About the Academy

Why do we need one more String program?

When the St. Petersburg Quartet just came to the USA in 1989, during the talks with musicians and students we were frequently asked: " What is the secret of Russian String Instrumental School"? We replied that it is in the special emphasis on timbre of sound, unique individuality of each musician, overall concept of each piece, phrasing etc.

And the answer was "But how about American famous performers such as Heifetz, Elman, Zimbalist, Milshtein, Galamian?" "But they are ours - Russians" - we replied, most of them studied at St. Petersburg Conservatory, from here came their unique sound, style and technique. All of them are pupils of St. Petersburg Conservatory's famous professor Leopold Auer.

Leopold Auer (1845-1930) one of the greatest and most influential violin pedagogues of all times. The founder of the great `Russian violin tradition, he taught Jascha Heifetz, Misha Elman, Nathan Milstein, Efrem Zimbalist and other luminaries at the St. Petersburg Conservatory and later, bringing his art to the United States, at the Institute of Musical Art in New York and the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia.

Individuality was the main thing. No one sounded the same. Each artist had a unique voice on their instrument.

They brought this performing tradition into America.

The corner stone of such tradition is a special attention to the sound which has to mimic the quality of bel canto (or human voice) and indicate all pallet of emotional spectrum. For listener the sound of violin, viola or cello has to evoke the similar emotions which performer applied into the music.