Strulev Borislav: «People need culture and want it always be near»

Струлёв Борислав: «Люди нуждаются в культуре и хотят, чтобы она всегда была рядом!»

Strulev Borislav: «People need culture and want it always be near»

Foreign economic relations, the official site of the magazine «»Foreign economic relations of Russia»

Borislav Strulev’s name flunts on posters in different countries along with musical stars of classical, JAZZ and pop-music. However, this talented musician became a frequent guest in Moscow recently. He has been known for the overseas audience as a virtuoso cellist and as creator of interesting and promising international projects for a long time. Legendary American pianist Byron Janis, with whom Borislav debuted at Carnegie Hall said about Borislav: «Look at this young man, and what is more important, listening to him… He plays as if he had been born with cello». And the maestro as a hundred times right. Despite a very busy schedule of musician, I was able to talk with him.

— Borislav, you were born in Russia in n a musical family: your grandfather was the legendary opera singer Boris Gavrilovich Strulev, your  father Boris Strulev is also singer and soloist of the Moscow State Academic Chamber Choir under Vladimir Minin, your mother Marina Struleva is a professional pianist, your uncle very famous actor and singer Oleg Anoufriev. How did you get in America?

— In fact, this is an incredible story, full of magic! I studied at the Central Music School at the Moscow State Conservatory named after P.I. Tchaikovsky. I had a wonderful teacher Maria Yurievna Zhuravleva. After I became a Fellow of the «New Names», (special foundation to support young artists) I traveled across the country and had the opportunity to perform in different countries. Then the memorable meeting with the composer – legend T.N. Khrennikov came. Thanks to him I began to understand modern music and went to a new level of mastery. Then once i received an invitation from the producing company ‘’State Concert’’ (GOSCONCERT) to perform at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory with the American conductor Joel Spiegelman. Maestro came to Russia with the delegation, among whom was Bel Kufman and Joan Peters — writer from Chicago, she has written many bestsellers. Joan offered to record our performance in order to show it the great Isaac Stern in New York. We made a record, gave her videotape and safely forget about it. Joan in New York showed the video of the Cello Concerto by Camille Saint-Saens to Isaac, and he was pleasantly surprised by my performance and invited me to work in «ICM Artists» and further study at the conservatory in New York «Manhattan School of Music». Joan has also decided to show this video a brilliant pianist — the only student of Vladimir Horowitz — Byron Janis, one of the most famous to perform Chopin and Rachmaninoff. Byron Janis invited me to make my debut in the United States – CARNEGIE HALL. We did cello sonata by Chopin, it was one of the most important moments of my life.

— So, in fact, all of this decided the video cassette with the record?

— It turns out, so (laughs). Thanks to my dad, who, being on tour in Japan as a member of Moscow State Chamber Choir, virtually lived for a while on some breadcrumbs, saved money and bought a camcorder. Fees, as you know, were small.

-When was your debut?

— Once I received a fax with an invitation to debut — a solo concert at the Kennedy Center, directed by  James Wolfensohn later known as the head of the World Bank. By the way, he himself played cello. And my mother Marina (pianist) and me flew to Washington for our debut at KENNEDY CENTER. After I received full scholarship thanks to Marta Casals Istomin and was able to trained at the Conservatory «Manhattan School of Music». Thus began our first steps in New York.

— You always say «our», you mean your mother?

— Yes, she helped me a lot, practically left everything; flat, home town Moscow, her work at the Gnessin Academy as accompanist. Being a professional pianist, she accompanied to me, escorting me worldwide. In my years of formation and early career abroad mother was the personification of the motherland for me, she was my rear, and I am very much indebted to her. Only now I realize what a heroic act she committed. I probably would never have been able to handle alone.

— You lived a lot of time in the US, how do you feel more: Russian or American?

— It seems to me that when Mstislav Rostropovich offered to give the musicians’ musician passport, «he was not far from the truth of life, a «passport — maestro». Musician is a soldier of art. Today you’re on one side of the globe, tomorrow — on the other. All of our live it is the scene. And I especially feel myself like a music bridge between US and Russia. This concept has no nationality.

— Who supports you? Where are you more comfortable?

— Earlier the government was engaged in certain artists. It was clear that if there is, for example, ten names, the country will simply have nothing to offer the world. Now everything has changed and a lot depends on the availability of sponsors. And the success and career too. Of course, I feel Russian roots, because I was born in Moscow and never forget it. Even in New York, I always try not losing touch with the homeland, making russian evenings and showing Americans the various Russian projects. Also i try to show different New York’s projects in Russia. I turned into a connecting bridge between Russia and America. And I sincerely very happy about it.

-What or perhaps who feeds your creativity?

— I would say a huge sense of responsibility to the parents who put their lives on the altar of art, to the great musicians who have long gone on this earth, but we are continuing their holy ministry music. I really want to make my family happy! This is the motivation — to burn on stage and empathize with the composer a particular product, always play in a new way, finding new colors and shades of sound.

— Tell me, do you have a rider?

