Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5
Gulbenkian Orchestra / Aziz Shokhakimov
Performers
- Conductor
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Gulbenkian Orchestra
In 1962, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation decided to establish a permanent orchestral ensemble. Originally with only twelve musicians (strings and continuo) it was named “Orquestra de Câmara Gulbenkian”. This collective was successively enlarged and today the “Orquestra Gulbenkian” (the name it has adopted since 1971) has a permanent body of sixty instrumentalists, a number that can be expanded depending on the repertoire.
This structure allows the Gulbenkian Orchestra to interpret works from the Baroque and Classical periods, a significant part of 19th century orchestral literature and much of the music of the 20th century, including works belonging to the current repertoire of the traditional symphonic orchestras. In each season, the orchestra performs on a regular series of concerts at the Gulbenkian Grand Auditorium in Lisbon, where it has had the opportunity of working together with some of leading names of the world of music (conductors and soloists). It has also performed on numerous locations all over Portugal, in an effort to decentralize music and culture.
The orchestra has been constantly expanding its activities in the international level, performing in Europe, Asia Africa, and the Americas. In the recording field, Orquestra Gulbenkian is associated to labels as Philips, Deutsche Grammophon, Hyperion, Teldec, Erato, Adès, Nimbus, Lyrinx, Naïve and Pentatone, among others, and this activity was recognized with several international prizes.
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Aziz Shokhakimov
Conductor
Aziz Shokhakimov is Music Director to Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg and Artistic Director to Tekfen Philharmonic Orchestra. During 2015-2021 he held the position of Kapellmeister to Deutsche Oper am Rhein. His guest conducting has included orchestras such as Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, and hr-Sinfonieorchester. In North America he has conducted Houston Symphony, Toronto and Seattle symphony orchestras.
Recent and forthcoming engagements include Wiener Symphoniker, Tonhalle Düsseldorf, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Gulbenkian Orchestra, Utah Symphony Orchestra and he returned to the 2023 La Roque-d'Anthéron with Sinfonia Varsovia.
Aziz Shokhakimov is equally prolific in the operatic repertoire. The 2022/23 season saw his debut with Opera National de Paris conducting Donizetti’s Lucia de Lammermoor. In 2023/24 Shokhakimov debuts at Bayerischer Staatsoper conducting Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame. As part of his tenure with Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, he will conduct a new production of Wagner’s Lohengrin at Opera du Rhin. As Kapellmeister at Deutsche Oper am Rhein he conducted a new production of The Queen of Spades, Madame Butterfly, Salome and Tosca among others.
Shokhakimov has an ongoing relationship with Salzburg Festival where, having been selected from more than 100 candidates, he won the prestigious Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award in August 2016. He returned to the Salzburg Festival in August 2017 for the prize-winner’s concert with RSO Wien and conducted the Opening Ceremony of Salzburg Festival with Patricia Kopatchinskaja in 2019.
Born in 1988 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Shokhakimov entered the Uspensky Music School for Gifted Children at the age of six, studying violin, viola and orchestral conducting (in the class of Professor Vladimir Neymer). At 13 he made his debut with National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan, conducting Beethoven’s Symphony No.5 and Liszt’s Piano Concerto No.1. During the following year he conducted his first opera, Carmen, at the National Opera of Uzbekistan. He was appointed Assistant Conductor of National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan in 2001 and became its Principal Conductor in 2006. In 2010, at the age of just 21, Shokhakimov won second place at the Gustav Mahler International Conducting Competition in Bamberg, under the auspices of the Bamberger Symphoniker.
Programme
Piotr Ilitch Tchaikovsky
Symphony No. 5, in E minor, op. 64
1. Andante – Allegro con anima – Molto più tranquillo
2. Andante cantabile, con alcuna licenza
3. Valse: Allegro moderato
4. Finale: Andante maestoso – Allegro vivace