Cellos

Vladimir Slovachevsky

In the orchestra since 2018

Born in Saint Petersburg in 1991, he received his professional education at the Lyceum of the St. Petersburg State Conservatory (1998–2005) and at the Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts, class of Professor Stefan Kropfitsch (2006–2010). In 2012–2017 he worked as a concertmaster of the cello group in the Moscow State Academic Symphony Orchestra conducted by Pavel Kogan. Currently, he is a soloist of the Moscow and St. Petersburg Philharmonias, soloist and concertmaster of the Kremlin Orchestra in Moscow. Since 2018 he has been a soloist and an artist of the musicAeterna orchestra.

He took part in master classes by professors of the Moscow State Conservatory Natalia Shakhovskaya and Natalia Gutman, Professor Frans Helmerson (the Cologne University of Music and Dance), Arto Noras (Sibelius Academy in Helsinki).

Laureate of the international competitions: New Names in Moscow (I prize), the competition of the Garth Family Foundation (Germany/Russia, I Prize), International Alexander Glazunov Youth Music Competition Glazunov Youth Music Competition in Paris (I prize), Concert with Orchestra International Competition in Voronezh (I prize, grand prix), 8th International Osaka Musical Competition (Japan, 2007), Maria Yudina International Chamber Music Competition (2007). He was awarded grants from the foundations of Konstantin Orbelian, Vladimir Spivakov, Mstislav Rostropovich.

Since the age of 14, he has been performing in the Small Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonia with subscription solo concerts. In 2007, he made his debut in the Great Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonia with a cello concerto by С. Saint-Saëns. The following season, he performed the First Cello Concerto by D. Shostakovich together with the Honoured Collective of Russia, the Academic Symphony Orchestra of the St. Petersburg Philharmonia (artistic director and chief conductor – Yuri Temirkanov).

In 2010, he made his solo debut at the Vienna Konzerthaus. He performs in the leading concert halls of Moscow – the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, the Moscow State Conservatory, the Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Singing Centre, House of Music, in the halls of the Moscow Kremlin. Together with Russian singer Irina Bogacheva he toured in Italy.

His repertoire is extensive and includes cello concertos by J. Haydn, L. Boccherini, J. S. Bach, C. Saint-Saëns, R. Schumann, Variations on a Rococo Theme by P. I. Tchaikovsky, D. Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto № 1, L. van Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, R. Strauss’s Don Quixote, and many others. He works closely with composer Alex Pryer. He plays the cello of the Italian master Lorenzo Storioni.

WHEN DID YOU START TO STUDY MUSIC AND DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR FIRST APPEARANCE ON THE BIG STAGE?

When I turned three years old, my grandfather presented me with a miniature cello for my birthday. I grabbed a hold of it and never let go of it anymore. However, my future was probably predetermined. I descend from a family of musicians in the fifth generation - my parents were practising day and night. I lived to the sounds of music. I slept to the sounds of music. I started performing so early that I don't even remember myself at the time when I first came up on stage. And the first vivid memory is, perhaps, my solo debut on the stage of the Small Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonia with the Italian conductor and pianist Fabio Mastrangelo. I was only 13 and, of course, I desperately worried about the performance. Any musician actually at any age is nervous before going on stage. Few minutes before the concert starts this thrill is manifested very clearly. For everyone it is different: someone starts joking, someone talks a lot, someone withdraws into themselves, but everyone feels nervous.

WHAT IS THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PERFORMING CHAMBER MUSIC AND PLAYING WITH AN ORCHESTRA?

It is very rare when an accomplished solo artist can play well in an orchestra. A solo performance gives you complete freedom of self-expression, while working in an orchestra, on the contrary, requires synergy and team spirit. In this sense, musicAeterna is a unique orchestra: it brings together musicians who can combine both of these capacities.

NAME THREE CELLISTS WHO HAVE BECOME YOUR GUIDING STARS IN THE PROFESSION.

In the first place, this is my dad, the outstanding cellist Sergey Slovachevsky — my mentor, the person thanks to whom I basically became a cellist and, of course, my mother, who made no less contribution to my formation. Then, Daniil Shafran — an old school musician with filigree technique, who was able to turn even a small piece into a whole symphony. And finally, our contemporary Mischa Maisky — I have repeatedly contacted him personally and listened to his incredible live performances. He always delivers a 100% result on stage.

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR INSTRUMENT.

This is a cello by the Italian master Lorenzo Storioni, it is nearly 300 years old. I got it from my dad, and he in turn got it from his teacher, Professor Anatoly Pavlovich Nikitin. It is curious that it was in my hands that the instrument revealed its potential to the fullest. In general, there always exists a special bond between a musician and his instrument. For example, if I now take another instrument of the same level, I will not be able to play it as well as the musician to whom it belongs. That is, you need to find an approach to the instrument.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE DOING BESIDES MUSIC?

I really love poetry and vocals, and, they say, I do it quite well. At any opportunity, I turn to those. But I can't imagine my life being seriously connected with anything other than music. This is what it is filled with completely. This is my spiritual nourishment I cannot live without.