“ I came to realize that the best way to become a great musician is to find music within yourself and not try to squeeze yourself into music .”
extended periods of time at first . If we go way back to my 7-year-old self , it wasn ’ t as easy as it is now . Later , when I started attending the Music Academy , it would take me an average of 5 to 6 hours daily . Our teachers and mentors always strived for perfection and those hours were justified ( well maybe not always , but most of the time ). If we come back to the present day , the time I spend practicing differs depending on the projects I am involved in . When I was preparing for my graduation performance ( I played Violin Concert by S . Prokofiev , Preludes by D . Shostakovich and Sonate by E . Ysaye , quite difficult pieces ), I practiced for around 8-10 hours daily . Currently , we have an extensive program of 20 sets that we perform on board the Carnival cruise ship . It includes both classical and modern music from the last decade . Even though we perform almost every night , I still practice for a few hours additionally , just to keep myself in shape . you an amazing boost of power , and it emphasizes your drive and fuels your performance . People feel and absorb the energy you give out and give it back to you multiplied by 10 . This is far superior to any treasure , and moments like that make the long hours of practice and preparation , lack of sleep and an aching back all worth it ! It also gives me strength to carry on , develop new projects and become better at what I do . I also draw inspiration and new emotions in art and literature . I am a big admirer of Vincent Van Gogh - the energy that comes from his art is surreal .
What I enjoy most about sharing my music ? Well , to be honest , it ’ s the same as my inspiration . It ’ s that invisible connection that you establish with the audience through your music . When you make them forget about their troubles , and guide them to a differ-
I believe there is always room for improvement and you have to always strive to achieve more and be better in what you do . Unfortunately , I have not had a chance to meet the great masters of the present day yet , but I follow their progress , watch their performances and read interviews . I ’ ve noticed one common thing between all of them - they love what they do , they don ’ t treat music like a ‘ job ’ but more like a way of life .
“ I came to realize that the best way to become a great musician is to find music within yourself and not try to squeeze yourself into music .”
There are people that I consider to be a beacon or a reference point , if you will . One that I definitely consider to be a role model and an inspiration is Gidon Kremer . He embodies everything I love in music - a unique way of thinking , a unique view on the music he performs . He makes any piece his own and he sees something that no one else before him saw . Not only is he a phenomenal violinist , but he also brings philosophy into his music . He is an amazing , genuine musician . Every time I listen to him perform , it almost feels like I ’ m having a personal conversation with him .
My biggest pool of inspiration are the people , the audience . Nothing is greater than feeling the emotions coming back to you from the crowd . It gives
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