gIDON kREMER & KREMERATINI QUARTET

On April 26, 2007, at the First Church, 66 Marlborough Street in Boston, Commonwealth residents had a rare opportunity to attend a performance by internationally acclaimed violin virtuoso and recording artist Gidon Kremer. Mr. Gidon Kremer, who was on tour in US in April 2007, made an unscheduled stop in Boston to show his support for the Chamber Music Foundation of New England. Proceeds from the performance, reception and dinner went to provide partial funding for the 2008 International Chamber Ensemble Competition (ICMEC™) for emerging young artists.

 
Dr. Mark Churchill, Dean of Preparatory and Continuing Education at The New England Conservatory Preparatory School, also a supporter of the Chamber Music Foundation of New England since its inception in 2004 adds, “The opportunities that the foundation gives to young musicians through its collaborative concerts with professional artists, prizes, and performances at leading concert halls such as Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall are invaluable. I applaud CMFoNE for creating a unique new inspiration for the future of chamber music!”

 
Gidon Kremer, a true classical icon, has appeared on virtually every major concert stage and with the most celebrated orchestras of Europe and America. He has collaborated with foremost conductors, including James Levine, Leonard Bernstein, Herbert von Karajan, Christoph Eschenbach, Lorin Maazel, Riccardo Muti, Zubin Mehta, Claudio Abbado and Sir Neville Marriner, among others. Also known as an exceptionally prolific recording artist, Kremer has made more than 100 albums, many of which have brought him prestigious international awards and prizes in recognition of his exceptional interpretative powers. A master of standard classical and romantic repertoire, Kremer has lent incredible skill and sensitivity in introducing lesser-known works of 19th and 20th century composers. He has also performed new works; many dedicated to him, and formed artistic associations with such diverse greats as Alfred Schnittke and Astor Piazzolla. Kremer, born into a Latvian family of professional string players, came to world-wide attention by winning third place in the 1967 Queen Elizabeth Competition, and first place in both the 1969 Paganini and the 1970 Tchaikovsky International Competitions.

Mr. Kremer will perform chamber works by Sofia Gubaidulina, Alfred Schnittke and Ludwig van Beethoven with his Kremeratini Quartet of gifted emerging young instrumentalists. The idea of the “Kremeratini” string quartet belongs to the artistic leader of Kremerata Baltica, world-renowned violinist Gidon Kremer. The “Kremeratini” string quartet was founded when four long-standing Lithuanian members of Kremerata Baltica chamber orchestra, Dzeraldas Bidva (violin), Marija Nemanyte (violin), Ula Ulijona (viola), and Giedre Dirvanauskaite (violoncello) decided to expand their artistic field by playing more chamber music. In the last couple of years, the quartet has performed on many occasions in its homeland, Lithuania. The quartet and its members participate in many music festivals in Europe: the Lockenhaus, Kuhmo, Zagreb, Jerusalem, Sigulda, and Basel, as well as the Mostly Mozart festival in New York.

 
In the “Kremeratini“ repertoire, one can find classic works by Mozart, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Beethoven and Schubert, along with pieces by 20th and 21st-century composers such as Shostakovich, Bartok and Gubaidulina.
In the year 2007, celebrating Kremerata Baltica’s tenth (and its founders 60th) anniversary, the quartet is presenting itself on many occasions with Gidon Kremer as its “Guest Artist“. All members of “Kremeratini” remain active participants in the Grammy-winning Kremerata Baltica chamber orchestra. Kremerata Baltica, during its anniversary year, is performing 6o concerts in the best music halls of the world.