MOSCOW – Kazakh musician Ruslan Turuntayev was the winner in the category “Violin” at the recent VIII International Tchaikovsky Youth Competition. He opened the gala concert in the Great Hall of the Metropolitan Conservatory after the closing ceremony of the prestigious musical forum.
The Moscow State Conservatory, which hosted the competition, provided its classrooms for pre-contest rehearsals to 130 young musicians from 19 countries. Honorary jury chairmen in three categories were world famous university professors, pianist Alexei Nasedkin, violinist Viktor Tretyakov and cellist Natalia Shakhovskaya.
The main objective of the festival was educational, the organisers emphasised. But no less important is the fact that due to this festival, the talented youth have an opportunity to present their musical skill to a broad audience. The participation of eminent figures of musical culture allowed an objective and impartial selection of the most worthy in the new generation of musicians.
The victory in the junior competition is a real claim for participation in the adult competition and Turuntayev plans to use this right.
The audience welcomed his performance of Concerto No. 5 in A mol by Vieuxtemps, accompanied by the Eurasian Symphony Orchestra conducted by Aydar Torybayev, with applause.
“Actually there were a lot of emotions, a lot of joy from the opportunity to play in all rounds, in all concerts. But it was psychologically difficult, of course, because I really wanted to win, and it was the highest competitive level in my experience. Now I dream of performing at the Tchaikovsky Competition for adults,” he said after the brilliant performance.
The 15-year-old musician already has solid experience. In his professional baggage there are numerous awards, as he has repeatedly been the winner and laureate of international competitions. His special pride is the victory in the junior contest Muzitsiente Giovanni in Italy, the fatherland of Paganini, where his performance, without exaggeration, created a furor.
Another authoritative recognition of his talent is the attention of world-famous Russian musician Vladimir Spivakov. Turuntayev is a fellow in the fund of the outstanding violinist and conductor and a participant in many of his concert programmes. Thanks to the fund of the maestro, Turuntayev won a priceless gift – a violin of the famous French master Emile Boulanger.
But the triumph of the young talent is also recognition of the Kazakh school of classical music, said general director of the international youth competition, Honoured Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation Andrei Shcherbak.
“Kazakhstan is our reliable and very close partner. From the first days, representatives of your country participated in the competition. The ties between the University of Arts in Astana and the Moscow Conservatory and Central Music School are indissoluble and fruitful. In particular, a great role in the promotion of talents in the category ‘Violin’ belongs to Aiman Mussakhodzhayeva. She purposefully works to establish a strong national violin school in the republic. And I think that Kazakhstan will repeatedly surprise the world with their talents,” said Shcherbak.
