“El Maleh Rachamim”: World Premiere of Symphonic Arrangement

The premiere performance of “El Maleh Rachamim,” recorded in Minsk in October 2024, is now available on the YouTube channel of composer Baruch Berliner.
The composition was arranged for symphonic orchestra by the talented Moscow-based composer Andrey Pospelov.

A composer and music theory teacher, Mr. Pospelov has authored chamber and symphonic works, as well as music for stage productions and media. He is also the artistic director of the creative collective Komnatny Anderground, which promotes contemporary academic music. He received a special prize at the second All-Russian “Partitura” competition in the “Extended Symphonic Work” category and placed third at the inaugural Rachmaninov International Competition for Composers, Pianists, and Conductors in the “Best Composition” category.

The piece was performed at the Belarusian State Philharmonic Hall by the Belarusian State Academic Orchestra, conducted by Mikhail Kirchhoff. The State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus is the country’s oldest and most prestigious musical ensemble. Founded in April 1927, the orchestra became part of the Belarusian State Philharmonic in 1937. Its repertoire is vast and diverse, ranging from classical symphonic music of the 18th to 20th centuries to compositions by contemporary Belarusian, Russian, and Western European composers. The orchestra performs up to 50 concert programs each season in Minsk and other cities across Belarus. The ensemble is a regular participant in music festivals both domestically and internationally, performing in countries such as Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Finland, Belgium, Austria, Spain, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovakia, Poland, Japan, England, and China.

Mr. Kirkhhoff is the conductor of the Kaliningrad State Symphony Orchestra, the chief conductor of the Moscow Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the artistic director and chief conductor of the Stars of Eurasia festival. He has performed with numerous orchestras in Russia, Germany, Italy, France, Austria, Latvia, Malta, Turkey, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, the UAE, and many other countries.

Produced by Nachum Slutzker (Israel).