Four Russian pianists will take part in a prestigious music competition

LEEDS. The names of Russian musicians who will take part in the International Piano Competition have been announced.

The rich cultural life and the abundance of attractions in the third largest city in the UK is a discovery for those whose knowledge in the geography of the United Kingdom is limited to London. The appearance of Leeds harmoniously combines the signs of yesterday and the present. The cathedral, the ruins of Kirkstal Abbey, the House of Herwood, the Town Hall, the opening of which one and a half centuries ago, was honored by Queen Victoria with her presence. Art gallery (Leeds City Art Gallery) with the twilight canvases of Atkinson Grimshaw and a collection of sculptures by Henry Moore. The city in which the mousetrap and fluoroscopy were invented.

A significant contribution to the development of the city was made by immigrants from the Russian Empire or their descendants. One of them was Michael Marks, the creator of the thriving trading empire Marks & Spencer, launched by Penny bazaar in the city market, where the cost of any product was 1 pence.

The founder of the Leeds International Pianoforte Competition is Fanny Waterman, the daughter of a jeweler who emigrated from Russia at the beginning of the last century. In the coming year, the Lady Commander of the Order of the British Empire, teacher, author of the popular textbook “Me and my piano” will celebrate his 98th birthday this year. The competition takes place every 3 years, starting in 1963. Among its winners there are representatives from Russia: Ilya Itin (1996), Sofia Gulyak (2009), Anna Tsybulova (2015). In the new season, four young musicians will be accepted at once in the competition. Oleg Akkuratov is a unique musician who is equally subject to classical and jazz. Lack of vision and difficult life circumstances did not prevent him from becoming the winner of many international competitions.

Anna Genushene is also a regular participant and laureate of the most prestigious music competitions, winner of the Grand Prix of the International Bluethner Competition (2006) in Kaliningrad, winner of the Musika be Sienu (2009) and Sgeepdrove competition (2017) in Newbury. Since 2016, an internship at the Royal Academy of Music in London in the class of Professor Christopher Elton. Alexey Sychev - winner of The Muse (2009) in Greece, Premio Franz Liszt (2009) in Italy, Massarosa and Ennio Porrino (2012) in Italy, Dr. Luis Sigall (2015) in Chile. A scholarship holder of various foundations, he is currently studying at the graduate school of the largest conservatory in Austria, Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien. Samson Tsoi is a graduate of the Moscow Conservatory and the Royal College of Music in London, a laureate of two dozen international competitions and the London Philharmonic Orchestra Prize, a scholarship holder of the Mstislav Rostropovich Foundation, one of the most talented musicians of his generation.

Elena Tanakova © Gallerix.ru