Music – “Fratres String Quartet”

Seble Demeke, UNOG

The rencontre was a coincidence, which happened in a private home, where several friends were invited to a concert performed by this group of young musicians. After listening to their classical music, I was impressed by their devotion, the love they showed for what they were doing and most of all their efficiency in coordinating their perfect performance. Although I was a guest myself at the concert, I could not help but write an article about these young and promising musicians and took the opportunity to interview them. I was told by those who know more than myself about such a type of music, that the music they played was very old, classical and traditional European music. Nevertheless, since I come from Africa, where the soul and spirit of the peoples’ life is music, whether classical, modern or Rap, played by any group of musicians, music is just part of my life and my culture, therefore, I enjoyed every bit of the concert. No wonder they say music is universal!

Brief background about the musicians Timur Yakubov, 1^ST Violin, was born in Moscow in 1976. He attended the Gnessin Music School at the age of five. Since then he has been in different music schools in Moscow and in Switzerland. In 1998 Timur receives a prize from the Association of Musicians of Switzerland in Bern. Nicolas Penel, 2^ND Violin, was born in Geneva in 1974. He started taking violin lessons at the age of five. In 1987 he won the lst prize of the “Concours des Jeunesses Musicales Suisse”, in the section of Chamber music. He presented himself to the same competition six years later and received the 3rd prize in the violin section. Laurent Galliano, Viola, was born in Sierre, Switzerland on the 1^st of March
1977. He started his first violin lessons in the Superior Music School in Sion, where he joined the class of Maitre Tibor Varga at the age of 6. In 1995, Lau- rent obtained the 1^st prize at the Interna- tional Competition in San Bartolomeo al Mare in Italy. In 1996, he received the 2nd prize at Jeunesses Musicales Suisse” competition.

Maxim Belitsky, Cello, was born in Moscow in 1975. As Timur Yakubov’s school friend, he shares his passion for Chamber Music. At the age of six he entered the Gnesin Moscow Music School where he joined the cello classes of V. Birina. He performed in the biggest concert halls of Russia and Europe as a principal Cello of “Gnessin Virtuosi” Chamber Orchestra. He performed as the principal Cellist in a number of ensembles such as “New Names” Russian Orchestra, “The Amadeus” Chamber Orchestra, “Frantz” String Quartet, “The Russian Philharmony”, among many others.

The interview

What does “Fratres Quartet” means?

It means 4 string instruments played by four different people.

Could you tell me the story behind your group and how you came together? The two Violinists knew each other from school and wanted to start a String Quartet. Timor called his childhood friend from Moscow who is the Cellist and when we were looking for a Violinist, we met Laurent and we started the Quartet.

Why are young people of your generation interested in former generations’music, which is classical? Because we like classical music and the train- ing which requires a lot of repetition. We enjoyed studying String Quartet.

Do you plan to stay just the four of you or in the long run will you extend your team?

It will always remain 4 Musicians. All the composers since “Haydn and Mozart” have composed pieces for the formation of a string quartet. These include two Violinists, one Viola and one Cellist.

What are the activities that you performed in Geneva? We played in the Victoria Hall in September 2001, where we played a piece by the Con- temporary Suisse Composer, Jean Luc Durbellay.

What is your next programme?

We have several programmes for the month of March but the most important one is that we are going to have a competition on 29 of March in Zurich with other Chambers of Music.

What is your next plan as far as your training is concerned?

We will finish in Geneva in 2004 and we are planning to go to Madrid to a well-known music school called “Reina Sophia”. We will continue our training with a teacher known as “Rainer Schmidt” who is a member of “Hagen String Quartet”.

Thank you and I wish you all the best.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, Mrs. Alice Münch, who is a musician and Violin teacher herself, for organizing the con- cert and making the rencontre possible with these very talented and gifted young musicians who are no doubt capable of achieving the highest international level. These young musicians have promised me that they will perform in the next Solidarity Fund for Ethiopian Women (SFEW) fund raising. The date and place will be announced beforehand in UN Special.