Interview with Denis Shapovalov (Cello)

The Winner of 2001 International Web Concert Hall Competition

Tell us about your musical background.

I was born in 1974 in the rural town named "Tchaikovsky", in honour of the greatest Russian composer. This town is very close to Peter Tchaikovsky-s birthplace, Votkinsk. My parents are both musicians- my mother is a piano teacher and my father is a conductor. They both worked in Music College after studying in a local music conservatory. I started Cello at age of 5. At 6, my family moved to Nizhny Novgorod and there, I won several regional competitions. At 11, I made a debut with a local orchestra playing Saint-Saens Cello concerto. At age of  14, I entered Moscow Conservatory College and at the first year, I was appointed as a principal cello in a College Symphony Orchestra and appeared as a soloist during the orchestral tour in Germany, Belgium and France. In same year, I was awarded scholarship from an American businessman. For one year I received $50 a month - it was a big money for me then and it was overwhelming experience. At 15, I was awarded a scholarship of International Charity Foundation "New Names".

In 1993, I entered the Moscow Conservatory and same year, performed Shostakovich Concerto #1 in the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory with the College Orchestra. For a year, I played in a string quartet and participated in the Chamber Music Competition in Melbourne where we received a prize "Best Hope." However, I left the quartet after a couple of tours in Spain and Turkey. The violist of quartet, Igor Naidin, is now a member of Borodin String Quartet. In 1997, I received a scholarship from Rostropovich Charity Foundation and in same year, met and joined Vladimir Spivakov's "Moscow Virtuosi". In 1998, I won International Tchaikovsky Cello Competition, which was also the year I graduated from the Conservatory.

After invitation to participate in Rostropovich Festival - Rencontres Musical d'Evian - I had to make my career decision and decided to resign from "Moscow Virtuosi" and pursue a solo career. It was very difficult choice I had to make.

Who are your teachers? How did your teacher influence you as a musician?

The main teacher in my musical life was Natalia Shakhovskaya with whom I studied from the second year in the College through postgraduate school. I must say that she is the best Russian cello teacher today and I was very fortunate to study with her all these years.. In every lesson, she told me something new that inspired my musical thinking... and this helped me to understand music to a next level- this was unbelievable musical experience. Each year, there was a great demand to enter her class. She is very demanding and she makes all her student to be a fighter.

Natalia.Shakhovskaya was a student of Rostropovich and she developed her own school of thought and have raised a generation of many fine cellists. She always says: "You must be "two heads taller" then others, this is the only way for victory". We say: "Good teacher is that, who can teach a student to practice and to achieve everything on his own" - it is said about Shakhovskaya. We say: "Good teacher is someone who can teach a student to practice and to achieve everything by himself, without the help and support of others".

She taught me on how to listen for things that are often over-looked by most musicians. These fine-tunning of instrument playing is the keys to understanding and creating great music (The subject cannot be explained by words - one must hear it and feel or not.). Although I have finished all my study at the Conservatory, I still seek for her advice because she always tells something that I have never thought of. I also had some lessons with M.Rostropovich and I must say that he was my teacher throughout my life because his recording was played in my house since I was a child.

I must say that when you work with a good performer - he also becomes you teacher, you can hear his way of playing and be able to use it someday. Working with Vladimir Spivakov and Vadim Repin was also learning experience for me.

Do you teach?

A couple of days ago I got an invitation to become a teacher at the Moscow conservatory.  This is a great opportunity for me to become better musician than what I am today. At the moment, I only have one student, however, I don't have much time to teach because I have too many concert engagements to prepare.

How did your friend, parents, etc. influence you as a musician?

Since I was several months old, my mother made me listen to Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky Piano Concertos and all Tchaikovsky Symphonies. I also listened to other symphonies when I was a child and that helped me to feel and understand styles of different musical phrasings.

Do you have a family of your own? If so, tell us about them.

I have a wife - Katya, she is also a cellist. We met in Prof. Shakhovskaya class (Katya was also her student). We played duet, but she wants to see me become a great solo performer and she has always supported me to strive such dream.

