EXPROMT QUINTET is a well-known ensemble from Saint-Petersburg, combining the best of the St. Petersburg Conservatoire’s academic traditions and bringing a spirit of experimentation and an inimitable sense of energy to its creative work.  The breath-taking transformation of the ensemble’s different styles, musical directions and genres into playable music is astounding.  It is not by chance that the eminent modern composer Sergei Slonimsky has singled out the “marvelous Expromt Quintet” from other ensembles.
The Quintet’s style is unique not only thanks to the unusual combination of Russian folk and classical instruments, which together create an inimitable musical texture, but also because of the fantastic energy of the musicians, who perform works solely in their own arrangements. In any works performed by Expromt Quintet, be they jazz improvisations, classical or folk music the musicians capture the musical essence of the work with an amazing precision. Expression and a breath-taking sense of measure, surprising musicality and “drive”, unerring taste and a willingness to perform the most daring of musical experiments distinguish the Quintet’s performing style.
Over the almost 10 years that they have been together, the ensemble has given over 400 concerts in Russia’s best concert venues and abroad, has been awarded various musical prizes, has won All-Russian competition and has released 5 albums.  Expromt Quintet is a regular participant in music festivals, such as “From the Avant-Garde to Today”, “International Conservatoire Week”, “Musical Spring”, the Saima Music festival and others.
Despite having traveled many countries around the world, Expromt Quintet’s musicians still‘s find time not only to put together new musical programs for their listeners, but also to teach at St. Petersburg Conservatoire.

Composer Sergei Slonimsky: “Actors of ensemble «Expromt-quintet» – the highly talented musicians owning all styles of classical, romantic and modern music. My personal cooperation with this remarkable collective (which repeatedly played “Incantation” from the Exotic suite) brought more than once not only big creative satisfaction, but also made special success at public.”

Director of the festival “International Conservatory Week” Lidya Volchek: “The «Expromt-quintet» leads its unique «melody» inside the ensemble’ polyphony of St. Petersburg for ten years already. This melody is light and masterfully, it’s pleases, admire, and makes you wait for new programs, concerts, CDs. Ensemble is lucky and loved by the audience:  the pleasure that was brought by youth, talent and tireless creative improvement always been commends over and over again.”

Structure of the ensemble:
ANDREY DEMIDOV (balalaika)
ILIA MATVEEV (domra)
SERGEY POGURTSEV (bayan)
KONSTANTIN ILGIN (guitar)
GUY DAVTIAN (contrabass)