St. Petersburg Philharmonic

The Grand Hall of St Petersburg Philharmonia is the best venue for those who want to listen to academic music played by professionals. It is the most refined aristocratic hall with rich heritage.

This magnificent building located in the very heart of the culture capital is an integral part of the architectural ensemble which also includes the Russian museum and the Mikhailovsky Theater. Decorated with white columns, the Grand Hall of St Petersburg Philharmonia is one of the world’s best in terms of acoustics and artistical perfection.

Only one hundred years ago, the whole mansion was meant for the Assembly of the Noble, a place where representatives of the highest noble class had meetings. Balls and social receptions took place here.

The Philharmonia’s walls still retain concerts of talented people who belonged to the musical elite. It was an honor to perform on this stage! It seems that all starts of the 19th century were here. It was here that Franz Liszt, Clara Schumann, and Anton Rubinstein played their music, Pauline Viardot and Feodor Chaliapin sang opera, Hector Berlioz, Richard Wagner, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Arnold Schoenberg and Gustav Mahler conducted concerts of their music. Masterpieces of Russian classical music created by Modest Mussorgsky, Alexander Borodin, Alexander Glazunov and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov were premiered on this stage. In this hall, St Petersburg music lovers saw the last performance of Pyotr Tchaikovsky conducting the premiere of his Symphony No.6.

Decorated with white columns, the Grand Hall of the Assembly of the Noble became the principal philharmonic concert hall only after 1917.

The Philharmonia is now named after Dmitry Shostakovich, a great composer of the 20th century. A legendary concert in the besieged Leningrad is connected to his name – his Symphony No.7 (titled Leningrad Symphony) was first performed on the stage of the Philharmonia.

The Philharmonia takes pride in its two symphony orchestras. The principal orchestra is headed by the great maestro Yuri Temirkanov.

For many contemporary musicians, a performance in this hall is a privileged honor and a reward.