Alexander Oratovsky

Alexander Oratovsky graduated with honors from the St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1973. In 1972 he became a Laureate of the All-Russian Competition in Moscow and in 1991 the International Competition in Gernsbach (Germany). He played in the Symphony Orchestra of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic and performed as a soloist. In 1990, Alexander Oratovsky came to the Netherlands, where he played with the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra (1991-1993) and the Brabant Orchestra (1993-1999). In 2000 the musician moved to Germany, where he worked as accompanist of the cello group in the Meiningen Orchestra. In 1988 Alexander Oratovski was introduced to unknown musical works by composers of the Petersburg Society of Jewish Folk Music (1908) by a relative of Joseph Achron, who had been a member of the society himself. The scores Oratovski discovered were a total surprise to him. The classical works rooted in Jewish tradition had been officially ignored during the Soviet regime and unjustifiably forgotten. Since 1991, Oratovsky regularly gives concerts at which forgotten but charming Jewish works were played. Since then Alexander Oratovski has collected numerous scores by these composers and has become an inspired performer of the music. He has given recitals in Russia, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland.