Miroslav Ilnitskiy, piano tuner, guitarist and teacher

Biography

Piano Tuning

Guitar

Bass Guitar

Double-bass (balalaika)

Curriculum Vitae

Contact

Guitar

Biography Piano Tuning Guitar Bass Guitar Double-Bass (balalaika) Curriculum Vitae Contact

From 1999, I have been a soloist in the group "NORD"-QUARTET", which has given a considerable number of concert performances in Russia and abroad, and won numerous awards and victories at festivals and competitions.

In "NORD"-QUARTET, my basic instrument is the double-bass balalaika, but sometimes I also use an acoustic guitar which blends perfectly a with a duo of soprano and alto domras:

I had my first guitar classes at the age of eight, while taking a piano course in the musical school.

My father gave me these lessons, and I regard him as my first and main teacher of music, although he is not a professional guitarist.

Then I was taught by the talented musician and teacher V.D.Filatov, who helped me both to improve my guitar skills, and to choose my future occupation in life - to spend my life in tandem with music and the guitar.

Having left music school in 1989, I entered the Tverskoy musical college to further study the guitar.

Whilst studying, I played in concerts as a member of the group "NEDELKA" under the guidance of Alexander Nekrasov.

I have only pleasant memories from the time spent in this group. It is difficult to calculate the number of concert performances we have given in the cities and out-of-the-way places in Russia.

Our performances in Budapest (Hungary) in 1988 also remain strong in my memory. We were well received by the audience. That was my first experience of performing abroad.

Unfortunately, no audio or video records of the performances remain from that time, although sometimes I would like to return to that world, which now exists only in my memories.

In 1989 I entered the Petrozavodsk branch of the St.Petersburg State Conservatory to study guitar under the guidance of Professor A.I.Denisenko, the Honoured Artist of the Republic of Karelia, where together with studying, I performed as a member of the group "PROMENAD" with my friends (conservatory students).

The performance on the cruise liner from Petrozavodsk to St.Petersburg has particularly stuck in my memory.

A crew member told us one day that it was the captain's birthday. We therefore went up to the ship's bridge and played an old Russian romantic song "I met you" as a musical gift.

It is impossible to forget the soft light of the bridge, the night sky full of stars and the captain's tears.

After graduating from the conservatory of music in 1994, I got acquainted with the great musician and balalaika-player Mihail Pocenkovski. The group "FOLK-DUET" (guitar, balalaika) was born as a result of this creative union.

The basis of the repertoire was made up of adaptations of Russian national melodies and world classics.

Before meeting Mihail I had gained experience of performing in such combinations, but his playing made me believe in the unlimited possibilities of this instrument and its wonderful combination with the guitar.

We performed at different concerts, but most of all I remember the performance when we accompanied the well-known Moscow singer, the Honoured Artist of Russia - Natalia Kurganskaya in the city hall on the central square of Munich (Germany).

The fantastic acoustics and candle lighting, together with the Gothic style of the building and Natalia's magical voice, left a lasting impression on the listeners and on us.

"I am sitting on a stone"

(Trad. / arr. B.Troyanovskiy / guitar reduction - M.Ilnitskiy)

Listen to some of the tunes performed by "FOLK-DUET":

"As the husband has forced me to heat the

steam bath-house"

(Trad. comic melody / arr. A.Shalov / guitar reduction - M.Ilnitskiy)

"Comic melody"

(Trad. melody / arr. A.Shalov / guitar reduction - M.Ilnitskiy)

There are some interesting tunes in my video archive. In some of them, I perform the 1st and 2nd guitar parts simultaneously. This was possible by performing the 1st part at first, and then I accompany myself and make a mix:

"The Greek melody" (M. Theodorakis)

Apart from playing in concerts, since 1998 I have been teaching guitar in the music school. My pupils have achieved excellent results with this instrument. For example:

"Mar Dyandya" (Gipsy melody / arr. S. Orehov / 1st and 2nd guitar - M.Ilnitskiy)

"Moliendo" (Rumba / 1st and 2nd guitar - M.Ilnitskiy)

My entire life has been connected with the guitar, but there are two other musical instruments which I adore, and which must take their place in my creative biography. These are the bass guitar and double-bass balalaika.

Guitar solo: Alexander Bet

"Shepherd" ( Greek trad.)

"Etude" (Y.Miohi / In the style of the Spanish dance)