Presidential Orchestra - State Institution «Palace of the Republic»

Presidential Orchestra

«The Honored Collective of the Republic of Belarus The Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus is a collective that is able to perform any musical task. That is, all styles and genres are subject to him. This became possible thanks to the work with such great musicians as Ennio Morricone, Michel Legrand, the late Dmitry Hvorostovsky, Anna Netrebko. Working with such great musicians, we absorbed musically everything that they gave us, and gained tremendous experience», - Vitaly Kulbakov.

PBT_3697
PBT_9508
photo-235
PBT_9525
PBT_9572

Presidential Orchestra

Administration

Principle Conductor – Kulbakov Vitaliy Grigorievich
Conductor – Chehovskiy Oleg Konstantinovich
Director – Bortnik Olesya Viktorovna

Contacts:

Tel.: +375 (17) 229-90-50
Tel.: +375 (17) 229-90-04

E-mail: 

dirork@r.palace.by – concerts’ organization

The Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus was created on August 6, 2002.

In September 2002 Victor Babarikin, a graduate of the Belarusian State Academy of Music, was appointed to be the Principle Conductor of the Orchestra. 

The Management of the Orchestra:

Vitaly Kulbakov –   Principle Conductor.

The Orchestra is made up of former graduate of the Belarusian State Academy of Music, the Belarusian State University of Culture and the Minsk Music School. It is a company of like-minded fellows, capable and ready to say their own word in the development of the variety-and-symphonic genre. The Orchestra is full of energy and ready to promote the Belarusian performing art both over Belarus and abroad. The Orchestra is a model of a small symphonic orchestra being able to perform scores of chamber-symphonic ganres.

The Orchestra fruitfully cooperates with opera singers, acknowledged variety masters, composers, poets.

The company has taken part in many significant events:

«Musical Evenings» with participation of laureates of international competitions; Rostislav Krimer (piano), a post graduate of the Royal Academy of Music of London; Julia Igonina (violine), a laureate of international competitions; concert of classical music in the Sophia Castle of the city of Polotsk;

Within the Yury Bashmet International Festival the Orchestra performed with such famous artists as Vassily Lobanov, Prof. of the High Scholl of Cologne (Germany); Aleksei Ogrinchuk, a soloist of the Royal Orchestra Concertgebouw in Amsterdam; Mary Elizabeth Hekker, a laureate of M. Rostropovich International Competition in Paris.

Variety projects: performances with participation of Mishel Legran; Al Bano; Rikardo Foli; Nikolai Trubach; Jacob Naumenko; Nikolai Noscov; Konstantin Moscovich, Maestro of Arts of The Moldova Republic and Viktoria Nikitchenko; composer Kim Breitburg; Alexei goman; Ruslan Alekhno; Peter Yelfimov; composer Igor Luchenok, People’s Artist of the USSR and Belarus; Jossif Kobzon, People’s Artist of the USSR; Anatoli Yarmolenco, People’s Artist of Belarus; Yadwiga Poplavskaya and Alexander Tikhanovich, Peoples’s Artists of Belarus; the «Pure Voise» Ensembler; Irina Dorofeyeva, Georgy Koldun and others.

«Musical Evenings» with the participation of Alexander Shuvalov (bayan), Laureate of international competitions.

Within «Musical Evenings» programs were performed pieces by L. Bernstein, G. Enesku, E. Glebov, L. Webber, potpourri on the themes of the Beatles and other compositions.

In 2002, the palette of Belarusian professional art was enriched by a new musical group. In accordance with the Decree of the President No. 214rp dated August 6, 2002, the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus was created in the country. The Ministry of Culture has determined the staffing of the team that is being created in the structure of the Palace of the Republic.

As a result of the competition, Viktor Babarikin, a graduate of the Belarusian State Academy of Music, was appointed to the post of chief conductor of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus on November 1, 2002.

In October 2002, auditions for musicians began. As a result of the competition, the Presidential Orchestra included recent graduates and students of the Belarusian State Academy of Music, the Belarusian State University of Culture, the Minsk Musical College. M.I. Glinka. A team of young like-minded people (the average age of musicians at the time of the creation of the orchestra was 23 years old) was selected, capable and ready to have their say in the development of the pop-symphony genre.

On November 15 of the same year, rehearsals of the orchestra began, and a month later the first concert program was presented. Today, the number of programs has exceeded a hundred, and each has become an event in the concert life of Belarus.

Over the 21 years of its existence, the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus has taken part in a number of significant events, including: the International Festival of Arts “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk”, the Festival-Fair of village workers “Dozhinki”, the Concert of Friendship as part of the Year of Culture of Belarus in the Russian Federation (SCCH “Russia”, Moscow), Days of Culture of the Republic of Belarus in the Islamic Republic of Iran, International Pop Music Festival “Comrat-2005”, “Songs of the Peace – 2006” (Kishinev) in the Republic of Moldova, International Music Festival “Golden Hit” , International Festival of Yuri Bashmet, Corporate Festival “Fakel” of JSC “Gazprom”, Days of Minsk in St. Petersburg, Tbilisi and much more.

