S I R B A O C T E T

Russian, klezmer & gipsy music

SIRBA OCTET SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Special guest ALEXEI BIRIOUKOV

Realised 2018

è Sirba Orchestra! is a meeting The creation of this new program between the Sirba Octet, an with symphony orchestra has been orchestra symphonic and a one of the major events of the SI balalaikist. An anthology of the season 2015 of the set. An most beautiful themes of gypsy adventure musical and human that cabaret and klezmer music! has again reunited the Sirba Octet and the Pau Orchestra / Pays de RBA IN THE HEART OF RUSSIAN Béarn for a second order around MELODIES, KLEZMER & music from Eastern Europe. A TZIGANES meeting virtuoso who under the baton of the Conductor Fayçal OR Sirba Orchestra! A new album for Karoui,faithful accomplice of Sirba Sirba Octet who blows a hope Octet, saw the day in its walls at the happy and forward looking. This Palais Beaumont of Pau for a series anthology brings together known of concerts in June 2015. The CHE tunes and essential Russian who concert was recorded and mingle the abundant mix of music broadcast live by Radio Classique traditional Romanian, Hungarian, in June 2015 during the concert Moldovan and Gypsy. Musical series at the Beaumont Palace in STR nuggets are revisited (Black Eyes, Pau. The lily of the valley, Kalinka, a song of the Warsaw Ghetto ...) by AN ALBUM AT DEUTSCHE the Sirba Octet, orchestra and GRAMMOPHON A balalaika answer each other in turn or play together in a festive The Sirba Orchestra! program atmosphere, melancholy or recorded after a series of concerts passionate. at the philharmonic hall of Liège ! (Belgium) with the Philharmonic Sirba Orchestra! is a program Orchestra Royal de Liège jubilant that welcomes a balalaikist conducted by Christian Arming and his magic instrument of Russia and Nicolas Kedroff, balalaika. to sublimate some titles that The album was released by the are devoted to him. The balalaika is Deutsche label Grammophon in a traditional russian string May 2018 and the exit was followed instrument pursed. She was born by a promotional concert in June in the villages Russian and grew up 2018 at the Musical of in the palaces of Tsars, instrument Boulogne-Billancourt. The Sirba of the poor and the prince, she is a Octet will make this program live reflection of the Russian soul, again with other symphonic in all its ardor and melancholy. formations in and abroad.

Sirba Orchestra! Window open on a traditional music, abounding, moving and festive that crosses all emotions, from cheerfulness to nostalgia, from love to Jewish humor! A journey of themes and variations from Moldova, Romania, Hungary or Russia which was entrusted to Cyril Lehn who signs the arrangements of this program.

Sirba Orchestra ! Sirba Octet www.sirbaoctet.com PROGRAM THE MUSICIANS Traditionnel repertory Guest artist : SI Suite de Moldavie Alexei Birioukov balalaïka

Cocher, ralentis tes chevaux The Sirba Octet RBA Tire l’aiguille, arrangements by Yann Ollivo Richard Schmoucler violin 1

Laurent Manaud Pallas violin 2 OR Fargess Mich Nicht David Gaillard viola Valenki Claude Giron cello CHE Ya Vstretil Vas Bernard Cazauran bass

Moskovkaia Polka Philippe Berrod clarinet

STR Tata Vine Pastele Iurie Morar cymbalum

Les Deux guitares, Christophe Henry piano A arrangements by Yann Ollivo And Symphonic Orchestra Geyen Zey In Shvartse Reyn

Hora Moldoveneasca ! Arrangements : Cyrille Lehn

Azol Tanzmen / Arga Duration : 1h40 (Without intermission) Hora Flaicailor

Broitele / A Viable Tsien

Coragheasca

Kalinka

Katioucha / Otchi Tchornia

Bis :

Le Temps du muguet, arrangements by Yann Ollivo and Cyrille Lehn

Hora de Bessarabie

Moskovkaia Polka

Sirba Orchestra ! Sirba Octet www.sirbaoctet.com NOMENCLATURE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OR STAFF 60 MUSICIANS

Flexible staff 55 musicians CHE STRINGS

— 12 violins 1 STR — 10 violins 2 — 6 violas — 6 cellos A — 4 bass

WOODWINDS

— 2 flutes (the 2nd plays piccollo) — 2 oboe (the 2nd plays English horn) — 2 clarinets (the 2nd plays bass clarinet) — 2 bassoons

