Opening concert of the III Interregional Open Competition of Performers on String Instruments named after V. Ya. Shpet

The 3rd Interregional Open Competition for Performers on String Instruments named after V. Ya. Shpet is taking place in Omsk from February 7 to 15. It opened the program of events for the federal project "Omsk – Cultural Capital of Russia 2026."

Two hundred children aged 7 to 23 are participating in the competition in the violin, viola, and cello categories. The contestants are divided into four age groups.

The jury is headed by Alexey Vasiliev, Rector of the St. Petersburg State Conservatory (cello); Graf Murzha, professor at the Moscow State Conservatory (violin); and Pavel Romanenko, founder of the Novaya Kamerata Moscow Orchestra and conductor of the Kolobov Novaya Opera Theatre in Moscow (viola).

PROGRAM:

M. Glinka. Overture to the opera "Ruslan and Lyudmila";

P. Tchaikovsky. Russian Dance from the ballet "Swan Lake" for violin and symphony orchestra;

P. Tchaikovsky. Lensky's Aria from the opera "Eugene Onegin" for cello and symphony orchestra;

B. Berliner. Concerto "Jacob's Dream" for violin and symphony orchestra, cadenza and movements 4 and 5;

B. Berliner. Concerto "The Binding of Isaac" for violin and symphony orchestra, cadenza and movement 3;

P. Sarasate. "Gypsy Airs" arranged for cello and symphony orchestra;

M. Bruch. Romance for viola and symphony orchestra;

L.V. Beethoven. Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Piano, 3rd movement.

PERFORMERS:

Omsk Academic Symphony Orchestra,

Artistic Director and Conductor Vladimir Vasiliev.

Soloists:

Valeria Abramova, violin;

Anastasia Ushakova, cello;

Gaik Kazazyan, violin;

Graf Murzha, violin;

Vasily Stepanov, cello;

Pavel Romanenko, viola;

Alexey Vasiliev, cello;

Ksenia Bashmet, piano.

Official competition website: https://shpet-konkurs.ru/

Omsk, Concert Hall of the Omsk Philharmonic, February 7, 2026