The 11th Kogan Festival International Violin Event Takes Place in Yaroslavl
The 11th Kogan Festival international event has concluded in Yaroslavl. Held since 2014, it has become the city’s cultural and musical trademark.
The Tereshkova Foundation and its Vice President, Elena Tereshkova, have been the unwavering organizers of the festival. While pursuing charitable initiatives in education, popularization, culture, and the arts, the foundation extends support to orphanages and educational institutions through targeted programs.
Part of the festival is a young violinists’ competition backed by the Yaroslavl regional authorities.
Prof. Sergey Kravchenko, Merited Artists of Russia and Head of the Violin Department at the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory, presided over the competition’s jury. A student of the renowned violinist Prof. Leonid Kogan, Prof. Kravchenko has distinguished himself at high-profile international competitions, winning awards at the Paganini Competition in Genoa in 1969, the Jacques Long-Thibaud Competition in Paris in 1971, and the String Quartet International Competition in Liège in 1972. He is a welcome presence at venues in his homeland, Russia, and abroad. Many of his student have made their mark at international competitions too—Alexey Lukirskiy, Sergei Krylov, and Alekandr Kagan being notable examples.
The festival featured two violin concertos by Baruch Berliner, performed by the Russian-Hungarian violinist Graf Mourja. Merited Artist of Russia and Associate Professor at the Moscow Conservatory, Mr. Mourja is among the most brilliant and distinctive violinists of his generation.
On Novermber 10, Mr. Mourja and the Yaroslav Governor’s Academic Symphonic Orchestra, one of Russia’s oldest and most esteemed ensembles, played the Fantiasia Concertante №2 for violin and orchestra, a concerto based on Dr. Berliner’s symphonic poem “The Binding of Isaac.”
On November 12, pianist Pavel Dombrovsky, Associate Professor in the Solo Piano Department at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music, joined Mr. Mourja in performing the Jacob’s Dream fantasy sonata for violin and piano.
We extend our gratitude to the festival organizers for their warm welcome and excellent arrangements. We wish the event ongoing success and vibrant development.
Photo – Marina Kozlova.