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Honorary Mention of 2011 International Web Concert Hall
Competition
Duo Sergey Kolesov/Elena Grinevich (Russia)
 How and why did you begin to play your instrument?
Elena:
In the USSR, all children are required to attend music schools,
therefore, all my friends play some sort of musical instruments. We had an old piano at home, therefore, the
choice of instrument was obvious.
Sergey:
I was 13 years old when I discovered the saxophone.
Previously, I had played the violin for 6 years, but then saxophone carried
me away. Now, I cannot imagine my musical life without this
instrument.
Where were you born and where do you live now?
 Elena:
I was born and live in Moscow.
Sergey:
I was born
in a small Russian city Vologda. I studied in Russian Gnesin’s Academy
of Music and currently live in Moscow.
What period music do you enjoy playing the most and why?
Elena: In
my youth, I would have responded as Romanticism. My views has changed
since and now, I enjoy playing music of different epochs, but
give preference to the subtle, emotional, and dramatic works.
Who were your teachers in the past?
Elena:
I had many teachers in my professional life. In the College of Music
under the Moscow Conservatory, I studied under Elena Andreyeva. In
Russian Gnesin’s Academy, I studied under the direction of professors
Sergey Senkov, Valeriy Samoletov and Tatiana Kandinskaya. They all are
professionals of highest level with unselfish enthusiasm and a genuinely
devoted to their profession.
 Sergey:
My first
teacher was the violin instructor Tatiana Naumova. She fostered love
for music in me and laid down the professional music foundation for
me. My teacher in Music College was a saxophonist, Sergey Kouznetzov. He
is a versatile musician, who acquainted me with the music of different
styles, from classical to jazz. However, there is one person who
influenced me very deeply. She is Margarita Shaposhnikova, an iconic and
legendary figure in the world of saxophone. She is the acknowledged as
the founder of the classical saxophone school in the former USSR and
regarded as the leading Russian saxophone teacher.
How did your teachers influence you as a musician?
Elena:
They influenced me profoundly. I wouldn’t be a musician without them.
How did Margarita
Shaposhnikova influence you as a musician?
Sergey:
It was
a great luck and prestige for me to enter the Russian Gnesin’s Academy in
the class of professor Margarita Shaposhnikova. She gave me all the
basic saxophone professional skills. Being a musician, who possesses
exhaustive knowledge about saxophone, she is keenly interested in all
musical styles, genres, and tendencies, involving you in the creative
process. Thanks to her, I became a professional musician. Together, we
scored a big success. While working with her, I was able to win many competitions,
including the most prestigious saxophone competition in the world “The
International Adolphe Sax Competition, Dinant, Belgium, in 2006, which
highly influenced my career as a musician and a saxophonist.
Do you teach?
Elena:
Yes, I am a professor of Russian Gnesin’s Academy of Music in the
accompaniment department.
Sergey:
Yes, I
work in Music College and Musical School.
If you teach, what do you mostly emphasize to your students and why?
Elena:
For me, the most important goal for the performer is to leave
something in the soul of the listeners. Otherwise the music doesn’t make
any sense.
Sergey:
From my
point of view, the most important is to be a polymath person, to form
your own individuality in music; and, of course, practice and practice.
Do you have a practicing method that you follow everyday?
Elena:
There are no special systems or methods. The only guideline is to get
self-satisfaction of your own performance.
Sergey:
Yes, I
do. Every day, I follow a certain system, which consists of
several stages: playing long tones, scales, etudes and pieces. The
duration of intensive practicing lasts about 5 hours a day.
How do you prepare yourself on the day of performance?
Elena:
Usually the awareness of the concert itself puts me in required state of
mind. It’s good to sleep in the afternoon.
Sergey:
I try to
avoid practicing on the day of concert. Normally, all the preparation
should be finished two days before the concert. During these 2 days, it is
better to listen to the music, to take a rest, to walk, and to get ready
for the concert.
How do you select your repertoire for the concerts?
Elena /
Sergey:
First of
all, the music we play is directed and addressed to the public. The
epoch, genre, style of a work can be widely different, but the music
must contain either beauty, a profound idea, or philosophical thought, -
anything that can positively influence the audience, make them happier,
to leave a positive, deep impression on their soul.
Do you have any upcoming concerts?
Yes, we
regularly have concerts in Russia. In May, we have master-classes and
concerts in Germany. Besides, last year our duo won the International
Chamber Music Competition “Saliery-Zinetti” in Verona, Italy. In July
2011, we have a concert-tour in Italian cities.
How did you learn about the International Web Concert Hall Competition?
We learned
about the competition from the Internet.
What do you hope to achieve as a musician and as a group?
We want
our music to be heard by as many people as possible all over the world.
On be half of the Web Concert Hall, we would
like to thank you for your time and we wish all the success.
Interviewed by Webconcerthall in March, 2011
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