Vyacheslav

Alone. A real artist is always alone. He can be surrounded by collegues and partners, disciples and followers, he can play with other people - but main things always occur in loneliness. The mystery of creation resides in silence. That's why solo works are most significant for a musician. Not so many performers are brave enough to work solo. When playing in a band one can hide himself among partners, playing duo one can use partner's ideas. Even playing solo - traditional solo - one can escape into tradition. Being out of tradition and staying alone musicians stands face to face with himself and then face to face with a listener. Few musicians are ready for this. Some still try to hide inside their own self-tradition, others seek for a partner in a real or imaginary listener. Only rare musicians can follow this route honestly.

Vyacheslav Artyomov is considered by many to be Russia’s greatest living composer. His music is deep, ultimately spiritual and brilliantly crafted, with influences from the Russian symphonic tradition coloured by Mahler, Scriabin, Honegger and Messiaen to name a few – but melded into a unique voice.