Double bass

Andrey Shinkevich

In the orchestra since 2014

Biography
Interview

Andrey Shinkevich was born on September 3, 1981 in Minsk, Belarus. He began studying music at the age of 6. In 1988–2000, he studied at the Minsk Music Lyceum of the Belarus State Music Academy. There, he saw the double bass for the first time when he was 12. Under the guidance of professor Nikolay Alexeevich Krivosheev, Andrey Shinkevich began learning to play that instrument. In 2001, he entered the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich, where he continued his education under professor Klaus Trumpf. In 2006, he resumed his studies in Nuremberg under professor Dorin Marc.

Over those years, Andrey Shinkevich became a laureate of numerous competitions in Belarus, Moldova, Czech Republic and the USA. He is a scholar of the President of the Belarus Republic’s special foundation and the Vladimir Spivakov international charity foundation.

Since 2007, Andrey Shinkevich has been a member of the Svetlanov Russian State Orchestra. In 2008–2009, he was the concertmaster of the Württemberg chamber orchestra (Heilbronn, Germany). In 2010, he was the assistant concertmaster at Hamburg Opera. Since 2014, Andrey Shinkevich has been the concertmaster of the musicAeterna orchestra.

He is a member of the “Bassiona Amorosa” international bass player ensemble, together with which he received the Echo Preis award in Munich in 2015.

Andrey Shinkevich is the vice chairman of the Belarus Bass Players Union.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE DOUBLE BASS?

This had been preceded by a number of random events. As soon as I entered music school, one of my teachers — the great professor Vladimir Perlin — told me I should consider the double bass. However, Soviet children rarely played that instrument because it was so large and there were no mini versions like the ones used in Europe. That’s why I spent the first 6 years of my studies playing the cello. Later on, the school orchestra was lacking a double bass player, so I took the spot even though I didn’t realize even half of the instrument’s capabilities back then.

WHAT MAKES THAT INSTRUMENT SPECIAL?

The double bass was originally designed as an accompanying instrument. It’s no wonder they often say that an orchestra can do without the first violin or oboe, yet it can’t perform without the foundation laid by the double bass. Remove the foundation, and the whole structure will crumble. That’s the initial basic function of the double bass. However, many composers now make music for double bass, while musicians play it as a solo instrument. I perform as a soloist and a chamber orchestra member a lot, too. Generally speaking, no matter what instrument you pick (be it violin, double bass or percussion), there are no inherent limitations to it. It’s the approach that matters.

DO YOU HAVE A CREATIVE DREAM?

There’s only one dream, or rather a goal: to keep developing. To move forward. Life is impossible without movement, so I try to comply. I hope I’m going in the right direction.

WHAT DO YOU VALUE IN WORKING WITH MUSICAETERNA?

I like the fact that this orchestra feels like a living being. Everyone here gives their 100%, and everyone has a creative approach to working here. I wouldn’t even call that “work”: it is creative art, really. The result speaks for itself.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO CREATE?

Sometimes, the impulse comes from talking to interesting people. Sometimes, a concert or some other event can be an inspiration. The main thing is to look for inspiration inside yourself. Your own sources of inspiration may be “sleeping”; if that’s the case, you have to take extra effort to discover them. This way, you spend your whole life looking for that inner equilibrium.