— For the musician, of course, very important to have certain conditions. If, for example, I fly by plane, I need to buy two tickets: for myself and for cello. So I can always have two breakfasts or lunches (laughs). But I have to pay the full cost of the ticket for another place for Cello and bonuses for it never given by any airlines. After all, the cello always flies with me, and if I can save up for a free ticket, then for the cello — no … That’s such an injustice.

— How often do you arrive in Moscow?

— Since 1993 I live in New York and has never visited Russia before 2005. Now I’m almost starting all over again, I open a new page with Russian concert life.

— What is more familiar to you: Moscow or New York?

— Very tricky question. If you ask a child whom he loves more: mom or dad — what he will answer? (Smiles). I can’t say which is better or worse … Each metropolis has its own special charm.

— Do you have a lot of projects?

— I created about twenty different programs. Genres are different: classical, jazz, film, theater, pop. And my cello is everywhere! Even there, where it has never been before! It’s Very hard to define who I am. Who are my supporters? Those who love classical music or theater or jazz or a cello? My art is not just playing the notes on the instrument clean and in rhythm. I gave my plays theatricality in fact, that once did Liszt or Paganini. I’m not interested to give my life on repeating what has already been done and played before me hundreds of thousands times. But I know that if a person close his eyes and listen to my records or see me in the hall, he will never forget it. I like when people who had never been at classical concerts, wondering what the cello is, it isn’t so bad, sad and boring, as expected. They open the instrument for themselves in new light.

— You travel a lot around the world. In your opinion, is interest in classical and jazz music at audience of different nationalities the same?

— Yes, of course, there is a difference and it is huge. In the West, you can collect twenty thousand people just to listen to Strauss’s polka. Try to do it in Russia… My dream — to share with the Russian audience the baggage that I had accumulated over the years of living in America, to show what I have learned in the West, to show what I’ve seen. After all, this certainly deserves our audience. Today, modern art in the West is the most important thing. And we really have grown to high art.

— Communicating with musicians from both continents, could you tell whose training is stronger? Russian or American?

— I worked with different teachers from all over the world. And I can definitely say that the Russian school has always been the strongest. Kudos to our Soviet teachers working not for money, but for the idea, the art of true service. We were not afraid of many hours of classes, critics and sometimes cuffs, for which, for example, in America, the teacher can be bring to justice.

— Do you think music is a universal means of unite people?

— Yes, of course, and I’m trying to create projects that serves to this. When we held the Day of Russia in New York, I tried to make the program to represent Russia adequately in the eyes of the American public. It was attended by guests at the highest political level, such as Bill Clinton, Mikhail Gorbachev, Henry Kissinger, Vitaly Churkin and even Bono from U2. In Moscow, on the basis of the ‘’House Actor’’ I created recitals with poetry. This Club «musical meeting» with our brilliant actors merge with my different musical moments. In New York, I’m doing a concert series «Borislav Strulev and Friends» in the famous, unique historical Jazz club on Broadway ‘’Birdland Jazz Club’’. It’s a mix between classical, jazz and free improvisation.

— There is great tendency to create festivals of different levels. What is the reason?

— I think, first of all, the cause of the people. People need culture and want it to be there. It may sound strange and offensive.

— This wave also touched you, Borislav. You are the music director of the Belgorod Music Festival «BelgorodMusicFest» BORISLAV STRULEV AND FRIENDS  and art director of fund development of classical musical art of the Belgorod region.

— Yes, this festival started two years ago and it is held every March. Thank to Belgorod Governor Yevgeny Savchenko and Metropolitan John of Belgorod and Stary Oskol, as well as fund the development of music for their support. Their presence makes everyone take an interest and participate in this project. This is very important, and I’m grateful for that. We have something to be proud of. Recently a new Philharmonic Hall opened. The city has already learned such great artists as Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Elena Obraztsova, Viktor Tretiakov, Michel Legrand, Denis Matsuev, Valery Gergiev, and many others. And we have many plans ahead to delight our dear Belgorod and guests. I want this town attracts different people from different parts of the world. Belgorod is a wonderful city, it suffered during the Great Patriotic War (WWII). Today, it is the purest, the kindest city with wonderful people. The town is worthy to be the venue for the festival and one of the centers of world music. In addition, I plan to spend art exhibitions and workshops musicians at the festival. As a trustee of the fund «Nastenka» www.nastenka.ru I would like to spend different events, auctions, specially organized concerts in order to continue the revival of charity in our country and help children with cancer. In general there are a lot of plans: for more information go to these websites and enjoy www.borislavstrulev.com www.belgorodmusicfest.ru. I am very pleased that we had been noticed, and « BelgorodMusicFest -2014» became part of the Cultural Olympiad in Sochi 2014. Soon the third festival, I am preparing a new program, and I take the opportunity to invite all readers of the magazine «Foreign economic relations» on the real holiday — celebration of music, beauty and art!

WELCOME TO ‘’ BelgorodMusicFest’’ – BORISLAV STRULEV & FRIENDS

Interviewed By Natalya Goyan.