Orchestra Department

Dean – Honoured Artist of Belarus, Professor V. Boudkevich.

Divisions:

• Violin (Head – Senior Teacher Т. Bodneva);

• Viola, Cello and Double-bass (Head – Senior Teacher N. Shpenyova);

• Wood Wind Instruments (Head – Honoured Artist of Belarus, Doctor of Musicology, Professor B. Nichkov);

• Brass Wind and Percussion Instruments (Head – Candidate of Musicology, Professor N. Volkov);

• Chamber Ensemble (Head – Assistant Professor G. Nekrassova).

The operation of the Orchestra Department is ensuring a high creative level of such widely known artistic establishments like the Creative Association "National Academic Bolshoi Theatre of Opera and Ballet of the Republic of Belarus", the State Musical Theatre of Belarus, artistic collectives of the Belarusian State Philharmonic Society – the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus, the State Chamber Orchestra, the State Concert Orchestra, the "Classic-Vanguard" Ensemble of Soloists, artistic collectives of the TV and Radio Company of the Republic of Belarus and others.

The Violin Division. The formation and development of the Belarusian violin school is connected with the names of Professors M. Bratennikov, M. Goldstein and V. Goldfeld. A great upsurge of violin performance art in the 1970-80s was caused by creative and pedagogical activities of widely-known musicians-performers R. Nodel, A. Kramarov, V. Parkhomenko. An essential contribution into training of violinists was made by distinctive Belarusian violinists L. Gorelik and G. Klochko. Today the Division headed by Senior Teacher T. Bodneva, the Division employs Professor A. Yanpolsky, Professors of the Division V. Zelenin and V. Chernysh, Assistant Professors R. Krivel, E. Kuchinsky,  Honoured Artist of Belarus V. Soroko, Senior Teacher I. Alikaeva, who are successfully developing the best traditions of the Belarusian violin school. During the last decade the following pupils of the Division became laureates of international competitions: N. Stolyarskaya, A. Zherego, A. Yakonyuk, Ya. Osnovich, Yu. German, Yu. Stefanovich, A. Podov, T. Levitskaya, A. Shishkov.

The Division of Viola, Cello and Contrabass. Talented and highly qualified teachers work here: Honoured Artists of Belarus, Professors M. Krivosheyev (contrabass) and V. Perlin (cello), Assistant Professors L. Lastovka (viola) and V. Rylatko (viola), teachers L. Anishchenko and A. Afanasyev (cello), A. Karajev and A. Hohlov (viola), V. Pulenkov (contrabass). Today the Division headed by senior teacher N. Shpenyova (cello). The pupils of the Division are successfully performing at international competitions. Among laureates are cellists Li Bin (China), D. Tsipkin, E. Sharakhovskaya, K. Zelenin, O. Rodevich, L. Antikona-Kabaliero, contrabassists D. Levonyuk, P. Sidorenko, V. Veselovskiy, violists M. Zelenina, S. Golubovskaya, E. Domanskaya and others.

The Division of Wooden Wind Instruments. The formation of the national school of wind instruments is connected with the pedagogic activities of V. Kharitonov, who headed in 1950-60s the united in those days Division of Wind and Percussion Instruments for almost twenty years. Upon subdivision in 1990 of the Division into two independent ones – the Wooden and also Copper and Percussion Instruments – the process of development of these specialities went on especially fruitfully and intensively. Today, the pedagogic work is carried out at the Division by Honoured Artist of Belarus, Doctor of Musicology, Professor B. Nichkov (oboe), Honoured Worker of Arts, Doctor of Cultural Science, Professor V. Skorokhodov (clarinet), Honoured Artist of Belarus, Professor V. Boudkevich (bassoon), People's Artist of Belarus,  Professor M. Finberg (ensemble of wind instruments and studying of orchestra parts), Honoured Artist of Belarus, Assistant Professor G. Zabara (clarinet), Assistant Professors N. Avramenko (flute), I. Brichikov (clarinet), G. Gedylter (flute). The graduates of the Division of Wooden Wind Instruments are notable for their high professionalism and essential creative achievements. Thus, the students of Professor B. Nichkov have successfully passed the most complicated selections for the positions of soloists in prestigious orchestras, namely: Igor Leschishin became a soloist of the symphony orchestra of the Washington National Opera, Yury Likin obtained position of a soloist at the Prague National Symphony Orchestra and Prague Wind Quintet. Six graduates of the Division have won the contest into the symphony orchestra of the city of Manaus (Brazil). Among the graduates of the Division are famous young musicians – laureates of international competitions Svetlana Serguiyenko, Victoria Tatur, Vassily Zakapets (oboe), Larissa Lasotskaya, Sergey Kortes, Victoria Drygina, Arsen Zamtaradze (flute), Alexei Vakoulenko, Vadim Ivanov (clarinet), Oleg Danik, Alexei Frolov, Alexander Mourzich (bassoon), saxophonist Alexei Khrouschov and others. The Division of Wooden Wind Instruments is carrying out active concert activities. During twenty five years the flute ensemble "Sirinx" has been successfully performing, whose constant director is Assistant Professor N. Avramenko. An active part in the concert life of the country is taken by the ensemble of soloists of the State Concert Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus conducted by Professor B. Nichkov and Assistant Professor G. Gedylter – the author of multiple arrangements for the ensemble. Both collectives have the titles of laureates of the international competition of chamber ensembles.

The Division of Copper Wind Instruments. The history of the Division keeps the names of highly professional musicians who laid the foundation of development of national performance on copper and percussion instruments, including R. Lagonda (trombone), P. Denisov and V. Volkov (trumpet), M. Minenkova (percussion), Ya. Stegenniy,  Yu. Loginov, Ch. Yushkevich (French horn). Today, the Division is headed by Candidate of Musicology, Professor M. Volkov. It comprises famous musicians: Professor P. Doudarenko (tuba), Assistant Professors V. Tarashkevich (French horn), L. Klinduhova (percussion instruments) and others. Among laureates and prize-winners are Andrey Kovalinsky, Yevgeny Lyatte, Dmitry Makarevich, Maksim Shkulepa (trumpet), Sergey Buranov, Anna Semenova (percussion instruments), Eduard Lange (French horn), Sergey Shepelev, Oleg Mariankov (tuba), Konstantin Karpovich, Aleksandr Demidenko, Marina Sosenkova, Vitaliy Karabuhin (trombone). The ensemble of trumpeters conducted by Professor M. Volkov "Intrada" obtained a broad international recognition.

The Division of Chamber Ensemble. The Division headed by Assistant Professor G. Nekrassova is playing a growing role in professional training of the students of the string section. Talented pedagogues are fruitfully working at the Division, among them are Professor N. Schebakov, Assistant Professors L. Dedouk, I. Galochkina, V. Savina, G. Solopaho, Senior Teachers I. Zharova, I. Nevskaya. An active concert activity is carried out by G. Nekrassova, who is performing in the trio together with Professor V. Boudkevich (bassoon) and Assistant Professor I. Brichikov (clarinet). The chamber ensembles of the Academy took multiple parts in musical competitions and were awarded with jury prizes, a number of chamber ensembles of the Academy of Music became laureates of international competitions in Russia, Poland and Belarus.