From September 24 to September 29, 2019, a tour of the Symphony Orchestra of the State Academic Philharmonic of the Akimat of the city of Nur-Sultan was conducted in France under the direction of artistic director Berik Batyrkhan and chief conductor Yernar Nurtazin.
The musicians were invited by the French conductor Philippe Yui to participate in the International Festival Festival Des Orchestres Du Monde (Festival of World Cities). The collective of the Moscow Philharmonic became the first domestic orchestra at this event.
The creative community of musicians began in 2017: then, as part of the International Specialized Exhibition “EXPO-2017,” the Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Philip Yui performed the works of Cesar Frank and Ludwig van Beethoven.
In 2018, the conductor and musicians of the Philharmonic prepared a concert production of the opera "Tales of Hoffmann" by Jacques Offenbach, which became a luxurious musical gift for the celebration of the 20th anniversary of Astana. Philip Yui himself was pleased with the work of domestic musicians and further contributed to the continuation of the Kazakh-French musical history. In an interview, he said:
“It is very important that people from different countries know each other better and meet more often.”
This year, the relay of acquaintance with the national musical culture was transferred to our musicians: the compositions of Kazakhstani sounded composers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
A bright musical note in the concert program was made by the performances of the honored artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan, holder of the Kurmet order Aigul Kosanova, who presented traditional singing with dombra. No less interesting and memorable was the game of Berik Batyrkhan on kyl-kobyz.
Listeners with bated breath took Kazakh folk music and for a long time did not want to let the musicians off the stage. According to Berik Batyrkhan, the program of one concert of the festival was specially devoted to composers of different eras to promote Kazakhstani culture around the world. Such an evening was waiting for the inhabitants of Montoir de Brittany on September 24.
In total, within the framework of the festival, the musicians of the Moscow Philharmonic gave 3 concerts and 2 concerts-promenade. And the creative tandem of Kazakhstani and French musicians was consolidated by joint concerts of the Nur Sultan Symphony Orchestra with the Philharmonie des 2 monde orchestra on September 28 and 29.
The program included Festive Overture by Gaziza Zhubanova, Triple Concerto for violin, cello and piano by Ludwig van Beethoven and Symphony No. 5 by Gustav Mahler. Behind the conductor's console were the conductors of France and Kazakhstan: Philippe Yui, Berik Batyrkhan and Yernar Nurtazin. The same international composition was presented by the soloists: Yernar Nurtazin (piano), Hugo Borsarello (violin) and Gauthier German (cello). A full house in the hall and stormy applause became a worthy reward for musicians.
Berik Batyrkhan noted that a successful tour in France was made possible thanks to the help of Philip Yui, general director and artistic director of the Moscow Philharmonic Saken Abdrakhmanov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Kazakhstan, Mr. Philippe Martine, the French Alliance of Nur Sultan and its Executive Director Dinara Orazbaeva .