BRASS — 4 horns — 3 trumpets — 3 trombones — 1 tuba

PERCUSSIONS

— Cymbals — 2 percussions including a battery

Sirba Orchestra ! Sirba Octet www.sirbaoctet.com When violinist Richard Schmoucler The Sirba Octet continued to work founded the Sirba Octet in 2003, with Isabelle Georges on Yiddish he created an entirely new sound. Rhapsody, a show based on With arrangers Cyrille Lehn and traditional Yiddish music but Yann Ollivo, five fellow musicians accented with elements of jazz, from the , a salsa, musicals, rock and samba. pianist and a cimbalom player, he Commissioned by the Orchestre de BIO formed a unique ensemble with a Pau Pays de Béarn, conducted by fresh perspective on klezmer, Fayçal Karoui, Yiddish Rhapsody Yiddish and gypsy music. was unique in its staging of the octet alongside a 50-piece GRA orchestra and was therefore able to In collaboration with the Orchestre perform orchestral as well as de Paris, the Sirba Octet performed chamber music. The show became P H Un violon sur les toits de Paris, (A their third album with Naïve, and fiddler on the rooves of Paris), at was performed with the Orchestre the Théâtre Mogador, a concert Lamoureux at the Théâtre des which they developed into their Champs-Élysées, the Orchestre de first acoustic album, A Yiddish Trier in Germany, the Liège Royal Y Mame, released in 2005 under the Philharmonic, the Tonkustler label Ambroisie (Naïve). With Orchester at Festspielhaus and at Slavic and Yiddish nuances, this Musikverein in Vienna. anthology of Eastern European melodies is drawn from Their albums have received critical Schmoucler’s own memories of acclaim in the press, winning happy family gatherings. notably a ‘10 de Répertoire- Classica’ for Du Shtetl à New York, SIGNIFICANT ARTISTIC the European Association for PARTNERSHIPS Jewish Culture prize and a Choc de Classica for Tantz! The group was also the subject of a documentary In 2007, as part of the Festival by Alain Duault for France 3 d’Île-de-France, the Sirba Octet entitled A day with the Sirba Octet worked with Isabelle Georges, the and Isabelle Georges. In 2011 the multi-talented singer, dancer and Sirba Octet and Isabelle Georges actress known as a ‘triple threat’, to were selected by the Victoires de la produce Du Shtetl à New York. An Musique Classique to appear array of music from the shtetl and alongside the Orchestre des Pays standards from the golden age of de la Loire conducted by John American musical theatre, via jazz, Axelrod. ragtime and lullabies composed by second generation immigrants, the show charts the journey made by Appearing regularly at leading millions of Eastern Europeans festivals in France and abroad, the from their shtetls, or villages, to Sirba Octet have performed at New York, melting pot of musical many prestigious venues including influences from all over the world. the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, The show was inspired by Fabienne the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam Rousso-Lenoir’s documentary Du and Musikverein in Vienna with Shtetl à Broadway and celebrates longer runs at Théâtre Mogador, heredity and inheritance, an l’Européen, La Cigale et à l’Espace important foundation of the Pierre Cardin à Paris. In 2012, they Yiddish community. took part in the Festival Radio Classique at the Olympia with Isabelle Georges and, in 2013, they

appeared at Musiques en fête aux Chorégies d’Orange which was broadcast live on France 3.

