Vladimir & Anton, the Slovakian violin virtuosos, make a welcome return to Riverbank Arts Centre as part of their national tour to celebrate the launch of  their new album.

The brothers have been busy touring the UK as special guests of superstar diva soprano Katherine Jenkins, and have also played a special concert at the Slovakian Embassy in London as part of the Euros 2016, as well as guesting at the prestigious Isle Of Wight festival.

Now resident in Ireland for more than ten years, Vladimir Jablokov has established himself as one of the brightest young stars on the Irish classical scene, with concerts and recordings that show his love of both classical and contemporary music.

Meanwhile, younger brother Anton has completed his Masters degree with honours at the acclaimed Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano, and is now studying for a solo diploma.

Their new album draws heavily on popular Russian classical music, as Vladimir and Anton have been inspired by the adventures of their paternal Grandfather Nikolaj who was born in Moscow in 1925.

The repertoire draws on material that Nikolaj would have played, old Russian folk tunes and romances like “I Met You”, “Dark Eyes” and “Dark Is The Night” mixed with pieces that resonate with Vladimir and Anton. “Theme from Cheburashka” celebrates an iconic Russian classic cartoon character – part monkey, part bear-cub – who the boys grew up watching on TV, while “Those Were The Days” is revisited as the piece Anton used to proffer when asked by friends “can you please play something we know?”

The album also includes well-known pieces by Prokofiev, Rimsky-Korsakov and Shostakovich for a thrilling Trans-Siberian musical adventure from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok.