Where are you from originally?
I was born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. It’s a big city and is located in the southern part of Russia. Some might remember it as one of the host cities for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
How many years in the symphony?
I joined the ASO in 2011.
Favorite spots around town?
Railroad Park and Rotary Trail are among my favorite places.
Why do you believe classical music is still relevant?
I believe that one of the classical music’s strongest powers is the ability to heal the human soul. No matter what you are dealing with or how hard your day was, a live classical music performance can take you away from the everyday life. It’s truly remarkable.
Hobbies?
I love outdoors and enjoy running, hiking and calisthenics (probably thanks to my not so glorious past in gymnastics!). My newest passion is gardening and growing fruit trees.
How has being a member if the ASO connected you to our community?
I met so many great people through my work. Some of our audience members became my friends. I also enjoy working with ASO’s education team. Performing for our area schools or working with kids in our youth orchestra are always meaningful and special events for me.
Favorite composers/pieces?
I can’t really name my favorite composer or my favorite piece to play. Some pieces I enjoy more by being in the audience and experiencing them as a listener. Understandably, I love Russian music. Romantic era music is probably my favorite, but I love Bach and Hindemith just as much.
Funniest orchestra story? Scariest orchestra moment?
My funniest and scariest orchestra moment is the same event. Recently we have performed Grieg’s Music from Peer Gynt. It has an interesting and very unusual viola solo that I was asked to play from the balcony above the stage. There is a staircase backstage that takes you to the balcony. The plan was to return back to the stage while the orchestra was finishing the first movement and join my colleagues for the rest of the piece. There was really not that much time but the plan worked flawlessly for all the rehearsals and our first performance. During our second concert, while making it back to the stage, I realized that one of the doors was locked. One of those moments when seconds feel like minutes if not hours! It all worked out in the end, thanks to our stagehands who came to the rescue.