Sirba Orchestra ! Sirba Octet www.sirbaoctet.com Thanks to their talented arranger A NEW ALBUM Cyrille Lehn, the Sirba Octet are AT THE DEUTSCHE constantly enriching their GRAMMOPHON LABEL! repertoire, adding pieces that range from the most famous to the lesser The Sirba Octet engages in a new known. Lehn worked with the collaboration for its new album group on a project for which they Sirba Orchestra! he signs at the BIO were joined for the first time by prestigious Deutsche Grammophon Catherine Lara. This new label. Sirba Orchestra! is a meeting adventure led to the album Au between Sirba Octet, a symphony cœur de l’âme Yiddish (The Spirit orchestra and one of the greatest GRA of the Yiddish), released on Sony in balalaika players, Nicolas Kedroff. November 2012. Captivated by An anthology of the most beautiful their world, Catherine Lara chose themes of gypsy cabaret and eight of her most acclaimed pieces klezmer music. P H to record with the Sirba Octet. In This program created in 2015 with April 2013, they performed the the Pau / Pays de Béarn Orchestra album live for two concerts at under the direction of Fayçal l’Alhambra in Paris. Karoui for a series of performances Y at the Palais Beaumont in Pau was The Sirba Octet releases his 5th broadcast live by Radio Classique. album Tantz! in 2015 at the label The Sirba Orchestra program! La Dolce Volta. The release of this recorded with the Royal new album is followed by a series Philharmonic Orchestra of Liège of five exceptional concerts at directed by Christian Arming and Espace Pierre Cardin in Paris. The Nicolas Kedroff at the balalaika album Tantz! is a musical virtuoso, was the subject of new expressive and dancing, carried by orchestrations and a contribution eight exceptional musicians with of five unreleased tracks for its dazzling performance. This real release on the Deutsche musical treasure drawn from the Grammophon label in May 2018. traditional repertoire leads the public at the mercy of the Doina, The release of the album was Hora, Sirba and other dances of followed by a concert in June 2018 klezmer and gypsy music from at the Musical Seine of Boulogne- Eastern Europe. Tantz! Gateway Billancourt. Sirba Orchestra! will between Romania, Moldavia, be hosted by orchestras in France Russia and Hungary, is seen as a and abroad in 2019. The reduced twirling and poetic journey, Sirbalalaïka version of this crossing boundaries and program created for nine imagination. The great violinist, musicians, the Sirba Octet and a Ivry Gitlis, major figure and Balalaïkiste, will be discovered in emblematic, dedicates this new 2019. album and supports this musical journey. The album Tantz! reissued at the Deutsche Grammophon label was released in November 2017 enriched with two new titles.

Sirba Orchestra ! Sirba Octet www.sirbaoctet.com ALEXEI BIRIOUKOV >>> In 2003, Richard Schmoucler Balalaïka, guest artist formed the Sirba Octet and has been the driving force behind the group’s TH progression and the production of their five albums. He has given various masterclasses and performances, notably at the Académie Festival des Arcs, PESM de Bourgogne and the Academy of Music E in Bydgoszcz in Poland. At his request, Kaija Saariaho composed Frises for violin and electronics and November 2012 saw Born in a family of musicians in the the world premiere of the piece, which Caucasus, Alexei Birioukov began to play was dedicated to Schmoucler, at the balalaika at the age of 10. He spent 5 years Borusan Art Centre in Istanbul. In 2011 with Balalaika master Pavel.I Netcheporenko he became the director of studies at the and graduated from the Balalaika and Orchestre Atelier Ostinato. In 2016 he conductor of Russian folk instruments at the began teaching competition preparation Moscow Gnessin Academy of Music. In 1991, at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement MU he won the 1st prize of the international Régional in Paris.

competition of Klingenthal (Germany) in the category “groups” by performing with the LAURENT MANAUD PALLAS Sinioritta Trio and began an international Violin career. Alexey takes part in prestigious SI musical events and performs with various artistic formations. From 1991 to 1995, he produced a tour in Europe with the Sinioritta Trio. In 1994, he formed a duet with François Heim, diatonic accordion player CI and created with him the group Balagan. In Laurent Manaud-Pallas began his musical 1997, he moved permanently to France and career in Tarbes and Pau. After a stint at played as a soloist with the the Boulogne-Billancourt conservatory, Orchestra and the European Philharmonic he entered the National Conservatory of Orchestra. Since 2005, Alexei has been AN Music in and finished his studies at Artistic Director of the Troika Ensemble the National Conservatory of Music in (music, dance, Russian, Gypsy and Eastern Paris where he obtained his degrees in European singing). In 2007, he was violin and chamber music. In 1991, at the decorated with a gold medal “Service for Art” end of his studies, he joined the Orchestre by the Charitable Public Movement Fund to S Philharmonique de Radio France with support Russian culture abroad. In 2013, he whom he appeared on the biggest stages participated in the International Festival of of the world (Salle Pleyel in Paris, Grand Masters Balalaïka in Moscow. The Carnegie Hall in New York, Philharmonie press considers him today as one of the great Berlin, Century Hall in Tokyo, Royal virtuosos of the balalaika. French critics Albert Hall in London, Musikverein speak of a “discovery”, of a “penetrating Vienna …). In 2002, Laurent MANAUD- soloist who has kept his adolescent face”. PALLAS was appointed principal of the

