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I was born in Moscow, straight into a family full of guitarists: Both my father and mother, as well as my brother were guitarists. As a result,    it´s not very surprising to say that after school, I decided to study guitar under N. Ivanova-Kramskaya in the Tschaikovski conservatory.

After that I attended the university for music in Luebeck, Germany, with Prof. A. Aigner, the state academy for music in Karlsruhe, Germany with Andreas von Wangenheim, as well as the Basel Music Academy. There I was honoured to take part in legendary Oscar Ghiglia´s masterclass. Especially these last two teachers influenced me heavily.

Quite some time had passed after I started participating in competitions, yet it was worth it; in 2006 I immediately won the extremely prestigious intarnational competition "Concorso Internationale di Interpretatione“ in Gargnano, Italy and was an awardee of the Tokio guitar contest.

 

However, was the first musical experience I gained ... at the piano. I still can remember the basement of the shop of the music school in Moscow where I felt utter happiness while playing. Even though many years have passed since then, I can say to be lucky to still experience this feeling whenever I get in touch with music.

These beginnings as a Pianist also made their way into my guitarist repertoire: my transcriptions of Tshaikovsky`s, Gretchaniov´s and Schedrin´s piano miniatures are an important part of my concert program. 

I don´t play such an unusual repertoire because of my ambition or a feeling of sensation. I play them as most of these compositions (of course the miniatures), played by the guitar with precise enunciation and diverse nuancing, gain an immense expressive power.

Obviously are guitar classics also essential - such as Sor, Giuliani, Aguado, Legnani or Diabelli. I enjoy playing these compositors on my original romantic guitar by Gottfried Scherzer, Vienna, dated back to 1865. 

Equally has Russian guitar music by A.Sichra, A. Ivanov-Kramskoj and N. Koschkin a significant role in my program.

The audience and I always enjoy something Spanish like Tarrega, Albeniz, Granados, Malats and Rodrigo. Also, I love (playing) music by these who make use of wider spectres of rhythmical and harmonically expressive possibilities. Some of my favourites are H.W. Henze, L. Brouwer and T. Takemitsu.

My interest in contemporary music led me to working with one of the greatest composers of our time: Sofia Gubaidulina. Together we recorded and premiered two great compositions by the names „ Pentimento “and „Sotto Voce“ for three guitars and contrabass/ two guitars, contrabass and viola. These took place with the "Ensemble Mobile" whose co-founder I am.

 

One can already guess: I am a passionate chamber musician and very happy to be playing with a variety of excellent musicians in different formations:

(except the already listed "Ensemble Mobile" with guitarist Yvonne Zehner I play with:)

Dmitri Dichtiar as the duo "gezupft - gestrichen"

Balalaika virtuoso Alexander Paperny as the duo "VielSaitig"

Clarinettist Lisa Shklyaver as the duo "Liparis"