In March 2020, a few months before taking over as chief musician of the London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Russian conductor Vasily Petrenko made a statement that today, in retrospect, sounds somewhat optimistic: “I look forward to the coming years,” he said in video on YouTube, I look forward to joining the orchestra family and leading them through prosperous and exciting times.”

When we remind him of these words today, Petrenko laughs bitterly. Of course, despite pandemics and wars, the maestro did not sit idly by in the interim – and not only in the musical field. In particular, he and his orchestra filmed concerts that were streamed and organized online talks about various aspects of the health crisis. He appeared online with other ensembles, but at some point he promised himself that he would … stay unshaven until he went on stage again, in normal conditions. “I think we’ve been experiencing a cultural renaissance since last year,” he says from his screen, now beardless and optimistic again. “And while things are not quite normal,” he continues, “cultural life has returned. Each of us also has our own personal professional endeavors. We have no other choice but to bring art to the public.”

On October 13 at 21:00 Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London, together with violinist Sergei Krylov, will present their art to the public of Thessaloniki Music Hall, where they will perform Sergei Prokofiev’s First Symphony, Max Bruch’s First Violin. Concerto and Second Symphony by Jean Sibelius.

We have a huge heritage of three centuries at our disposal. And this is the music we have in mind: maybe ten, twenty times more, which we don’t know about.

What kind of projects does he like to shoot? Do conductors have any special preferences? “I have a fairly wide repertoire,” says Vasily Petrenko. “From the beginning, I was interested in many different composers and different styles. The concerts, for example, which we are doing this year in London, include a wide range of composers: Richard Strauss, Sibelius, Mahler, Scriabin, contemporary composers, and they cover less than half a year. I have always been interested in the diversity of compositions, and I must say that today we, as conductors, are very lucky, because we have at our disposal a huge three-century heritage. When I was eighteen, at the very beginning, I began to make a list of all the projects that I dreamed of someday becoming a director. I have listed them in alphabetical order. And I stopped at the letter “K”, because I already filled out two pages of A4 format. I realized that, in all likelihood, my whole life would not be enough to fulfill all my desires and dreams. Nevertheless, I repeat, we are very lucky that we have such a legacy. And that’s the music we have in mind: maybe ten, twenty times more, which we don’t know about.”

Answering this question, Petrenko says that the advantages of the London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, with which he will perform at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, include not only its distinct, deep and detailed sound, but also the professionalism of its members, who also have the status of a shareholder in a musical ensemble , as they receive payment “for the rendered service”, demonstrate high flexibility. And yet Petrenko would not want to appear with them everywhere, at least not in one particular country: in March last year, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he announced that he was suspending all his work in Russia (including his duties Director of the State Academic Symphony Orchestra named after E.F. Svetlanov), until the restoration of peace.

What problems did this decision create for him? “Of course I missed a lot of gigs,” he concludes. “But I would be out of my mind if I played in Moscow while Russia is at war with a neighboring country where my relatives live. I, of course, feel sorry for the musicians of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, with whom we have a long relationship. I was free to choose. But for many, there is no choice. Some Russian musicians have families, they have loans, and it is incredibly difficult to leave the country. Few do, and this is a tragedy – although, of course, it is Ukraine that suffers from the destruction and death of civilians. In Russia, in addition to the victims of the war zone, there is also the problem of divided consciousness, as well as a sense of guilt, which will take years to eliminate. Unfortunately, most people have no choice: if they protest inside the country, they will be fined or jailed.”