Pearls Of Russian Music by Piano Duet: Marina Porchkhidze & Vladimir Shinov

"

Jeanne Solan (principal dancer at

Netherlands dance theater,

Deutsche Opera, Berlin, Germany)

Marina Porchkhidze and Vladimir Shinov family team/musicians have gained recognition as pianists of uncommon versatility and imagination. They are multi-faceted artists, whose activities for about 25 years have included performing, teaching, lecturing, composing, musicological studies and poetry writing.

They are alumnies of the Leningrad (St. Petersburg) State Conservatory Petrozavodsk branch(Republic of Karelia, Russia).

Vladimir holds M.A. in composition and music education.

Marina holds M.A. in piano performance and music education.

Among their teachers were such celebrities as Nathan Perelman and Oleg Malov(piano), Josef Cohn(theory), and Eduard Patlayenko(composition). After graduation musicians lived in Karelia, republic in northern Russia near Finland, had magnetic impact on many artists-Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Roerich among many others...

Throughout their careers they have performed as soloists, in chamber music and, as piano duo all over the world. In their homeland, Karelia, Vladimir and Marina were the first piano duo, who have popularised this media. Together they have appeared on several radio and television programs. Musicians have been recognized as "top-quality artists, whose performances are always highly appteciated by audiences and by professionals"

"Music and Life"-magazine

During two decades(1980-2002) they have performed in more than 240 recitals and gave dozens of Master Classes.

3 documental films, dedicated to the family team/musicians-"Pianist & Composer", "To compose an Opera", "Romance about Two"- have been released in Russia.

Porchkhidze-Shinov duo is extremely active in arts education. Teaching has remained for many years very special aspect of their crativity...

Upon graduation they were appointed to the piano faculty of the Petrozavodsk College of Arts, a post lasting nearly 10 years, where they produced number of students who have gone on to professional careers.

Marina and Vladimir also were the founders of one of the first private music school in Karelia. They tought children piano, music theory and literature, and directed students in writing and performing their own piano music and mini-operas. 2 operas, written by 8-11 years old students of Vladimir and Marina have been perfomed in Kostamuksha at the International Festival.

Last 5 years in Karelia(1988-1993), family team have worked as hosts(prezident and vice-president) of Karelian Music Society. They have developed programs for young audiences, thus opened new perspectives for Art Education in their homeland.

Since 1993 Ms.Porchkhidze and Mr.Shinov have been living in New York city, where in 1994 they established the piano studio(where more than 40 students study piano, theory and composition).

The husband and wife team continues to pursue an active performing career in USA as well, and most recently they have performed at the Julliard School, Nicholas Roerich Museum, Riverside Church Theater and many other concert halls throughout the USA as well as in Russia, Finland, France, and Germany.

V.Shinov is currently working at the Juilliar School, NYC as composer-accompanist.

AWARDS : "New Names" award

of Karelian Republic for the best performance and best piano composition/ "The Thinker",music by V.Shinov/;

"Melodia" award/leading Russian recording company award/; Awards of The Ministry of Culture of Russia.

Vladimir Shinov is a recipient of prestigious "Kalevala" Diploma : 1st prize at Russian composer's competition,dedicated to 150-years of 1st edition of "Kalevala",great finnish-karelian epic / 1985/

Piano Duet's recitals have been broadcasted on Karelian/Russian TV and Radio.

Misicians have appeared at many prestigious venues in Russia and Europe.

Since 1993, Marina & Vladimir have lived in USA, New york; continued their performing :at Riverside Church Theatre, Nicholas Roerich Museum, Florence Gould Hall at French Institute Alliance Francaise, Hilton Hotel / all in New York City/ .

Marina has performed and recorded CD with piano compositions by V.Shinov/CD "Landscapes of the soul/ ,which has been used as music for ballet "SKETCHES",

and successfully performed at Florida Dance Festival in Miami by choreographer Elizabeth Higgins,professor of dance from Marimount College,NY./2002/

The Piano Duet made their CARNEGIE HALL debut in February,2004,where they performed music,written by

Vladimir Shinov: “The Thinker”, “Haikus”, ”Chapliniane”, ”Nasto, the Beauty”,as well as pieces by Donizetti,Grieg,Schumann.

