The State Symphony Orchestra "New Russia" (Orchestra)

New Russia State Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1990 by order of the Government of the RSFSR.

Yury Bashmet assumed leadership of the orchestra in 2002, opening up a new chapter in its history. Under Bashmet’s leadership, the orchestra acquired its own unique manner of playing, which is distinguished by creative freedom, audacious interpretations and startlingly inspired performances, all combined with a full, rich sound.

Many eminent musicians have collaborated with the orchestra, including Valery Gergiev, Emil Tabakov, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Alexander Lazarev, Saulius Sondeckis, David Stern, Luciano Acoccella, Teodor Curentzis, Barry Douglas, Peter Donohoe, Denis Matsuyev, Yelizaveta Leonskaya, Boris Berezovsky, Viktor Tretyakov, Gidon Kremer, Vadim Repin, Sergei Krylov, Viktoria Mullova, Nataliya Gutman, David Geringas, Sergei Antonov, Deborah Voight, Anna Netrebko, Laura Claycomb, Placido Domingo, Montserrat Caballe, Anna Caterina Antonacci, Patrizia Ciofi, Elina Garanca and Ulyana Lopatkina.

Since 2002, the orchestra has played more than 350 concerts in Russia and abroad, including in cities of the Volga region, the Golden Ring, the Urals, Siberia, the Moscow region, the Baltic States, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Ukraine, as well as in France, Germany, Greece, Great Britain, Italy, Holland, Spain, Austria, Turkey, Bulgaria, India, Finland and Japan.

A varied repertoire, successfully combining classics and contemporary music, constantly attracts listeners. The orchestra has often given premieres of works by such composers as Sofia Gubaydulina, Alfred Schnittke, Edison Denisov, Mikhail Tariverdiyev, Nino Rota, Ghia Kancheli, Alexander Tchaikovsky, Bela Bartok, Giancarlo Menotti, Igor Raykhelson, Emil Tabakov, Alexander Baltin, Vladimir Belyaev, Vladimir Komarov, Boris Frankshteyn and Georgy Buzogly.
Since 2008, the orchestra has annually taken part in the Yury Bashmet Winter Music Festival in Sochi and the Yury Bashmet International Festivals in Yaroslavl and Minsk.