The International Music Festival “Contemporary West & East” is dedicated to exploring the intersections of musical cultures and contemporary artistic expression. On 14 May 2021 at the Sheremetev Palace, the festival presents a concert offering a profound musical dialogue between cultures, traditions, and eras, featuring a program that unites composers from Europe and Asia whose works embody the spirit of the modern age.
The evening opens with György Ligeti’s Chamber Concerto (1969–1970), a milestone of the avant-garde known for its intricate textures and kaleidoscopic sound world. It continues with Georgy Firtich’s Quartet (2003), reflecting the Russian contemporary tradition through expressive lyricism and clarity of form.
Bridging East and West, Mehdi Hosseini’s Baluch (2009) draws on the folk music of southeastern Iran, transforming traditional material into a vivid modern language. The program concludes with Tōru Takemitsu’s Requiem for String Orchestra (1957), a poignant and deeply spiritual work that established the composer as one of the leading voices of the 20th century.
The concert features the St. Petersburg Avanti Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Theodoros Kameris.
23 May 2021
The Sheremetev Palace
The Program:
György LIHETI (10923-2006)
Chamber Concerto (1969-1970)
Georgy FIRTICH (1938-2016)
Quartet (2003)
Mehdi HOSSEINI (*1979)
Baluch (2009)
Tōru TAKEMITSU (1930-1996)
Requiem for String Orchestra (1957)