Imagine getting the opportunity to have an intimate discussion with professionals who do what you love to do.

Public school and university students in the area who play stringed instruments will get to do just that when Ames Town and Gown hosts the St. Petersburg Quartet at 7:30 p.m Sunday in the Ames City Auditorium.

Students have been invited to meet with the quartet following the concert for a pizza party; the musicians plan to discuss music training, music in Russia and the United States, among other things.

The St. Petersburg Quartet members are Alla Aranovskaya and Ilya Teplyakov, violins; Aleksey Koptev, viola; and Leonid Shukaev, cello.

Working as the quartet in residence at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, all four members of the quartet graduated in 1985 from the Leningrad Conservatory.

“Oberlin is one of the most prestigious conservatories in the U.S.,” said Lisa Sapinkopf, the quartet’s manager.

While at Oberlin, the ensemble performs a series of concerts. It also coaches student chamber ensembles and does private teaching.

As a group, the St. Petersburg Quartet helped a student ensemble from Oberlin capture the grand prize. The Erato ensemble received first place at the Coleman Chamber Music Competition in California.

Petersburg’s other achievements include first prize at the Vittorio Gui International Competition in Florence and the International Competition in Melbourne. The group also had an opening-night performance at Lincoln Center, Best Record honors in “Stereo Review” and “Gramophone,” and a 1996 Grammy nomination.

“They are one of the great string quartets of the world,” Sapinkopf said.

According to Sapinkopf, a unique aspect of the ensemble’s upcoming performance is the music that will be played.

The quartet’s repertoire will include works by Russian composers Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky, Borodin and Glazunov. A contemporary piece will also be performed by the Georgian composer Nadarejshvili.

“St. Petersburg is the only quartet in the world that plays it,” Sapinkopf said.

According to Paula Forrest, Ames Town and Gown’s artistic director, the Russian playing style is full of passion and intensity.

The concert will be, “a very deep emotional approach to music,” Forrest said. “I think it will be an evening of great music making, something we’ve never heard.”

Petersburg’s plans for the future include playing concerts in the United States, South America and Europe and doing a series of recordings.

At the present time, the group is promoting its new album.

The CD features Russian Romantic music, which includes Borodin’s two string quartet pieces.

Sunday’s concert is sponsored by Ames Town and Gown. Town and Gown strives to bring outstanding chamber music ensembles and soloists at the national and international level to the Ames community.

According to Forrest, the organization is able to produce a very professional concert series in Iowa from the work of volunteers.

“Not all communities can brag about that,” Forrest said.

Chamber music includes ensembles in which each instrument plays a different part.

These small groups can be duets, trios, quartets or quintets who play wind, brass or string instruments.

Tickets for the concert will be available at the door for $20 or in advance at Rieman Music, Big Table Books, Ames City Auditorium and the ISU Music Department office. Students can get in free by showing their IDs and free student passes are available at the same places. Credit card purchases can be made by calling the Ames Community Center at 239-5360. Ames City Auditorium is located at city hall, 515 Clark Ave.

Those students who want more information about the discussion following the concert may contact Paula Forrest at 292-3891.