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Vlad SkandalliAccordionist
Country:
 Russia |
Content:
- Vlad Skandalli: Virtuoso Accordionist
- A Young Star on the Rise
- Admirers and Anecdotes
- "Any amusing stories?" we inquired.
- A Tribute to Michel Legrand
- Exploring Original Compositions
- Unconventional Artistry
- Orchestral Collaboration
- "The 'Kremlin' Orchestra?" we inquired.
- A Life Filled with Passion
Vlad Skandalli: Virtuoso Accordionist
On April 26, 2008, the Theater of Estrada witnessed an extraordinary performance by renowned accordionist Vlad Skandalli. The audience's thunderous applause left no doubt about their unanimous verdict: powerful, captivating, and exhilarating.
A Young Star on the Rise
After the concert, we had the privilege of meeting the artist backstage. "Vlad, your performance tonight was nothing short of a triumph," we remarked. "You're so young, yet you've achieved so much. How have you managed it?"
Skandalli responded with a modest smile, "Thank you. I can't say I'm doing anything extraordinary. I simply have an unyielding passion for my profession and I never part with my accordion."
Admirers and Anecdotes
We asked, "Do your fans sometimes bother you?""Occasionally," Skandalli chuckled. "Lately, I've been getting a lot of calls from young women hoping to get to know me. And I receive a lot of fan mail as well."
"Any amusing stories?" we inquired.
"Absolutely!" Skandalli exclaimed. "Recently, I heard from a music lover who had hung our concert billboard in his home. He said he couldn't make it to the performance, but he had the poster instead."
A Tribute to Michel Legrand
"Why did you choose to dedicate this program to Michel Legrand?" we asked.
"Legrand is one of my favorite composers," Skandalli explained. "His music deeply resonates with me. It possesses an unparalleled lightness and elegance. As a critic friend of mine once observed, 'It's timeless music.' Moreover, some of his pieces had never been performed on the accordion before, so that gave me a particular creative spark."
Exploring Original Compositions
"Do you also compose your own music?" we wondered."Certainly," Skandalli replied. "My work as a film composer actually marked the beginning of my compositional endeavors. My most recent pieces are written for the accordion, and one of them was performed during tonight's concert as a tribute to Legrand."
Unconventional Artistry
"The audience often applauded spontaneously during the performance," we observed. "Does that kind of 'immediacy' bother you?"
Skandalli's eyes lit up. "Not at all! On the contrary! Tonight, in particular, there was a lot of improvisation and surprises."
"Vlad, you're not what one might call a 'standardized' musician," we remarked. "You don't just have impeccable technique, you also improvise brilliantly. How do you manage to combine these qualities?"
Skandalli smiled thoughtfully. "I've never really thought about it. But like any artist, I've always strived to avoid creative 'templates.' Besides, I find it difficult to force myself to play by the book. I love everything unconventional."
Orchestral Collaboration
"Was performing with an orchestra also a form of creative improvisation?" we asked.
"Absolutely!" Skandalli exclaimed. "Legrand wrote a significant amount of symphonic music. So, I couldn't resist the temptation to invite an orchestra to the concert."
"The 'Kremlin' Orchestra?" we inquired.
"Yes, the very same," Skandalli confirmed. "They had just returned from a tour in the States, and everything fell into place perfectly. It's an extraordinary orchestra, and I must say, every performance with Misha Rachlevsky is a true celebration. We're actually performing together again soon, this time at a late-night concert in May."
A Life Filled with Passion
"Vlad, I noticed the sheer joy on the faces of the audience at the end of the concert," we commented. "Do you consider yourself a happy person?"
"Absolutely!" Skandalli declared. "I'm fortunate to be surrounded by wonderful people. And most importantly, my life has a great deal of meaning: my accordion."