What do your wife do now?

Katya is a postgraduate student in Moscow Conservatory. This year, she will receive her master's degree in Cultural Management at the Russian-Britain University. She is also a part-time model.

Do you have a practicing method you follow everyday?

I always record myself when practicing and that helps me to hear not only from inside but from outside also.

How much do you practice daily before a performance?

I usually practice 6 hours a day, sometimes more...

What period music do you enjoy playing most and why?

I enjoy romantic works - mostly Schubert, Schumann. My friends call me the "last romantic", because nowadays very few people pay attention to such music. Now a days, most players strive for speed and this behavior is connected with sports mentality - not music. I know when I just play notes only, without feeling. Such playing, I can say, is easier. Music starts only when the performer adds his feelings in the composition that is in front of him.

I also like to play impressionistic music. It's a "water-color" music. This music requires and demands delicate and sensitive touch from the performer. And I enjoy delivering such sensitiveness to music and to convey such feeling to the audience.

The best praise I've ever heard was in France, after performing Debussy Sonata and one French man came to me and said " Thank you, I've understood Debussy only now". It was like the medicine you discovered - helping another human being to extend his life with cure!

In your opinion, what is your strength in your playing?

Delicacy and sincerity in playing, the things which were given by God and nature - they are my strength and also my patience in practicing which is a must for becoming a great soloist. One must first create foundations in their playing and only then, he will be able to express himself. I practice until that moment.... until I feel that my hands are ready to meet my feeling .... my mind.

Tell us about your experience of winning the 1998 International Tchaikovsky Competition in Russia.

While studying in the Conservatory, I practiced very hard and took a part in the 10th Tchaikovsky Competition. As you know, before the Competition, all Russian participants have their own selection round, and that's very difficult itself. It is really difficult to get into the list of participants for the real Tchaikovsky Competition. However, making the list was great experience for me. At the 10th Competition, I did not make it to the final round, however, a year later, I decided to compete again in the Eleventh Tchaikovsky Competition.

In the Eleventh Tchaikovsky Competition, I had a very big problem finding the instrument for me to play with. I had a terrible cello and I desperately need a better cello to compete with. Our State instrument collection refused to loan me an instrument because of some changes in law - they've asked for me to pay insurance for borrowing the instrument that was outrageous amount. I didn't even have enough money to buy my own cello. So, I was waiting for a miracle to happen. The miracle had happened, but not in time. Three weeks before the Competition, I had an opportunity to practice cello made by Stradivarius only for 4 hours a day in the building of the State Collection, except Saturdays and Sundays because nobody works these days.

At the time, I didn't even dreamt about making it to the Final round. Then, the Conservatory was generous enough to hire a guard to look after Stradivarius so that I can practice more than 4 hours day.... this arrangement had allowed me to practice 6 hours a day. This only happened 10 days before the Competition. I was under a lot of pressure, you can just imagine. The most interesting incident happened just before the second round - the administration told me that I can take Stradivarius to home until the end of my participation of the competition because they don't have money to pay the guard! Every musician before any major concert, arranges a performance with the same program in some place, making a sort of general rehearsal from it. All the program I prepared for the Competition, I played without such performance practice, because I was not allow to take the cello from the Conservatory. This was unbelievable - a month before the competition it was absolutely impossible to take the instrument and they have made me suffer, I really didn't want to participate, because of absence of a good cello, and now they tell me I can take it home because they can't afford to hire a guard to look after Strad? Why didn't they let me take the instrument from the beginning?

After the second round, I had to practice harder because it was first time for me to play Rococo Variations and Schumann Concerto with the orchestra. In the competition, I was the only one who played Schumann, the most participants played Shostakovich. Therefore, the orchestra mostly rehearsed Shostakovich because Schumann was their least favorite concerto and I was only one who was playing the concerto..

My professor always explains me about the orchestra parts of Schumann. Therefore, I knew all instruments' entrance. In the final round, the orchestra made a mistake in their part by coming in too early… however, I was able to quickly adjust my performance in the performance.

