Our festival has changed its name. Instead of the “Five Evenings” so pleasant to a Petersburger’s ear, we have taken on another “Petersburgian” name: Northern Flowers. We do not want any more, and we do not have either, to confine our initiative in a strict frame of a certain number of concerts. The new name suggests experimenting, it is extending the framework of the established tradition. Moreover, from this year on, we are trying to arrange our chamber music evenings in different halls of St. Petersburg (largely in response to wishes of the Festival's friends and audience), thus diversifying the aesthetic, artistic, and acoustic palette of the Northern Flowers. In all other respects, our artistic philosophy remains the same: the most interesting phenomena in chamber music, renowned performers, premiere performances, and unexpected interpretations. Each concert of the Festival is an event, a happening in the city's musical life.

The very first evening of this year’s Northern Flowers will give

I happened to hear the cellist Roel Dieltiens a year ago in Switzerland. He instantly attracted my attention, for musicians of such profound understanding and skill are rarely found. When he plays, his every intonation, and even every note, is valuable. Roel seems to be just talking to his listener, so clear, expressive, and perfectly finished is the sound of his instrument. Being similarly successful in interpretation of Baroque, Romantic, and today's music (which is unique in the current musical world so insisting on strict stylistic specialization), Roel Dieltiens will perform in the Sheremetiev Palace works of Johann Sebastian Bach and his Italian contemporary genius Domenico Gabrielli for cello solo, while in the Gala Concert, he will be an ensemble partner to Eliane Rodrigues. They will play Chopin's cello sonata rarely performed in this country.

On October 17, the Russian Museum will open its doors to the Vilnius String Quartet, one of Europe's most known quartets. The musicians have performed in the best concert halls worldwide, and their team has been a recognized model of the art of ensemble for decades. The Quartet of the Lithuanian classic Mikalojus Ciurlionis (this piece will be performed by a special request of our festival), and works of Beethoven and Ravel that are among the most inspiring numbers of the worldwide quartet repertoire, will afford genuine delight top this concert's audience. The great music sounding amidst inspired canvasses of Karl Bruellov will shine in dazzling facets, and enrich you with new impressions.

The Gala Concert of our festival (October 18, Glinka Hall) will not only display to the audience all the Northern Flowers guests at once, but also discover a number of new composer names, it will remind you of works by well-known masters that are rarely performed in Petersburg. The songs of French composer Reinaldo Hahn who was all fashion in Parisian salons of the 19th century's Nineties, will surely be remembered due to their sincerity: they are exceedingly melodious, they catch you at once and make you love them. The striking quartet pieces of Erwin Schulhoff, well-known Czech composer and pianist of a tragic destiny (he died in the concentration camp at Wuelburg, Bavaria in 1942) will prove the abundant teamwork abilities of the quartet from Vilnius. The enchantingly beautiful compositions of Schubert, Chausson, and Chopin interpreted (such is our festival's tradition) in a joint effort by musicians of different countries, performing schools, and traditions, will surely win new devoted friends and listeners for the Northern Flowers. This music meets the most challenging demands of chamber music lovers.

The magnificent Eliane Rodrigues will make the audience plunge into the depth of Romanticism. Mendelssohn, Liszt, Saint-Saens, and Chopin are on the program of this amazing Brazilian pianist to be played at the Glinka Hall on October 19. She seems completely free of any technical or sound restrictions, while the stylistic freedom of her interpretations is akin to performance by great virtuosos in the 19th and early 20th centuries. With her, long-known compositions are "reborn" right in the concert hall, and pieces you have heard dozens of times appear in a new guise, really magnetic and enchanting.

Dear friends, inviting you to our fourth festival, I would like to wish you the most profound and sincere musical sensations, enrichment with new knowledge, and interesting meeting in the artistic community. Each time when we start preparing for the Northern Flowers, to go a long and tiring (and sometimes bitter) way, we hope that our effort and enthusiasm enhanced with skill, knowledge, and experience will bring you great joy of meeting the art of music of the highest value. The result of our effort is your enthusiastic approval support. After all, you and we have one common affinity - Music!