Nikita Koller and Sophie Branson, our professional program violin students (both class of Liana Tretiakova), made their debut in Kazakhstan this month with two outstanding concerts alongside symphony orchestras under the baton of Maestro Eldar Saparaev.

The first performance took place in Pavlodar at the Pavlodar Philharmonic Concert Hall on November 19th, featuring the Pavlodar Symphony Orchestra. Subsequently, our young rising stars showcased their brilliance at the Concert of Laureates of the X International Violin Competition ‘Astana-Violin’ in memory of David Oistrakh – where Nikita and Sophie won 2nd and 3rd prizes respectively in different age groups a week before – with the Kazakhstan National Symphony Orchestra in Astana on November 20th. Notably, at the second concert, our students played with two other competition prize-winners.

The phenomenal Maestro Eldar Saparaev from Germany conducted both orchestras, delivering an exceptional performance on stage. The concert in Astana took place at the Kazakhstan Central Concert Hall, the country’s largest and most sophisticated venue, accommodating 3,500 listeners – the biggest concert hall where our students have performed in the school history so far.

Sophie showcased her talent with Sibelius’s renowned ‘Violin Concerto in D minor,’ while Nikita captivated the audience with two other masterpieces of the rich violin repertoire: Henryk Wieniawski’s ‘Violin Concerto No.2 in D minor’ and Pablo de Sarasate’s ‘Gypsy Airs.’

We extend our deepest gratitude to Maestro Eldar Saparaev for his wholehearted support of our young talents and exceptional work with the orchestras. Lastly, our heartfelt congratulations to Sophie and Nikita, as well as their dedicated violin teacher, Liana Tretiakova, on this remarkable debut! Bravo!!!