second violins at the Orchestre National RICHARD SCHMOUCLER de France. He worked under the greatest Violin & artistic director conductors such as, among others, Daniele Gatti, Kurt Masur, Seiji Osawa, Ricardo Muti and Bernard Haitink, and continues more than ever to travel the world. His notoriety allows him to

collaborate with other orchestras (the Member of the Orchestre de Paris since Orchester de la Suisse Romande, the 1998, Richard Schmoucler trained at the Orchester National de Lyon, the under Gérard Poulet, Orchester National Aquitaine, Maurice Moulin, Devy Erlih and Alexis the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra Galpérine for violin and Bruno Pasquier and and the Orchester de Monte -Carlo) and David Walter for chamber music. In 1990 he various ensembles (Arties, the Psophos was awarded first prize diplomas both in Quartet, Diabolicus, The Dissonances, violin and chamber music. He continued to Artists Release). Newly integrated into study under Ivry Gitlis and also with Maya the ensemble Sirba Octet as 2nd violin, Glézarova at the Moscow Conservatory, Laurent Manaud Pallas is also a member Tibor Varga and Myriam Solovief. of the Volta Quartet since 2014, concertmaster of the Pau Pays de Béarn Sirba Orchestra ! Schmoucler has been awarded prizes by the Fondation Bleustein-Blanchet and the Orchestra since 2005 and concertmaster Sirba Octet Fondation de France and is a regular soloist of the Lamoureux Orchestra since 2011. www.sirbaoctet.com for the Auvergne and Toulouse Chamber In addition, he teaches since 2015 at the Orchestras, the Pasdeloup Orchestra and the Pole of Higher Education of Music and Orchestre Lamoureux. From 2010 to 2014 he Dance of Bordeaux-Aquitaine. Laurent was first violin for the ensemble Musique Manaud Pallas plays a violin Nicolas Oblique. >>> Vissenaire from 1842.

DAVID GAILLARD Viola BERNARD CAZAURAN Bass TH

E The son of a rock guitarist and a storyteller, Bernard Cazauran has been a member of David Gaillard came to music through oral the Orchestre de Paris since it was formed transmission and improvisation. He was in 1967, and was principal double bass named top musician of his year in Jean from 1979 to 2012. He was a prize winner Sulem’s viola class at the CNSM in Paris, at the Geneva Competition. He has often winning the Premier Prix by unanimous appeared in chamber music, notably with decision with the congratulations of the Daniel Barenboim, but also in the field of jury, as well as the Premier Prix in harmony jazz with Basse Fusion and tango with the by unanimous decision and Second Prix in Carrasco ’H’ Quartet. He taught for 15 MU counterpoint, then entered the years at the CNSM in Lyon. postgraduate course where he was taught by Hatto Beyerle, Veronika Hagen, and Bruno Pasquier. He was appointed professor at the CNSM de Paris in 2009. PHILIPPE BERROD Clarinet SI He is principal viola of the Orchestre de Paris, and also appears in chamber music with such artists as , Menahem Pressler, Olivier Charlier, and Marc Coppey, and is a member of the Les CI Dissonances quartet with David Grimal, Hans-Peter Hofmann, and Xavier Phillips. He still retains a keen interest in First clarinet for the Orchestre de Paris improvisation that has led him to join the since 1995, Philippe Berrod also plays quartet of Jean-Philippe Viret, which has regularly with other ensembles as a guest AN appeared at the Paris Jazz Festival, among soloist. His repertoire ranges from other venues. Mozart’s clarinet concerto to Dialogue de l’ombre double by P.Boulez. He was awarded a first prize diploma from the Conservatoire de Paris where he was S CLAUDE GIRON Cello tutored by Guy Deplus. He has also won a number of international competitions. He became a clarinet tutor at the Conservatoire de Paris in 2011. Berrod has released a number of recordings including Les Vents français on Sony Classical – Indésens and the album Art of Clarinet as well as two complete collections of

chamber music for woodwind by Saint- After receiving Premiers Prix from the Saëns and Poulenc respectively. These CNSM of Paris in cello and chamber music were well received in the press and in the classes of Roland Pidoux and Michel nominated for Victoires de la Musique Strauss respectively, Claude Giron set out awards in 2011. Since 2010, Berrod has at the age of twenty-one for further study been artistic advisor for the French with Aldo Parisot at Yale University, where woodwind instrument manufacturer she was awarded a Master of Music and an Henri Selmer-Paris. Artist Diploma. In 1994 she joined the Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France, moving to the Orchestre de Paris in 1998. Claude Giron also plays in quartet and chamber orchestra repertory (with the European Camerata and the Octuor de Paris among others), and has recorded a CD with the jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal. She frequently toured Europe and the United States between 2000 and 2007 as a member of the American group Pink Martini. Sirba Orchestra ! Sirba Octet www.sirbaoctet.com