In 2015, by the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated January 21, 2015 No. 31: For high achievements in the field of musical art and a significant contribution to the development of national culture, to assign a professional group of artistic creativity to the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus of the State Institution “Palace of the Republic” of the Administration of the President of the Republic Belarus the title of “Honored Collective of the Republic of Belarus”.

On December 5, 2019, Vitaly Grigorievich Kulbakov was appointed chief conductor of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus.

In 2022, the “Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus on September 06, 2022 No. 6 was signed: for outstanding achievements in the field of music, visual arts, decorative and applied arts, journalism, folk and amateur art, teaching and education of creative youth, which have received public recognition, award a special prize of the President of the Republic of Belarus to the figures of culture and art of 2021 – an honored team of the Republic of Belarus To the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus of the state institution “Palace of the Republic” of the Office of the President of the Republic of Belarus – for significant achievements in the development of pop art, the implementation of musical projects within the framework of the Year of National Unity.

PBT_9538
PBT_3835
PBT_3855
PBT_3977
PBT_3934
PBT_9523
PBT_3777
PBT_3774
PBT_3769
PBT_3764
PBT_3763
PBT_3757
PBT_3697

Tours

In 2004, the first tour of the orchestra was held, dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus from Nazi invaders. As part of the tour, 16 concerts took place – in all regional centers, large industrial cities. As part of the tour, charity concerts were given: in the hospital of veterans of the Great Patriotic War in Borovlyany, for the pupils of the Ivenets orphanage in the Volozhinsky district and for residents affected by the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Bragin.

In 2005, a tour of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus was organized, dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Great Victory. A specially created concert program “Short May Nights”, which included the best songs about the war, was shown to citizens of 11 major cities. The final concerts of the tours were held on Octyabr’skaya Square in Minsk.

In 2006, a tour of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus took place as part of the festival-action “For a Strong and Prosperous Belarus!”. As part of the tour, the concert programs of the group were presented to the audience, in which the leading pop singers of Belarus took part. Not only citizens of Minsk, but also residents of some regional centers of the country were able to get acquainted with these programs. The Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus has released a multimedia disc, a double CD, and two DVDs based on broadcast recordings.

In 2008, a tour took place – a charity event “Presidential Orchestra for Children”. Each region of the Republic of Belarus hosted two concerts of the Presidential Orchestra with the participation of Belarusian performers. In the same year, the Presidential Orchestra held a tour “For a Healthy Lifestyle”.

In 2009, a tour dedicated to the “65th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus from Nazi invaders” took place.

In 2009, the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus, together with the ONT TV channel, held the New Voices of Belarus competition.

In February 2009, qualifying rounds were held in 7 regions of the Republic, as a result of which more than 30 performers were selected. They made it to the semi-finals. This grandiose concert took place on May 29, 2009 in the Big Hall of the Palace of the Republic. The President of the Republic of Belarus personally had the opportunity to evaluate the vocal data of the semi-finalists of the competition. The jury was attended by such outstanding people as Lyudmila Gurchenko, Dmitry Koldun, Inna Afanasyeva, as well as the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 Alexander Rybak, who with pleasure performed the Eurovision winning song “Fairytale” accompanied by the Presidential Orchestra. Then 24 finalists of the competition took part in two concerts in the Mir Castle, in one of which the vocalists performed duets with leading Belarusian performers. And finally, on July 14, within the framework of the International Festival of Arts “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk – 2009”, the final of the competition took place. Following the results of the final concert, 10 best voices of Belarus became soloists of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus. Their names are: Radmila Semyonova, Yulia Shishko, Marta Golubeva, Olga Sansevich, Yegiazar Farashyan, Artyom Mikhalenko, Alyona and Ninel Karpovichi, Irina Potapovich and Evgeny Yermalkovich.

In 2010: Vitebsk – a concert by Dmitry Hvorostovsky within the framework of the XIX International Festival of Arts “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk”; city of Polotsk; a tour of the north-western region of Poland (the cities of Wejherowo, Gdynia, Slupsk, Gorzow Velikopolsky) as part of the campaign “Belarus is us”; Berlin (Germany) – participation in the Young Euro Classic festival; Lida – participation in the Republican festival-fair of village workers “Dozhinki”; Vilnius (Lithuania) – concert of the Presidential Orchestra with the participation of soloists of the National Opera Elena Shvedova and Alexander Krasnodubsky; tour of the cities of Belarus (Gomel, Slavgorod, Dribin, Krugloye, Belynichi, Krasnopolye, Mozyr, Postavy, Novolukoml, Zhlobin, Mogilev, Orsha, Grodno, Slutsk, Dyatlovo, Zaslavl, Stolin, Bridges, Luninets, Svetlogorsk, Vidomlya Kamenetsky district of the Brest region) with soloists-vocalists of the Presidential Orchestra and others.

