Concert with Polina Babinkova (violin) and Anton Mikhalevskii (vibraphone)
Note from the artists:
We have never played together as a duo. Anton performed operas and ballets in the grand orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre, while I played baroque and modern music in small ensembles. When the war began, we were completely shattered. We had lost all hope: we were defeated in the battle for the country we had loved.
Thus, we found ourselves at the beginning of a new path. No orchestra, no ensemble, just a violin and a vibraphone. This is our first joint program, and it is deeply personal to us. This music serves as a conduit, leading us through horror and numbness, confusion and pain, through moments of inspiration and despair, towards the healing light that mends all wounds.
Polina and Anton
Program:
Alfred Schnittke: Violin sonata 1 (mov. 3)
Giovanni Antonio Pandolfi: Mealli Sonata La Cesta
Arvo Pärt: Fratres
September 1st, 20:00
Free admission
Donations gratefully accepted
About the artists:
Polina Babinkova is a violinist and violist, specialising primarily in historical performance practice. She graduated from the Moscow Conservatory and completed a postgraduate course with Marfredo Kramer at the Escuela Superior de Música de Cataluña in Barcelona. In Russia, she was a soloist of the ensemble La voce strumentale conducted by Dmitry Sinkovsky, a soloist of the conductorless orchestra PerSymphAns, and also worked in a quartet specializing in contemporary music performance. Polina has participated in numerous renowned European festivals, such as: Rheingau Music Festival, Halle Handel Festival, Lucerne Festival, Festival d'Ambronay, Nantes Folle Jornee Festival, Lugano Musicfest, Innsbrucker Festwochen der Alten Musik.
She has also taken part in charity concerts for 'The Gift of Life' fund, the hospice fund 'Vera,' and the fund 'Volunteers for Orphans' Children.' Additionally, she volunteered in the palliative care department at the 'Vera' fund in 2015-2016.
In 2021, she studied civil law at The School of Public Advocate and volunteered as a human rights defender at OVDinfo.org.
In 2022, she left Russia, expressing protest against Russia's initiation of a full-scale war with Ukraine. Polina, along with her family (husband and 7-month-old son), relocated to Germany.
Anton Mikhalevskii, born in Kaliningrad, Russia, graduated from the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory in 2016. From 2009 to 2022, he worked at the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia as a soloist in the orchestra and as a Timpanist. Additionally, from 2012 to 2016, he worked at the State Symphony Orchestra of Cinematography as a Timpanist and Concertmaster of the percussion section. Throughout these years, Anton has also been involved in various musical projects with many ensembles and conductors, such as: Persimfans Orchestra, the Studio for New Music in Moscow, and the Percussion ensemble of the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre of Russia. Conductors with whom Anton has worked include Tugan Sohiev, Mikhail Pletnev, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Teodor Currentzis, Stefano Montanari, Plácido Domingo, Christopher Moulds, Evan Rogister, Ainars Rubikis, Giacomo Sagripanti, and Keri-Lynn Wilson.
We are grateful to the following organisations for supporting Anton & Polina’s residency at the GreenHaven Artist Residency program in June-July 2023.
