuk-Nazarowa - “Il Tempo Passa. Passacaglia”

Krzysztof Penderecki - Concerto for Flute and Chamber Orchestra

Intermission

Krzysztof Penderecki - Symphony No.2 "Christmas Symphony"

I. Moderato

II. Allegretto

Noémi Győri

Flute

Sergey Smbatyan

Conductor

02. 05

19:00

Aram Khachaturian concert hall

Valentin Silvestrov - HYMN 2001, for String Orchestra

Alexey Shor - “Travel Notebook” Concerto for Piano and Orchestra

I. Wayfarers Prayer

II. La Rambla (inspired by visiting Barcelona)

Lera Auerbach - Symphony No.1 "Chimera"

I. Aegri somnia

II. Post tenebras lux

Michel Tilkin

Conductor

Miroslav Kultyshev

Piano

03. 05

20:00

Krzysztof Penderecki - Aria from “Three Pieces in Old Style”

Claus-Steffen Mahnkopf - “Prospero-Fragmente”

Akira Nishimura - “Mirror of Star”

Hayk Melikyan

Piano

12. 05

19:00

Aram Khachaturian concert hall

Christopher Muscat - “Festive Overture”

Tigran Mansurian - "Night Music"

Intermission

Eric Whitacre - “October”

Hayk Melikyan

Piano

Sergey Smbatyan

Conductor

20 22

The Penderecki Contemporary Classics' Festival

The Penderecki Contemporary Classics' Festival was originally the first and only festival in Armenia to entirely feature living world legends of classical music and remains such to this day. A unique opportunity for music enthusiasts to meet prominent contemporary classical composers in the capital city of Yerevan and connect with their musical legacy, the festival has been hosting universally beloved celebrities.

Renowned virtuosi Mario Brunello, Gidon Kremer, Yuri Bashmet, Ning Feng, Boris Berezovsky, Daria Tchaikovskaya and other remarkable artists have performed masterpieces of great contemporary composers such as Krzysztof Penderecki, Tigran Mansurian, Qigang Chen, Giya Kancheli, Alexey Shor, Georgs Pelecis, Karl Jenkins and Alexander Tchaikovsky, most of whom have honored the festival with their presence.

After bidding farewell in 2020 to the late Krzysztof Penderecki, the great Polish composer and conductor, one of the most outstanding figures of the 20th-century classical music and a good friend of Armenia, the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra commited itself to titling the festival by Maestro’s name.

Currently held with the support of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia, the Penderecki Contemporary Classics’ Festival is the only festival worldwide privileged to be named after the great composer as a tribute to his grandeur.

Photo Gallery

09 Jul

16 Jul

19 Jul

Concert Program

09. 07

19:00

Aram Khachaturian concert hall

Arvo Pärt - Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten

Kaija Saariaho - “Ciel d'hiver”

Sebastian Fagerlund - Stonework for orchestra

Hannu Lintu

Conductor

Armenian State Symphony Orchestra

16. 07

19:00

Aram Khachaturian concert hall

Krzysztof Penderecki - Adagietto from the opera "Paradise Lost"

Krzysztof Penderecki - Violin Concerto No.2 “Metamorphosen”

Intermission

Krzysztof Penderecki - Symphony No.4 “Adagio”

Sergey Smbatyan

Conductor

Leticia Moreno

Violin

Armenian State Symphony Orchestra

19. 07

19:00

Aram Khachaturian concert hall

Valentyn Silvestrov - Symphony No.9

(WORLD PREMIERE)

Intermission

Karl Jenkins - Choral Passacaglia

(WORLD PREMIERE․ THE COMPOSITION IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE VICTIMS OF THE 44-DAY WAR IN ARTSAKH)

Tigran Mansurian - “Havatov Khostovanim" Prayers for Baritone, Choir and Orchestra

Sergey Smbatyan

Conductor

Aksel Daveyan

Baritone

Armenian State Symphony Orchestra

Armenian National Academic Choir

20 19

"Contemporary Classics" Composers' Festival 2019

"Contemporary Classics" Composers' Festival gathers legendary composers from all over the world in Armenia. The aim of the festival is to give the audience an opportunity to get together the legends of our times and to enjoy their music live.

Photo Gallery

01 Nov

03 Nov

04 Nov

05 Nov

07 Nov

08 Nov

09 Nov