When a standing ovation occurs after a performance, musicians play an encore to please the crowd. But tonight at the Quick Center, the Chamber Orchestra Kremlin didn’t receive one standing ovation – they received three.
The Chamber Orchestra Kremlin is a Russian musical group that was founded by Misha Rachlevsky, the current music instructor of the group, in 1991. Over the period of 20 years, the Chamber Orchestra Kremlin has achieved honorable status as an internationally known Russian Orchestra.
The Chamber Orchestra Kremlin has won awards such as the Diapason d’Or in France and the Critics Choice in London’s Gramophone. Based in Moscow, Russia, the group has performed over 1,400 concerts in 25 countries, including countries of Europe, North and South America and the Far East.
“When I found out the Chamber Orchestra Kremlin was touring, I was wondering if they were coming anywhere near here,” said Gary Woods, director of the Fairfield University Quick Center. “The answer was yes. Also, music of this take – classical music – sounds great in the hall.”
The musicians, dressed in black, walked onto the stage and took their seats as the performance started. Violinists, violists, cellists and bass cellists then took the stage along with the music director, who faced the orchestra.
Joining them in the third accompaniment was the cellist, Maxim Kozlov, who played solo although he was apart of the Chamber Orchestra Kremlin. A chair was brought out onstage by Misha Rachlevsky, and placed in front of the orchestra to acknowledge Kozlov.
For the first half of the show, Kozlov was on the stage the majority of the time, playing “Mirage for Cello & Orchestra” and “Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Hob.” As Kozlov started to play, his head swung passionately to the music around him.
Maxim Kozlov has accomplished so much throughout his career as a cellist, but he describes the journey as not being easy. “Neither of my parents were musicians, but my mother had a dream of me becoming one,” said Kozlov after the performance. “It was very tough though; within the music profession in Russia you had to determine that’s what you wanted to do at age 16.”
Growing up within Russia, Kozlov graduated from the Special Music School for Gifted Children in Ekaterinburg, Russia, and then proceeded to gain a masters degree in cello and a graduate performing art diploma, along with several other scholarships.
“Music is the only thing I can do fairly well in life, and when you’re good at something, you better do it as well as you can,” said Maxim Kozlov. “You just have to add a personal touch.”
The second half of the performance by the Chamber Orchestra Kremlin ended with a standing ovation by the audience, and a few moments later, Rachlevsky started conducting the encore piece. After that encore there was another standing ovation, so another encore was played that led to yet another standing ovation. At the end of the night, three encores had been played.
“I’m really glad I was able to immerse myself into the culture of the Chamber Orchestra Kremlin, and I feel more educated coming out of this performance,” said Laura Ballanco ’14.
Another audience member, a Fairfield resident, said the performance was “wonderful, very eye-opening and brilliant.”
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