The Russian String Orchestra has carved a niche for itself under the creative baton of its founder and music director Misha Rachlevsky. About half of nearly 2,000 concerts the orchestra has performed to date have taken place in Moscow. The rest were played on tours in 25 countries in North and South America, Europe and the Far East. The orchestra performs with Russian-American cellist Nina Kotova, internationally recognized as one of the outstanding instrumentalists of her generation. Kotova has performed in Red Square in Moscow, for the Imperial family of Japan and at Buckingham Palace.
A nearly 6,000-square-foot Monte Vista mansion that blends historic details with modern elegance underwent a steep, $200,000 price cut late last month.…