The result of the competition was announced at midnight in the Tchaikovsky Hall. I was there with my family and I only realized the meaning of winning the competition after 10 days later because during the competition, I was under such enormous pressure, it was hard to digest anything even comprehend what was going on during the competition. I only concentrated in playing my best with the instrument which I only had few weeks to work with. The World Cello Congress in Baltimore awarded me a prize also. With all prize money I received from the competition, I bought a cello made by Giuseppe Fiorini. As a winner of the Competition, I was also invited to perform at The World Cello Congress in Baltimore.

How many different concertos do you have that are ready to play within three weeks notice?

Most of concertos are ready to be played in one week - Dvorak, Tchaikovsky "Rococo", Schumann, Shostakovich #1,#2, Haydn C-dur and Brahms Double Concerto. 3 weeks notice - Haydn D-dur, Prokofiev Symphonie-Concertante, B.Tchaikovsky Concerto, K.Khachaturjan Concerto. A soloist must play all his repertoire in such notice, in my opinion.

Do you like any other forms of art? such as painting? Tell us about it.

Salvador Dali is one of my favorite painter, his creation and philosophy behind such creation inspires me to be creative with my music.

What do you like to read? And why?

I like to read fantasy literature, it takes me to a dreamland and allows me to escape from the real-world. This is very important for the me as an artist..

What do you do for hobby, if any?

Unfortunately I don't have time for hobbies, but what is left…. I listen to Pink Floyd's music. Many things in my life connected with the ideology of group - I even try to play guitar sometimes and maybe someday I would like to play Rock music.

What do you hope to accomplish as a musician, human being and what do you hope to achieve ten years from now in your music career?

I hope to become a well known soloist and to perform with musicians whom I really admire.

In your opinion, what are the characteristics of a good performer and how do you judge a good performance?

Performer needs to be physically strong and must have steel nerves - this is the foundation of a good performer, in my opinion. To be a musician, whose work is to give a pleasure to the audience, one must be creative and sincere, giving all his soul into the performance. Competition is a sport, but concert - is an art. If you are a good sportsman it doesn't really mean that you can be a good concert artist.

Musician is not the person who is a virtuoso and plays in tune - never! Real musicians, and they are very rare can be met, those who don't give the listener to judge them, who let the person not only see and hear the music but feel and understand through the feeling.

Do you believe a performer must attend conservatory? What is your opinion on this?

Musician should have basic education and if he can get it in conservatory - it's great. However, most important thing is to find a real good teacher and not someone who takes your money and tell that you are making a progress, while you have already stopped doing it. The only way to be sure that you have a good teacher is to compare one from another.

Are you completely happy about where you are now in career?

No. We always have room to grow both musically and intellectually, but the problem in Russia is that every Russian artist dream about becoming a soloist. In Russia, there are a limited number of managers. Therefore, the performers must do everything on their own, for example, concert arrangements and ticket sells, etc. So, many Russian performers either refuse to perform in Russia or move abroad.

Anyway I've already had many performances I can be proud of and also in future several of them are scheduled - in July I'm going to play with Andrew Litton and London Symphony in Daytona Beach. In autumn, I will tour Japan, then I am schedule to perform Brahms Double Concerto with violinist Nikolai Znaider and London Philharmonic Orchestra in Lodon, Luxembourg and Munich. I will also participate in celebrating Rostropovich's birthday in London in March 2002, playing Shostakovich #1 Concerto, which will be conducted by Maestro himself.

When was your most memorable performance?

I was invited for the second time in a row to perform in Evian Festival in 2000. I performed Brahms Double Concerto with Vadim Repin conducted by Rostropovich. And the most memorable performance was in April 2001, when I performed in Munich with Lorin Maazel and Bayerische Rundfunk, which was  broadcast live throughout Germany.

Tell us about Brahms Double Concerto with Vadim Repin, conducted by M.Rostropovich in France.

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, 2001