Moscow State Symphony Orchestra

Founded in 1943 by Leonid Steinberg, then serving as a conductor at the Bolshoi Theatre, the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra began its existence under his leadership. Moscow Conservatory professor Leo Ginzburg took over afterward and guided the ensemble to recognition as one of the Soviet Union’s premier orchestras. Maintaining strong connections with Shostakovich, Prokofiev, and additional composers, he led numerous premieres of their compositions. Veronika Dudarova succeeded Ginzburg and held the post of music director for two decades. The orchestra had long focused its programming on Russian masters until Pavel Kogan’s appointment as music director in 1990 broadened its scope to encompass German, Austrian, French, and American composers alongside newer Russian pieces. In 1996 Kogan and the orchestra performed a complete Mahler symphony cycle. Among the many soloists who have appeared with the group are David Oistrakh, Mstislav Rostropovich, Janos Starker, Vadim Repin, Maxim Vengerov, Shlomo Mintz, Emil Gilels, Leonid Kogan, Irina Arkhipova, and Victor Tretyakov, while guest conductors have included Kiril Kondrashin, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Evgeny Svetlanov, and Valery Gergiev. Besides its customary participation in festivals throughout Russia and Europe, the orchestra under Kogan has undertaken worldwide tours and produced video recordings for RCA; its Moscow concerts continue to attract capacity audiences.