The Winner of 2002 International Web Concert Hall
Competition
(Honorary Mention)
 Grigory, tell
us about your musical background.
I was born in a family of musicians. My father was a concert
pianist, and he was a professor at the Moscow State Conservatoire. Unfortunately he died
about 12 years ago. My mother is also a pianist, my elder brother is a clarinettist and a
soloist in an orchestra, and my sister teaches music. Music permeated the walls of our
house and I heard music all the time, from as long as I can remember.
At the age of 6 my musical career started when I entered the Central Music
School for gifted children in Moscow. I did not take the decision to become a musician
myself- my parents decided for me. My first teacher was Igor Gavrysh - a man who is
utterly devoted to music and who was a proponent of the best of the Russian cello
tradition. It is due to him that I have no problem with the cello techinique. While
studying with Professor Gavrysh in 1993, I entered the Moscow State Conservatoire where I
graduated in 1998. Thereafter I continued my studies at the Hochschule in Karlsruhe with
Professor Martin Ostertag, where I am still studying today. Professor Ostertag is a
remarkable musician, very sensitive and a wonderful teacher. The first year of my studies
with him was an eye-opening experience, as his teaching methods and style were totally
atypical to the Russian school of cello teaching. Some of his methods were absolutely
astonishing, and I tried to absorb as much as possible in every lesson.
How did your friends and parents influenced you as a
musician?
Everyone - my parents, teachers and friends - had a great
influence on me. At the conservatoire in Moscow I had the opportunity of hearing some of
the best musicians in the world. My father, as a professor at the Moscow State
Conservatoire, came into contact with many well-known musicians, and I therefore had many
opportunities to hear and work with some of the finest musicians of the decade, such as
Grigory Fejgin, Vagram Sardayan, Nguet Mign, Michael Pletnev, Jakov Flyer and Leonid
Kogan. It was impossible to remain indifferent to the music after hearing these people
perform. These impressions have all had an influence on my life, and I must say that they
remain some of the highlights of my career.
 What
is your practice strategy?
I don’t have one specific practice strategy. From time
to time I try out new methods, and I don’t stick to one regular method. Let me give
you a general idea of how I practice every day. Playing a scale at the beginning of my
practice session is of the utmost importance to me. I would play one scale for 30 minutes
if I were to practice for 5 hours on a specific day. I also practice etudes, focusing on
producing various types of tone and colour. If I encounter a difficult passage, I dissect
it bit by bit and play it very slowly, gradually increasing the tempo until I reach the
desired tempo. In general I practice on average about 4 tot 5 hours per day, depending on
my other activities for that particular day. Many times I will practice a piece that is
totally different from the music that I might have to perform that evening.
Do you still play the Grancino cello? Yes.
What do you do when you don't feel like practicing
for a week or even a month? How do you cope with it? I think each artist has this
problem at different stages of his or her life. I often experience this after having
participated in a competition. I would then just try to relax and reflect on my music, and
practice for shorter periods per day - say 2 to 3 hours.
Are you married? If so, what does your wife do? How did
you meet her? Yes, I am married. My wife is also a cellist. We met while doing our
entrance exams for the conservatoire in Moscow on the same day. I immediately knew that
she was the one for me!
Where do you live know? In Germany.
Do you have any upcoming concerts? I have just
completed a concert tour in South Africa. In November I will be playing two concerts in
Germany. Then there is a rest of a few months, and in February I will be playing the
Brahms Double Concerto in Baden Baden. In March I will give a concert in Austria.
Do you play in an ochestra? Yes, I have half a
position in an orchestra in Ludwigshafen.
All musicians go through hard times during their careers.
When did you have such a time? Can you share this with us? I have been very lucky so
far, and cannot remember any such a bad time, but it might still be coming. I have
wonderful friends, and I am sure they will support me when something like that happens.
Do you write music? No.
How do you earn your living? What is your main source of
income? I earn my living by playing in the orchestra and by performing concerts.
Do you have children? If so, would you want your child to
follow the same musical path as you did? Yes, we have a little girl of 2 years
old. No, I would not want that, but if that is what she wants, I will not stand in her
way.
 Tell us about
yourself. I am a straightforward person, and am dedicated to my family. I am, of
course, also dedicated to my music and the wonderful cello that I am privileged to play. I
am borrowing this cello for the time that I am studying in Germany from the
Baden-Würtemberg Province in Germany. Unfortunately my parents were not able to buy me my
own cello in Russia, as the money that they saved for this, depreciated to such an extent
that I will hardly be able to myself a good set of strings now.
My strengths in performing are stability and control, or should I say,
"command" of the instrument. As a musician I try to understand the depth of the
music and to convey my emotions and feelings with a bow and strings. Surely every musician
dreams of playing in all the great concert halls, winning the hearts of the public at all
levels. Many will want this at any cost. However, reaching such a level is not possible
for every artist. Therefore I seek my own audience, and try not to be too judgmental or
criticical of my own playing, but to enjoy the rewards I can bring to myself, my family
and my audience.
I love art, and especially the works from the Golden Age of the Dutch Schools -
works by artists such as Bosch, Rogir van der Veiden, Hugo van der Goos, et cetera. Bosch
attracts me the most. His infinite imagination and skills, that combine horror and
clumsiness, while at the same time creating harmony, continually astonishes me. I also
enjoy reading literature from different eras, especially Dostoyevski, Dickens, Bulgakow
and Twain. To be able to create art with words that will outlive the authors themselves,
is wonderful. I recently read Perfume by Susskind again. I also like to play chess
and tinker with a computer.
What do you hope to achieve ten years from now in
your music career?
 It is very difficult
to predict the future, especially when you live in a world that is constantly changing.
However, for the time being I will continue to take part in competitions and try to
establish working relationships with concert managements to the best of my ability. I hope
to play many more concerts in future.
 In your
opinion, what are the characteristics of a good performer?
For me a good performer is a good craftsman. It is very
important that all the notes have to be performed exactly as they were written, paying
special attention to the interpretation of each note, giving it its real value and filling
it with new ideas. It is important that the audience must be able to understand the
meaning the performer attaches to each note. A good performance to my mind consists of the
following: faultless technique, both manually and on the strings; the presence of new
ideas, and a pleasant and engaging stage personality.
MOL: I think we need to wrap up at this point.
So on be half of MusicalOnline, we would like to thank you for your time and we wish all
the success.
Interviewed by
MusicalOnline on October, 2002
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