Since then they have appeared each season at CARNEGIE HALL.

In 2004, USA’s prominent specialist in classical music , Karl Haas, the creator of the longest running radio show

“Adventures in good music” has reffered the piano duet to the listeners and recommended their CD "Masterpieces of French music"

In 2005, piano duet M.Porchkhidze and V.Shinov performed music by V.Shinov for ballet "Mother Goose In 2006, Piano Duet is celebrated 25 years of their creative life by giving a recital at Carnegie Hall and by producing 2 new CD’s. M.Porchkhidze composed together with V.Shinov new score "ONE",for piano duet, based on novel by R.Bach-choreographic fantasy.

REVIEWS: NYTB charms with 'Mother GOOSE!'

By Hillel Italie, AP National Writer | March 8, 2005

NEW YORK --Poetry isn't memorized a lot these days, but the rhymes of "Mother Goose" seem to stick to the brain upon first contact. "Jack and Jill/Went up the hill" and "Mary, Mary/Quite contrary" are companions for life, and welcome ones for the New York Theatre Ballet's performance of "Mother GOOSE!" which ended a brief run last weekend.

With a typically modest set at the Florence Gould Hall, consisting mostly of a sensibly sized old shoe fit for an old woman to live in, the NYTB put on its best breeches and frilly dresses and imped its way through an hourlong presentation. Accompanied on piano by Marina Porchkhidze and Vladimir Shinov, whose original score the two performed, the ballet offered fresh, clever pantomimes of such favorites as "Little Boy Blue" and "Little Miss Muffet," in which the transparent fakery of the approaching spider made it no less squeamish to watch.

"Mother GOOSE!" was created and choreographed by Keith Michael, and led onstage by such veteran company players as Danielle Genest and Steven Melendez. Transcripts of the poems were included in the playbill, but it was more fun to keep your eyes on the stage and guess what the dancers were acting out.

The mood was as easy and as precocious as a "Mother Goose" poem, like "The Three Blind Mice" segment, in which Genest, Keiko Nakamura and Melissa Sadler put on dark glasses and animal ears and tiptoed about with walking sticks, their tails as long and limber as jump ropes or giant strands of spaghetti.

The show was especially charming during "A Was an Apple Pie," when performers demonstrated the ingenious ways that you and your limber friends can transform yourselves into any old favorite letter. For instance, to simulate an "N," you merely require two people to stand straight a few feet apart, and a third to lean diagonally in between.

Even the shoe got into the act, opening up like a suitcase and doubling as a mini-stage for "The Little Suite," in which dancers turned themselves into mini-puppets for a run-through of "Little Boy Blue," "Little Miss Muffet and "Little Bo Peep."

© Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company

Hillel Italie - Associated Press,Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company

FROM CHILDHOOD DAYS,POETRY IN MOTION

"...new "Mother Goose! A Ballet Revue",an adaptation of nursery rhymes choreographed by Keith Michael to music by

Vladimir Shinov.

...the score,for piano 4-hands,was created for ballet,with waltzes,ragtime,reels,jigs and folk-dance influences.

Mr.Shinov and the pianist Marina Porchkhidze will play it live".

Laurel Graeber - The New York Times,friday,March 4,2005

the CD " Masterpieces of French music for piano

duet",performed by M.Porchkhidze & V.Shinov

has been referred by USA's legendary musician

Karl Haas to a worldwide audience. April,2004

Karl Haas - referred by: "Adventures in Good Music",radio broadcast-WCLV/SEAWAY PRODUCTIONS

"...New York Theatre Ballet

will perform a one-hour ballet for children,"Mother Goose!",a playful ensemble

work with pleasingly simple steps by the choreographer Keith.Michael,set to a CHARMING,RAGTIME-AND-FOLK-DANCE-INFECTED SUITE FOR PIANO FOUR-HANDS BY VLADIMIR SHINOV.

article "Going on about town" - The New Yorker,issue of 2006-02-06

© 2006 Piano Duet MARINA PORCHKHIDZE & VLADIMIR SHINOV from New York

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