2000
"ORDINARY EXTRAORDINARY"
Kostya’s mother brought him to the musical school when she understood that one had to do something with THAT.
— He imitated playing the piano since infancy, — Olga Yurievna said, — my grandmother’s favorite velvet tablecloth suffered from the habit. Till now some bald spots remain. At first we did not understand that he was knocking with his fingers. Then we realized that he was copying his grandfather Yury Vasilievich.
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Is his grandfather a pianist?
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No, most part of our family members are architects – grandfather, grandmother and me. But we all studied at the musical school. If it were not for the war I think Yury Vasilievich, my father could become a professional. He is fond of music. Kostya is very much like him, even in his appearance.
Kostya was brought to Tatiana Vladimirovna when he was eight. A bit late, of course. He had already studied at a district school. He was uncontrollable. Hot, enthusiastic and emotional he did not obey any rules. But music is like mathematics...
— It is difficult to teach Kostya, but it is interesting, — Tatiana Vladimirovna says, — he has his own vision, he tastes everything and does not take anything for granted. He is strict to himself. I am demanding – he is suffering, even becomes sick before he finds a correct solution.
Music is Kostya’s life. He speaks about it, he reads about it, pictures of composers surround him. For him it is difficult to deal with children of his age. He studies at two specialized school and has not a spare minute.
- When does he rest then? — I ask Olga Yurievna. — And what about sports, movement?
- Only in summer, at the dacha. He swims and rides a bicycle. Sometimes he plays with toy soldiers like all boys… but he does not like noisy games. He loves football. Though there is a danger. Kostya started to grow very quickly. We already bought boots of size forty three for him... But his bones became brittle. Before the competition he played football and injured his finger. We were afraid that he would not be able to perform.
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Tell me about competitions – I ask Olga Yurievna, — was the first one in Athens, Greece?
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Yes, it was called “Musicalia -2000”. Japanese, Germans, Koreans and our Gnesins school came. Kostya was in the youngest group.
Mother remembers now with a smile how the chair started to move under the musician… We told him many times not to sit down on the edge of the chair! The floor is slippery and Kostya plays with big effort. And so he moved away. But he did not become flustered. Using a pause of one second he drew the chair back. The audience sighed out with relief. And the chairman of the jury put him the highest possible score— 25 out of 25! In the second round everybody put the same score.
Last spring two more competitions took place – “Teacher and Student” Open International Competition of Pianists devoted to S.V.Rakhmaninov. Kostya was the youngest here. He competed with seventeen years old musicians, what was very difficult, even physically. He got the 2 award. And one month after there was the First N.G.Rubinstein Moscow Youth Open Competition of pianists. It was the most serious competition. Kostya was again the youngest here. Nevertheless he won! “I don’t like “Meditation” , — said one of the jury member, — but this boy played it in such a manner that I forgot everything!”
The competition took place in the Big Hall of the Conservatoire. Some days later again here Kostya Alekseev played Mozart concert with the symphonic orchestra directed by Orlov. And had a big success, by the way. He even played an encore.
After Kostya’s appearance on TV his life changes. His classmates started to respect him and even started to go to his concerts. Unfortunately, with friends he can contact only by telephone…
This is the way an ordinary extraordinary Moscow boy Kostya Alexeev lives. A small intellectual following the traditions of his family and his country – Russia. Let’s wish him luck. All the rest he will manage himself.
Bella Yermolaeva
"Pionerskaya Pravda"
№ 21 25-31 May 2000
About closing concert of The Festival of Romantic Music in Big hall of Moscow Conservatory:
"Very artistic … Konstantin Alxeev (A.Nasedkin's class), … applied to the genre of transcription and played very impressing … two songs by Schubert in Liszt’s transposition – Margarita at the spinning-wheel and Forest King. The last is one of the most complicated creations of romantic repertoire, and it is not incidental that Konstantin Alexeev was awarded a special prize of the jury for it: a solo performance at the opening of the festival next year".
Evgenia KRIVITSKAYA
No 12 (7522) March 30 – April 5 2006 "Culture" news-paper
About student concert in Big hall of Moscow Conservatory:
"During the last years, musical critics have become sure that young musicians focus on the technical part of playing. However, pianist Konstantin Alexeev deflated this opinion. Chopin’s b flat minor Scherzo, overgrown with performing stamps, has sounded fresh and interesting. He did not seek extreme tempo and preferred intelligence and poetry of arrangement".
Evgeny Epstein
№ 12 (7720) 25-31 March 2004
"Culture" news-paper
"Konstantin Alexeev proved to be a talented pianist with excellent technical and musical skills… Konstantin has studied many musical compositions of different styles and genres.
He has an outstanding artistry and thin sense of style that allow him to become proficient in compositions of different characters. Konstantin constantly participates with great success in concerts and international competitions in Russia and abroad.
I’m sure K. Alexeev has great artistic future."
People’s artist of Russia,Prof. Aleksey Nasedkin