Omsk, Russia — August 27, 2025
The Omsk Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Dmitry Vasiliev, hosted a remarkable evening in South Siberia on Wednesday, August 27, featuring internationally acclaimed accordionist Alexander Veretennikov and flutist Irina Stachinskaya. The concert showcased two celebrated cycles: The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi and The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires by Astor Piazzolla.
In a unique interpretation, Stachinskaya replaced the traditional solo violin in Vivaldi’s masterpiece, offering audiences a rare opportunity to hear the Baroque classic in a new sound world. She was then joined by Veretennikov for Piazzolla’s tango-infused Seasons, highlighting the expressive dialogue between flute and accordion.
A New Tango for Flute and Accordion
The highlight of the program was the Siberian premiere of Tango for Flute, Accordion, and Symphony Orchestra, composed by Denis Khorov. Commissioned by Veretennikov and written for the Stachinskaya-Veretennikov duo, the work was first introduced in December 2024 by the Nizhny Novgorod Philharmonic and has quickly become a centerpiece of the duo’s repertoire.
Critics have praised Khorov’s Tango for its dramatic interplay of voices and rich orchestral palette. Marina Gaikovich of Nezavisimaya Gazeta noted:
“In the spirit of Piazzolla, with a pungent theme supported by exquisite orchestration, Tango seemed intended to distract from social concerns. Yet in the restrained and mournful slow section, or in the percussion of the final chord, the gifted composer nevertheless kept the genre firmly anchored in time.”
The scores and parts are both available for purchase from Music for Accordion: https://emusicforaccordion.com/products/tango-for-flute-accordion-and-symphony-orchestra-2024
Alexander Veretennikov
A laureate of major international competitions, Alexander Veretennikov is Artistic Director and Conductor of the Far East Philharmonic. A graduate of the Gnesins Russian Academy of Music, where he studied with Viacheslav Semionov and Alexander Selivanov, Veretennikov has won top prizes at prestigious events including the Coupe Mondiale, Città di Castelfidardo, Trophée Mondiale, and the Grand Prix de Montrond-les-Bains.
His achievements include the Grand Prix in Harbin (2010) in the Variety category, and First Prize (2012) in Classical Music. National honors include the Russian Federation Achievement in Culture Scholarship (2014) and the Prize of the Governor of Khabarovsk for Achievements in Literature and Art (2019).
As a soloist and ensemble musician, Veretennikov has performed across Russia, China, France, and Poland, collaborating with orchestras such as the Far Eastern Academic Symphony Orchestra, the Moscow Soloists under Yuri Bashmet, and the Nizhny Novgorod Philharmonic Orchestra. He is also dedicated to expanding the accordion repertoire, commissioning new works from leading composers including Denis Khorov, Nastasya Hrusheva, J.P. Jofre, and Pavel Karmanov.
Beyond performance, Veretennikov has shaped Russia’s musical life as director of the international festival Bayan and Bayan Players (since 2012) and as founder of Tango Fest in Khabarovsk (since 2017).
Denis Khorov
The evening’s featured composer, Denis Khorov, is a prominent figure in contemporary Russian music. A member of the Union of Composers of Russia and Artistic Director of the Festival of New Music in Khabarovsk, Khorov serves as Composer-in-Residence at the Khabarovsk Regional Philharmonic and as Head of Creative Projects at the A.N. Scriabin Memorial Museum in Moscow.
His works span symphonic and chamber repertoire, music for theater, and multimedia ethno-projects. Internationally active, Khorov continues to explore bold new musical forms that bridge genres and cultures.
Irina Stachinskaya
Renowned flutist Irina Stachinskaya has been hailed as one of Russia’s most influential flute performers. The youngest ever student admitted to the Gnessin Russian Academy and later the youngest co-principal of the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, she left her orchestra position to focus on her solo career and to popularize the flute as a leading concert instrument.
Stachinskaya is a Senior Lecturer at the Moscow State Institute of Music named after A. Schnittke, the Artistic Director of both the Voice of the Flute Festival in Nizhny Novgorod and the Wind Music Festival in Kaliningrad, and founder of the Stachinskaya Flute School. She has received the Rising Star Award from Sir James Galway and is an exclusive Powell Flutes artist.
Her international career includes appearances at leading festivals such as Kuhmo, Radio France, and the NFA Convention, with solo performances alongside major orchestras including the Mariinsky Orchestra and Novaya Rossiya. Her discography features critically acclaimed recordings released on Melodiya Records.