CHRISTOPHE HENRY Piano CYRILLE LEHN Arranger TH

E After training at the Conservatoire de Trained as a pianist and composer at Paris with a series of first prize diplomas the Conservatoire and the under Alain Planès for piano, Michel CNSM de Paris, Cyrille Lehn soon Chapuis for organ, Bruno Pasquier for found himself attracted to chamber music and Jean Koerner for improvisation, which he practises in accompaniment, Christophe Henry honed very varied forms: recitals, his skills alongside Menahem Pressler at accompanying silent films, concerts, the Banff Arts Festival in Canada. As both and musical shows. His compositions a pianist and organist he has performed have been featured on the programme with the Orchestre Philharmonique de of such notable venues as the Théâtre MU Radio-France, Orchestre National de du Châtelet, the Festival de Radio France, Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre de France et de Montpellier, and the Lyon and the Radio-France Choir at some Festival de l’Emperi. He is fascinated of the greatest concert halls in Beijing, by folk music and jazz, and has Tokyo, Seoul, Paris and Vienna and at the collaborated with the Sirba Octet since SI Roman Theatre of Orange. In 2009, he it was founded. Cyrille Lehn is was recorded playing Charles-Valentin professor of harmony at the CNSM de Alkan’s pedal piano, a one-of-a-kind Paris and teaches improvisation at the instrument displayed at the Musée de la Conservatoire du 14e Arrondissement. Musique in Paris. In 2011 he played with CI the Quatuor Ludwig and in 2012 he appeared as a soloist with the chamber choir Accentus at the Mozarteum as part of the Salzburg Festival. A multitalented keyboardist and passionate jazz fan, he AN plays with and learns from pianist Emil Spanyi, vibraphonist Philippe Macé and drummer Georges Paczinski.

S IURIE MORAR Cymbalum

Iurie Morar trained at the National Conservatoire of Moldova in Chisinau (USSR) and won the Stefan Neaga competition there before continuing his training in France at the Conservatoire de Strasbourg under Detlef Kieffer. Performing with various ensembles he has appeared with popular groups as well as symphony and chamber orchestras alongside artists such as Laurent Korcia, Sarah Nemtanu (with whom he has released a CD) and Gilles Apap (with whom he released the album Transilvanian Lointain Boys). In 2010 he made a guest appearance with the Orchestre de Paris to perform Stèle, György Kurtag’s Opus 33, conducted by Pierre Boulez. Morar is also an arranger and conductor and in 2012 formed Le Sirba Orchestra ! Grand Orchestre for whom he has composed and directed two shows – Sirba Octet Tzars, which is centered around www.sirbaoctet.com Caucasian and Eastern European music and dance, and Atmosphère, which focuses on film music from Chaplin’s silent era to the Hollywood greats. He plays a cimbalom made by the Hungarian manufacturer Bohak.

A YIDDISHE MAME CATHERINE LARA Label : Naïve Ambroisie AU CŒUR DE L’ÂME Production : Sirba Octet DI Release date : 2005 YIDDISH Duration : 74 min Label : Sony Music Production : Sony Music Release date : 2012 Duration : 35 min S CO

GRA

PH DU SHTETL A NEW YORK Label : Naïve Ambroisie Production : Sirba Octet Release date : 2008 TANTZ ! Duration : 63 min Label : Deutsche Grammophon Y Production : Sirba Octet Release date : 2017 Duration : 66 min

YIDDISH RHAPSODY Label : Naïve Ambroisie Production : Sirba Octet Release date : 2009 Duration : 71 min SIRBA ORCHESTRA ! Label : Deutsche Grammophon Production : Sirba Octet Release date : 2018 Duration : 71’

Sirba Orchestra! Sirba Octet www.sirbaoctet.com