Karelian Philharmonic Orchestra is a cultural heritage of the Republic of Karelia and is the largest orchestra in the Russian North-west.
In the past the orchestra was conducted by Leopold Teplitsky, Konstantin Semenov, Karl Eliasberg, Iurii Aranovich, Vitalii Kataev, Aleksandr Dmitriev, Fedor Glushenko, Edvard Chizhvel Oleg Soldatov, Marius Stravinsky. Orchestra played with such eminent musicians as Sviatoslav Rikhter, Emil Gilels, Nikolai Petrov, Naum Shtarkman, Vladimir Krainev, Mstislav Rostropovich, Igor Oistrakh, Dmitrii Bashkirov, Mikhail Pletnev, Alexei Liubimov, Denis Matsuev, Nikolai Luganskii, Vadim Kholodenko, Vladimir Spivakov, Sergei Stadler, Tatiana Grindenko, Dora Shvartsberg, Aleksandr Rudin, Natalia Shakhovskaia, Iurii Bashmet, Boris Andrianov, Arkadii Shilkloper, Ilia Gringolts and many others.
The orchestra repertoire includes plays that belong to different world music styles and genres. Along with the well-known symphony masterpieces the orchestra often performs the music of the 20th-21st centuries. Not once the orchestra was trusted to play the Russian and world premieres of the contemporary compositions.
Annual season tickets and festivals show the active artistic life of the orchestra, the breadth and diversity of its interests. Symphonic concerts are attended by listeners of all ages. Great attention is paid to working with child audience. In order to attract a new audience Orchestra performs pop and rock music, popular classics, is involved in educational projects.
The orchestra performs in Moscow and Saint-Petersburg, in the Republic of Karelia and other Russian regions. The touring map includes Germany, Poland, France, Spain, Italy and Switzerland. The orchestra has good relations with partners from Finland and other Scandinavian countries.
Art director and the main conductor — Anatolii Rybalko
Anatolii Rybalko, an Honoured artist of Karelia is an art director and a principal conductor of the Karelia Philharmonic Orchestra (since 2013).
He graduated from the St.Petersburg State Conservatory as a choral conductor and opera and symphonic conductor. Anatolii studied from legendary teachers - professors Kudriavtseva and Martynov.
Since 2002 he has been working as a conductor in Saint-Petersburg state children’s musical theatre Zazerkalie. At the same time, he teaches at the Department of Opera and Symphony Conducting of the St. Petersburg State Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory and the St. Petersburg Rimsky-Korsakov College.
Anatolii Rybalko cooperates with the St.Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, the St.Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, the State Hermitage Orchestra and the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra.
Anatolii Rybalko toured around the cities in Russia, Europe, Japan. He was recorded at Sony Pictures Classics label.
Violetta Lukianenko graduated from the St. Petersburg State Academy of Theatre Art in 2008 (class of Aleksandr Petrov, People’s Artist of Russia, and singing class of Tatiana Groznova).
Violetta is the soloist with the Zazerkalie Children’s Music Theatre since 2008 and with the Mariinsky Theatre since 2016. She has such roles in operas as A life for the Tsar, The Tsar’s Bride, War and Peace, L'elisir d'amore, Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Die Zauberflöte, La Bohème, Carmen and others.
Lukas Geniushas is a Russian pianist who has established himself as one of the most exciting and recognizable performers of his generation.
Roman Arndt graduated from the Rimsky-Korsakov St Petersburg State Conservatory (class of Sergey Nikulshin).
He is a prize-winner at the Irina Bogacheva VII St. Petersburg International Opera Singers’ Competition (2015, 2nd prize), prize-winner at the Elena Obraztsova Foundation’s International Competition José Carreras Grand Prix (Moscow, 2018, 3rd prize), finalist of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World (2019).
In 2012 he became a soloist with the Zazerkalye Children’s Music Theatre, where performs lead tenor roles. Since 2013 he has been a guest artist at the Mikhailovsky Theatre. In 2019 he made his debut at the Mariinsky Theatre.
Roman has taken part in the festival Opera for All in St. Petersburg (L’elisir d’amore, The Golden Cockerel, Tannhäuser and others).
Lukas Geniushas is the grandson and pupil of Vera Gornostaeva, a legendary teacher and professor at the Moscow Conservatory. He graduated from the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory. He is a laureate of several prestigious international competitions (the owner of silver medals at the XV International Tchaikovsky Competition (2015), the International Chopin Competition (2010) and others).
Lukas Geniushas performs with various orchestras (the Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Kremerata Baltica, etc.) under the direction of such famous conductors as Valerii Gergiev, Mikhail Pletnev, Andrei Boreiko and Dmitrii Sitkovetskii.
He invited to give recitals in the most prestigious halls of the world, regularly takes part in international festivals. Since 2015, Geniushas has been a guest artist of the “Looking at the Stars” charity project, based in Toronto, which goal is to bring classical music to people who do not have the opportunity to hear it at concerts.
He actively plays as a chamber musician.
Lucas Geniushas is interested in music from the Baroque era to the works of contemporary composers. He constantly adds new pieces into his repertoire and returns rarely performed masterpieces of the past.