top of page
Carpe Diem is usually translated from Latin as “seize the day”, or “enjoy the day”. This light-hearted expression has become not only the name of the group of the Carpe Diem musicians but also their motto. Being daring to experiment and offer rather unusual programming always comes with sincere joy and passionate dedication to the art of classical music
Chamber Orchestra Carpe Diem is the collaborative project, initiated by the violinist Raisa Ulumbekova back in 2008 in St. Petersburg, Russia. Driven by the idea of seeking for the alternative ways to express their musicianship, Ms. Ulumbekova and selected musicians from major symphony orchestras of St. Petersburg-City area started to rehearse together. The Premier performance of Chamber Orchestra Carpe Diem happened on June 29th, 2008 in the unique settings of Sheremetev Palace had great success and inspired the group for further endeavors. With the support of St. Petersburg State University for Culture and Arts, the group continued to enable their endless creative potential establishing regular concert series. Having the University’s White Hall as their “home venue”, Carpe Diem musicians have performed chamber music chef-d'oeuvres by Bach, Vivaldi, Grieg, Dvorak, Bizet, Prokofiev, Schedrin, Piazzolla, and more.
Through the years of its existence Chamber Orchestra Carpe Diem has significantly expanded their performing activity getting inevitable standing ovations on the stages of State Academic Capella Concert Hall, famous Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Hall and other respected venues around St. Petersburg and beyond. Starting 2012, Chamber Orchestra Carpe Diem has toured Internationally around The Netherlands (2012, 2013), Germany(2013) and Spain (2012-2018). Carpe Diem has worked with such celebrated conductors as Fabio Mastrangelo (Italy), Joao Santos (Portugal), Johan Katz (Great Britain), Joost Smeets (Netherlands), Pablo Marques (Spain). The group was honored to perform with internationally acclaimed soloists among which are the former solo-oboist of Berlin Philharmonic Hansjörg Schellenberger, harpist Margit-Anna Süß, bandoneonist Carel Kraayenhof, and composers Tonny Eyk (The Netherlands) and Marijn Simons (Germany) were a great success.
The collaboration of the Chamber Orchestra Director Raisa Ulumbekova with the conductor Pablo Marques has brought the Carpe Diem initiative to the next level - starting the annual Carpe Diem Summer Music Festival. Since 2011 Carpe Diem musicians and players from Russia, Spain, Portugal, Lithuania, Belarus, Germany and the United States prepare the symphonic repertoire and perform it around the Castellon region in Spain.
bottom of page