In 2011: Mogilev – concert of the Presidential Orchestra with the program “Unforgettable evening of Belcanto”; Varna (Bulgaria) – participation in the International Music Festival “Discovery-2011”; Smolensk (Russia); Volkovysk – a concert of the Presidential Orchestra dedicated to the city’s holiday; Soligorsk – a concert of the Presidential Orchestra dedicated to the Miner’s Day; Molodechno – participation in the Republican festival-fair of village workers “Dozhinki”. Concerts in the cities of Belarus (Kopyl, Krupki, Borisov, Gomel, Starye Dorogi, Volkovysk, Grodno, Ivanovo Brest region, Dragichin, Pinsk, Luninets, Rechitsa, Svetlogorsk, Baranovichi, Voronovo Grodno region) and others.

In 2012: Slonim, Mogilev – concerts of the Presidential Orchestra with the program “Hurricane”; Grodno – a concert within the framework of the IX Republican Festival of National Cultures; Mir – a concert program in the Mir Castle dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the orchestra; Vitebsk – concert program “Hurricane” within the framework of the XXI International Festival of Arts “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk”; Gorki – participation in the Republican festival-fair of village workers “Dozhinki”; Chisinau (Moldova); Zhodino – orchestral accompaniment of the performance of the participants of the Republican competition of young pop singers “Belazovsky accord”, as well as a solo concert program within the framework of the competition; Gomel – concert of the Presidential Orchestra with the program “Smoke on the Water”; concerts in the cities of Belarus (Stolbtsy, Gorodok, Lepel, Dubrovno, Kletsk, Mozyr, Zhlobin, Dzerzhinsk, Polotsk, Svisloch, Mogilev, Shklov, Osipovichi, Bobruisk, Lyuban, Oshmyany) and others.

In 2013: Gomel – concert of the Presidential Orchestra “Smoke on the Water” (Part II); Vitebsk – concert of the Presidential Orchestra “Smoke on the Water” within the framework of the final round of the V International Corporate Festival “Torch” of amateur creative groups and performers of subsidiaries and organizations of JSC “Gazprom”; Soligorsk – participation in the solemn event dedicated to the Chemist’s Day and the 55th anniversary of Belaruskali OJSC; Vitebsk – concert program “Smoke on the Water” within the framework of the XXII International Festival of Arts “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk”; Astrakhan (Russia) – concert program “Smoke on the Water” at the Astrakhan State Opera and Ballet Theatre; Zhodino – orchestral accompaniment of the performance of the participants of the Republican competition of young pop singers “Belazovsky chord”, as well as a solo concert program dedicated to the Day of machine builders; Zhlobin – performance at the Republican festival-fair of village workers “Dozhinki”. Concerts in the cities of Belarus (Berezino, Begoml, Dokshitsy, Lida, Borisov, Ivye, Brest, Shchuchin, Novogrudok, Smorgon, Uzda, Mogilev, Krichev, Gorki, Mstislavl) and others.

In 2014: Brest, Gomel – concerts of Eduard Artemiev “Music of Generations” accompanied by the Presidential Orchestra; Vitebsk – concert program “Rock meets Opera” within the framework of the XXIII International Festival of Arts “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk”; Gomel – concert program “Rock meets Opera”. Concerts in the cities of Belarus (Myadel, Baranovichi, Vileyka, Postavy, Borisov, Zhlobin, Old Roads, Rechitsa, Voropaevo, Vitebsk region, Kamai village, Dunilovichi, Postavy district, Vitebsk region, Dyatlovo) and others.
In 2015: Moscow, with the support of Gazprom transgaz Belarus, in a concert dedicated to the Day of Unity of the Peoples of Russia and Belarus, in which Semyon Milshtein, Iosif Kobzon, Nina Shatskaya, Evgeny Kungurov and Soso Pavliashvili took part; Brest – a festive concert “About the Motherland, about love, about a feat”; Vitebsk – creative evening of Alexandra Pakhmutova and Nikolai Dobronravov at the International Festival of Arts “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk”; Brest – an open day of the Brest handball club named after. A. Meshkov; Zhodino – accompaniment of the Republican competition of young performers “Belazovsky accord”, the second day of the competition and a gala concert and others.

In 2016: Slutsk – concert of the “Big Band” of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus; Nesvizh – concert of the saxophone quintet of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus; Brest – a concert of woodwind instruments of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus; Svetlogorsk – concert of the “Big Band” of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus; Vitebsk – a concert at the opening of the festival of arts “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk”; Sochi (Russia) – creative evening of Igor Krutoy; Zhodino – a concert dedicated to the Day of the machine builder and others.

