Double Basses

Andrey Shinkevich

In the orchestra since 2014

Andrey Shinkevich was born on September 3, 1981 in Minsk, Belarus. He began studying music at the age of 6. In 1988–2000, he studied at the Minsk Music Lyceum of the Belarus State Music Academy. There, he saw the double bass for the first time when he was 12. Under the guidance of professor Nikolay Alexeevich Krivosheev, Andrey Shinkevich began learning to play that instrument. In 2001, he entered the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich, where he continued his education under professor Klaus Trumpf. In 2006, he resumed his studies in Nuremberg under professor Dorin Marc.

Over those years, Andrey Shinkevich became a laureate of numerous competitions in Belarus, Moldova, Czech Republic and the USA. He is a scholar of the President of the Belarus Republic’s special foundation and the Vladimir Spivakov international charity foundation.

Since 2007, Andrey Shinkevich has been a member of the Svetlanov Russian State Orchestra. In 2008–2009, he was the concertmaster of the Württemberg chamber orchestra (Heilbronn, Germany). In 2010, he was the assistant concertmaster at Hamburg Opera. Since 2014, Andrey Shinkevich has been the concertmaster of the musicAeterna orchestra.

He is a member of the “Bassiona Amorosa” international bass player ensemble, together with which he received the Echo Preis award in Munich in 2015.

Andrey Shinkevich is the vice chairman of the Belarus Bass Players Union.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE DOUBLE BASS?

This had been preceded by a number of random events. As soon as I entered music school, one of my teachers — the great professor Vladimir Perlin — told me I should consider the double bass. However, Soviet children rarely played that instrument because it was so large and there were no mini versions like the ones used in Europe. That’s why I spent the first 6 years of my studies playing the cello. Later on, the school orchestra was lacking a double bass player, so I took the spot even though I didn’t realize even half of the instrument’s capabilities back then.

WHAT MAKES THAT INSTRUMENT SPECIAL?

The double bass was originally designed as an accompanying instrument. It’s no wonder they often say that an orchestra can do without the first violin or oboe, yet it can’t perform without the foundation laid by the double bass. Remove the foundation, and the whole structure will crumble. That’s the initial basic function of the double bass. However, many composers now make music for double bass, while musicians play it as a solo instrument. I perform as a soloist and a chamber orchestra member a lot, too. Generally speaking, no matter what instrument you pick (be it violin, double bass or percussion), there are no inherent limitations to it. It’s the approach that matters.

DO YOU HAVE A CREATIVE DREAM?

There’s only one dream, or rather a goal: to keep developing. To move forward. Life is impossible without movement, so I try to comply. I hope I’m going in the right direction.

WHAT DO YOU VALUE IN WORKING WITH MUSICAETERNA?

I like the fact that this orchestra feels like a living being. Everyone here gives their 100%, and everyone has a creative approach to working here. I wouldn’t even call that “work”: it is creative art, really. The result speaks for itself.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO CREATE?

Sometimes, the impulse comes from talking to interesting people. Sometimes, a concert or some other event can be an inspiration. The main thing is to look for inspiration inside yourself. Your own sources of inspiration may be “sleeping”; if that’s the case, you have to take extra effort to discover them. This way, you spend your whole life looking for that inner equilibrium.

musicAeterna orchestra events

May 26, 20:00

St. Petersburg | State Academic Capella

Dvořák: Alexander Sladkovsky and musicAeterna

Buy Ticket

June 1, 21:00

St. Petersburg | Hermitage Museum

The musicAeterna Orchestra and Choir. Ars Vivendi

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683–1764)
The thunderstorm scene from Act II of the opera-ballet Platée ou Junon jalouse (1745)
Act IV, Scene 4: Entry of the muse Polyhymnia from the lyrical tragedy Abaris ou les Boreades (1763)
Tambourines I, II from the prologue to the lyrical tragedy Dardanus (1739)

Antonio Lotti (1667–1740)
Crucifixus a 8 voci from Credo in F Major (before 1717)

Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741)
Concerto for Cello and Strings in C Minor, RV 401 (late 1720s)

Allegro non molto
Adagio
Allegro ma non molto

The soloist Rabbani Aldangor

George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)
Ombra mai fu (There was never a shadow), aria of Xerxes from Act I of the opera Xerxes, HWV 40 (1738)
The soloist Andrey Nemzer, countertenor
Furie terribili! (Terrible Furies!), aria of Armida from Act I of the opera Rinaldo, HWV 7a (1711/1731)
The soloist Elizaveta Sveshnikova, soprano
Piangerò la sorte mia (I will mourn my fate), aria of Cleopatra from Act III of the opera Julius Caesar, HWV 17, (1724)
The soloist Elizaveta Sveshnikova, soprano
Venti, turbini (Winds, whirlwinds), aria of Rinaldo from Act I of the opera Rinaldo, HWV 7a (1711/1731)
The soloist Andrey Nemzer, countertenor

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Komm, Jesu, komm (Come, Jesus, come), motet for double choir in G minor, BWV 229 (before 1731–1732)
Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden (Praise the Lord, all ye nations), motet for four-voice choir, dubbing instruments and basso continuo in C major, BWV 230 (n.d.)
Erbarme dich, mein Gott (Have mercy, my God), aria of the alto No. 39 (47) from the sacred oratorio St Matthew Passion, BWV 244 (1727–1729/1736)
Soloists:
Andrey Nemzer, countertenor
Vladislav Pesin, violin

George Frideric Handel
Lascia la spina, cogli la rosa (Leave the thorn, pluck the rose), aria of Pleasure from Act II of the oratorio The Triumph of Time and Disillusion, HWV 46a (1707)
Soloists:
Elizaveta Sveshnikova, soprano
Andrey Nemzer, countertenor

Jean-Philippe Rameau
Les Sauvages/Forêts paisibles (The Savages/Peaceful Forests) from Act IV of the opera-ballet The Gallant Indies, (1725/1736)

Duration: 60 minutes

Sold out

June 2, 19:00

St. Petersburg | Hermitage Museum

The musicAeterna Orchestra and Choir. Ars Vivendi

Antonio Lotti (1667–1740)
Crucifixus a 8 voci from Credo in F Major (before 1717)

Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741)
Concerto for Cello and Strings in C Minor, RV 401 (late 1720s)

Allegro non molto
Adagio
Allegro ma non molto

The soloist Rabbani Aldangor

Jean-Philippe Rameau
Les Sauvages/Forêts paisibles (The Savages/Peaceful Forests) from Act IV of the opera-ballet The Gallant Indies, (1725/1736)

Duration: 60 minutes

Sold out

An event of Diaghilev Festival

June 20, 19:00

Perm | Great Hall of the Perm Philharmonic

Concert of musicAeterna: Bach

An event of Diaghilev Festival

June 25, 19:00

Perm | Soldatov Palace of Culture

Mozart: opera-singspiel The Magic Flute