Vestard Shimkus - Rachmaninov - Paganini Rhapsody (var.19-24)

Pianist Vestard Shimkus plays Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini (var.19-24) by Sergei Rachmaninov. With Latvian National Opera Orchestra conducted by Andris Nelsons. Recorded live on March 3rd, 2003.

Vestard Shimkus (Vestards Šimkus) studied in Riga, Los Angeles, Madrid and Munich with professors Dmitri Bashkirov, Daniel Pollack, Vadim Suchanov and others. Has also studied composition with Peteris Vasks.

Among his prizes are 1st prize at the international Bad-Kissinger KlavierOlympiade piano competition (Germany, 2007), Los Angeles Liszt Piano Competition (2002) and Stockholm Performing Artists Competition (2001). In 2002 he was awarded with the Grand Music Prize of Latvia (2002) and "White Star" order of Estonia (2005).

Shimkus has given performances throughout Europe, the USA, the Middle-East and Japan. Festival appearances have included Bergen Festival (Norway), Lockenhaus Gidon Kremer Festival (Austria), Kissinger Sommer Festival, Al Bustan Festival (Lebanon), amongst others. He has performed with BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, KREMERata Baltica, and Tallin Chamber Orchestra and has collaborated with such conductors as Lawrence Foster, Vassily Sinaisky, Eri Klas, Woldemar Nelsson, Anu Tali, Jonathan Darlington, Andris Nelsons and Olari Elts.

Shimkus has released two solo CD albums and has had compositions published by Schott Music. His own newly composed piano concerto was premiered on July 2008.

Info: www.geocities.com/vestards

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Vestard
• Shimkus
• Vestards
• Šimkus
• Rachmaninov
• Paganini
• Rhapsody
• Andris
• Nelsons
• piano
• classical
• orchestra

[mahpyuatho]

awesome

[jnellybags]

oh my god...I can't believe he's 18 in this! amazing!  I love this piece...and I love this man haha.

[MeerweibMusik]

You can see that he doesn't only play the music, he IS the music, he lives in it... I love it!