In 2017: Belgrade (Serbia) – concert of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus, dedicated to the Days of Minsk in Belgrade; Vitebsk – Zara’s solo concert within the framework of the festival of arts “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk”; Omsk (Russia) – a concert dedicated to the Days of Minsk in Omsk; Gomel – concert of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus, dedicated to the memory of Muslim Magomayev; Moscow (Russia) – a concert of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus as part of the Days of Minsk in Moscow and others.
In 2018: Brest – holding the XXX Anniversary International Festival of Classical Music “January Musical Evenings”; Tbilisi (Georgia) – a concert dedicated to the Days of Minsk in Tbilisi; Soligorsk – a concert of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus as part of the celebration of the professional holiday “Miner’s Day” and the 60th anniversary of Belaruskali OJSC; Gomel – concert of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus, dedicated to the memory of Valery Obodzinsky; St. Petersburg (Russia) – concert of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus, dedicated to the Days of Minsk in St. Petersburg and others.

In 2019: Soligorsk – a concert dedicated to the Chemist’s Day; tour “Belarus Remembers” of the TV project “Victory Square – 2019” (Brest, Orsha, Mogilev, Myadel, Grodno); Nesvizh – a concert dedicated to the Independence Day of the Republic of Belarus; Vitebsk – a concert at the opening ceremony of the festival of arts “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk”; Gomel – concert of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus “Melodies of the Century” and others.

In 2020: Vitebsk – a gala concert of the masters of arts of Belarus “Belarus, come September” and accompanying the International Pop Song Performers Contest “Vitebsk – 2020” at the International Festival of Arts “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk”.

In 2021: Soligorsk – a concert of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus, dedicated to the professional holiday “Chemist’s Day”; Alexandria – participation of the Presidential Orchestra in the main concert-folk show “Songs of my country”; Vitebsk – participation in the gala concert of masters of arts of Belarus and accompanying the competitive day of young performers “Slavic Hit” at the International Festival of Arts “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk” and the closing ceremony of the festival; Soligorsk – a concert dedicated to the professional holiday “Miner’s Day”; Gomel – concert program “Anna German -85. Echo of love…”; Novopolotsk – a concert dedicated to the contest “The Best in Profession”; Kopyl – a concert program for the closing of the Day of Belarusian Literature.

In 2022: Mogilev – the play “Princess Mary” based on the novel “A Hero of Our Time” by M.Y. Lermontov, together with the theater project “TriTformat”; Moscow – the play “Karenina” based on the novel by L.N. Tolstoy “Anna Karenina” in conjunction with the theater project “TriTformat”; Grodno – performance as part of the festive procession of the opening ceremony of the festival “The Fire of Adzinstva” and a gala concert and holding the XIII Republican Festival of National Cultures; Alexandria – participation of the Presidential Orchestra in the main concert-folk show “Songs of my country”; Vitebsk – accompaniment of the competitive day of young performers “Slavic Hit” at the International Festival of Arts “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk” and a concert by L. Dolina; Ivatsevichi – a concert dedicated to the 100th anniversary of JSC “Ivatsevichdrev”; Dobrush – a festive concert dedicated to the Day of Belarusian Literature.

In 2023: Lida – performance in a cultural and entertainment event dedicated to the Day of the Police; Moscow – performance at a festive concert dedicated to the Constitution Day of the Republic of Belarus; Vitebsk – concert program “The Best Sound Track Hits. new”; Mir – participation in a solo concert by the Honored Artist of the Republic of Belarus V. Aleshko at the festival “Musical Evenings in the Mir Castle”; Vitebsk – participation in the play “Cherry Orchard” based on the play by A. Chekhov with the independent theater project “TriTformat” within the framework of the project “Theatre Meetings” and accompanying the XXXII International Contest of Pop Song Performers “Vitebsk – 2023”: “Slavic Hit” ( first part) and the concert by I. Dorofeeva “On the Wings of a Dream”; Braslav – concert performance within the framework of the international sports and music festival “Viva Braslav”; Novopolotsk – a concert performance in the gala evening “Our strength is in unity, our glory is in work”, dedicated to the Day of Oil, Gas and Fuel Industry Workers; Gomel – performance at a gala meeting and festive concert dedicated to National Unity Day.

Classic orchestra projects:

Variety projects of the orchestra:

2005 year:

2006 year:

2007 year:

2008 year:

2009 year:

2010 year:

2011 year:

2012 year:

2013 year:

2014 year:

2015 year:

2016 year:

2017 year:

2018 year:

2019 year:

2020 year:

2021 year:

2022 year:

2023 year: