Percussion

Aleksey Amosov

In the orchestra since 2018

Biography
Interview

Alexei Amosov was born in 1972. In 1991, he finished the Music college at the Moscow Conservatory. In 1996, he graduated from the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory.

In 1995–2005, Alexei Amosov was a soloist at the Russian Bolshoi Theatre orchestra. As a xylophone soloist, he regularly performed with the wind orchestra and brass ensemble of the Bolshoi Theatre. In 2005–2018, he was the concertmaster of the percussion section at the Kolobov Moscow “New Opera” theatre.

Since 2018, Alexei Amosov has been a member of the musicAeterna orchestra.

WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART OF WORKING AS A MUSICIAN? AND WHAT PART OF YOUR WORK GIVES YOU JOY?

Working with Maestro, collaborating with world-class professionals, playing at the world’s best concert halls — all these things give me joy. As for the hardest part, it is probably the necessity to always give your 100% and to be ready for unexpected challenges at any time. This is especially true if you play modern music. It is both complex and breathtaking, and every day brings you a new challenge to tackle.

HOW MANY INSTRUMENTS DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR ARSENAL?

I’ve lost count: there are hundreds. New tasks keep popping up, so I have to come up with new instruments and new techniques — such as playing a piece of styrofoam with a double bass bow or hitting a tam-tam with a rubber ball. I’ve had to play the water gong not long ago: I put a gong into a water-filled tub and played tremolo. In a word, there are no limits to professional growth here. I love this abundance of various percussion instruments — that’s why I switched to them from playing the piano as a child.

WHAT MUSIC DO YOU FIND MORE INTERESTING TO PLAY: MODERN OR OLD?

I love both. Modern music is certainly more inventive and unorthodox when it comes to technique, but old music has its own challenges. For instance, the cymbals in Tchaikovsky’s symphony should be played with an ideal sound. That’s no easy feat!

WHAT COULD YOU COMPARE WORKING AT MUSICAETERNA TO?

I don’t even know. Perhaps to mountain skiing in the Alps. Each concert gives me such a powerful adrenaline rush and such a euphoric feeling that I doubt I could find similar sensations in anything else.

IS THERE A PIECE OF MUSIC YOU DREAM TO PLAY?

It probably hasn’t been created yet.