Elisaveta Blumina is considered an outstanding representative of an entire generation of pianists, and not just since she was awarded the Echo Prize. In the music world, this highly unusual artist is also appreciated as a gifted mediator. In the meantime, 36 CDs have consolidated her reputation as an exceptional interpreter.
“I grew up in a family where music was extremely important. My mother is a concert pianist. My father, who worked as an engineer constructing space ships, also loved music. When he died, he left behind a huge collection of sheet music, music books, and vinyl recordings. Our house was a crossroads for musicians.
I left St Petersburg at the age of 19. In the beginning life was very difficult for me alone in Hamburg and I did not speak any German. I’ll never forget how I came to my teacher, Evgeni Koroliov, on a dark and grey November day and told him that I was home-sick. He dryly replied: “Go practice!”.
Andras Schiff is an extraordinary teacher… his lessons felt like magic. He was very critical and demanding, and has been instrumental in my progress. Radu Lupu is, as far as I know, not teaching much. I came to him on a recommendation by Koroliov and played for him at his London residence. I vividly remember how precise and critical he was.
I come from the Heinrich Neuhaus School because all my teachers studied with him. Through my teaching activities I notice that many young musicians are more concerned with themselves than with the music. It should be clear to any musician that the music is centered around the composer and is not a vehicle for showing off. When a young musician has actually understood a piece of music, this is not only audible but very visible. The body language at the piano and the movements while playing are quite telling! Additionally, the current fashion of listening to many different versions of a given piece, such as on YouTube, can be very damaging. This makes it very easy to just copy other musicians without any real thought process.
I have worked on many such humanitarian projects in my life. For example, I have raised money through countless charity events. I have done so again for the benefit of refugees from the Ukraine war, an issue which is important to me due to my own family having roots there. It is a joy for me to help people in need, as I think it is the quality that truly encapsulates being human.”