Dimitri Illarionov (Moscow)
January 23, 2010 | 8 p.m. Saturday
Dimitri Illarionov (b. 1979) is one of the most brilliant young classical guitarists. He is the multi-award winner of numerous international competitions in USA, Spain, Italy, Poland, Russia and other countries. Dimitri is the winner of two of the most prestigious guitar competition in the world.
In 2002 he won The Twentieth International Guitar Foundation of America Solo Guitar Competition (GFA – Miami, Florida, USA). In September 2008 Dimitri became the winner of the International Guitar Competition of Francisco Tarrega. For the first time in 42 years the winner of Tarrega is from Russia. Together with the First Prize Dimitri got The Prize for the Best Interpretation of Tarrega piece and Premio del Publico (Public Prize). Dimitri was the first guitarist who took the Second Prize in the III International Competition of Musical Personalities "Alexander Tansman" (Lodz, Poland - 2000). Piano, violin, cello, guitar and other instruments compete directly with each other in this competition. Dimitri’s success here was the highest place guitarists ever reached in the Tansman competition.
Besides his guitar achievements, Dimitri is also the laureate of composing and conducting competitions. He studied with Natalia Dmitrieva (Academic Music College at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory) and with the famous performer and Professor, Alexander Frauchi (Russian Gnesins's Academy of Music). He also took lessons with famous Russian composer and guitarist, Nikita Koshkin; masterclasses with such prominent musicians as guitarists Carlo Marchione and Roberto Aussell, lutenist Hopkinson Smith, cellist David Geringas. Dimitri now teaches his own class at the Russian Gnesins's Academy of Music.
Dimitri Illarionov has an active concert life, playing solo recitals and performing as soloist with orchestras. He played with such orchestras as State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia, Tchaikovsky Sympnohy Orchestra of Russia, Ural Academic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra (Russia), Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra (Turkey), Camerata Ducale (Italy), Wuppertal Plucked Orchestra (Germany), "Ricordanza" Chamber Orchestra (Poland), "Apassionata" Chamber Orchestra (Canada), Orquesta di Valencia (Spain) etc.
In addition to numerous appearances in Russia, he has given concerts in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Estonia, Poland, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Turkey, Italy, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Mexico, USA, Canada, Puerto Rico, Korea and Japan.
Dimitri Illarionov recorded several CDs, including solo CD “East Side Story” (Daminus Records) featuring music of modern Eastern European composers, the CD “Premieres” with Moscow Chamber “The Seasons” Orchestra (conductor – Vladislav Bulakhov) for Les Editions Doberman-Yppan; one more solo CD: by famous label Naxos (Laureate Series). Dimitri’s “Classical Duo” CD (Delos Records) with Boris Andrianov (one of the most gifted young Russian cellists) has come into pre-short-list of the prestigious “GRAMMY-2004” Awards.
Famous composers dedicated their works to Dimitri. Italian composer Angelo Gilardino wrote for the guitarist the Concerto "Star of the Morning" (Homage to Nikolaj Roerich) for Guitar, Cello and Orchrestra; Russian composer Nikita Koshkin dedicated to Dimitri Concerto Grosso for Guitar and Orchestra.
