Daniil Kramer Jazz musician Country: Ukraine

1. Biography of Daniil Kramer
2. Professional Career
3. Contributions to Jazz in Russia
4. Artistic Style and Achievements
5. Awards and Recognition

Biography of Daniil Kramer

Daniil Kramer, a Soviet and Russian jazz pianist, educator, composer, and producer, was born in 1960 in Kharkov, Ukraine. He studied piano at the Kharkov Specialized Music School, specializing in piano. At the age of 15, he became a laureate of Republican competitions for pianists (1st prize) and composers (2nd prize). He graduated from the school in 1978 and immediately entered the Gnesin State Musical Pedagogical Institute (now the Russian Academy of Music) in Moscow, in the class of Professor E. Y. Liberman, one of the best students and followers of Heinrich Neuhaus. E. Liberman made an effort to pass on to Daniil the secrets of the brilliant piano school of Neuhaus. While studying in his second year, Daniil took part in the selection for the International Tchaikovsky Competition, but at that moment, his interest in jazz music made him drastically change his path, turning away from the competition towards jazz. This was influenced by his fascination with the work of musicians such as Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Art Tatum, as well as the concert of Leonid Chizhik - the first live improvisational jazz music concert he heard. In 1982, Daniil won 1st prize at the jazz piano improvisers competition in Vilnius. During this period, his jazz mentor became Leonid Chizhik. After graduating from the institute in 1983, Daniil became a teacher at the Gnesin State Music School and a soloist of the Moscow State Philharmonic.

Professional Career

Since 1984, Daniil Kramer has participated in almost all jazz festivals in the USSR, CIS, and Russia. His solo concerts and performances with various domestic and foreign musicians have taken place in many countries, including Spain, France, the USA, Finland, Czechoslovakia, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Australia, China, and countries in Africa and Central America. Daniil has participated in many major international jazz festivals and has become an Honorary Member of the Sydney Professional Jazz Club and a member of the jazz club in Haparanda, Sweden. Daniil Kramer works extensively as an educator and composer. In 1994, he opened a class on jazz improvisation at the Moscow Conservatory, which was the first in the history of the institution. He writes music for both professional musicians and beginners studying jazz. Many music schools in Russia use his teaching materials and exercises, and students playing jazz perform his compositions. Collections of jazz pieces and arrangements of jazz themes by Daniil Kramer, released by various publishers, have become popular in Russia. The ORT TV channel aired a series of lessons by Daniil Kramer, and a video cassette of these lessons is being prepared for release.

Contributions to Jazz in Russia

Since 1996, Daniil has been the music editor of the audio cassette series titled "Contemporary Jazz of Russia". The series is produced by singer and composer Stanislav Korenblit with the aim of creating a more complete picture of Russian jazz from the late 20th to the early 21st century. By the beginning of 1998, 10 titles of this series had already been released. Daniil constantly collaborates with various radio and television companies, participating in various projects.

Artistic Style and Achievements

Daniil plays in almost all jazz styles, from classical and traditional jazz to avant-garde. In his solo concerts, he also strives to play in various styles, both traditional and contemporary. An important part of his work is the music of the "third stream". Instead of simply improvising on classical music themes, he tries to create his own special language, organically combining jazz and classical elements in his compositions. Daniil Kramer strives to develop concert jazz in Russia and is the author of projects such as "Jazz Evenings with Daniil Kramer" at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, "Jazz Music in Academic Halls" at the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, the Small Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, and the Oval Hall of the Moscow Union of Musicians. He has realized the idea of creating jazz concert subscriptions in many philharmonic halls throughout Russia.

Awards and Recognition

In 1997, Daniil Kramer was awarded the title of "Honored Artist of Russia". In December 1999, the album "Imagine" was released on the Moscow label Boheme Music, recorded by Daniil Kramer together with the renowned Mikhail Glinka String Quartet.