Dimitry Illarionov
Dimitry Illarionov (b. 1979) is one of the most brilliant young classical guitarists. In 1997 he graduated with honors from the Academic Music College at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory (class of guitar—Natalia Dmitrieva). Then he studied at the Russian Gnesins Academy of Music with the famous performer and Professor Alexander Frauchi. In 2002, Dimitry graduated from the Academy “cum laude”. He also took lessons with famous Russian composer and guitarist Nikita Koshkin; masterclasses with such prominent musicians as guitarists Carlo Marchione and Roberto Aussell, lutenist Hopkinson Smith, cellist David Geringas. In 2002-2004 Dimitry Illarionov was an assistant of professor Frauchi. Now Dimitry teaches his own class in the Academy.
Dimitry is the winner and laureate of numerous international competitions in USA, Spain, Poland, Belgium, Czech Republic and Russia. They include: the Grand Prix in the VI International Promotional Competition “Guitar Talents’ Review” (Gdansk, Poland, 1999) and the title of “The Greatest Hope” in the “X Gdansk Meeting of Guitarists”; the First Prize and Prize of Public in the VIII International Guitar Competition in Coria (Spain, 2004); the First Prize in the most prestigious Russian International Guitar Competition—“Guitar in Russia” in Voronezh (Russia, 2002).
Dimitri was the first guitarist who took the Second Prize in the III International Competition of Musical Personalities “Alexander Tansman” (Lodz, Poland, 2000). Piano, violin, cello, guitar and other instruments are competing directly with each other in this competition and Dimitry’s success there was the highest place guitarists ever reached in Tansman’s competition.
In October 2002 Dimitri Illarionov won the most prestigious guitar competition in the world—The Twentieth International Guitar Foundation of America Solo Guitar Competition (GFA—Miami, Florida, USA). As part of the prize, he conducted his concert tour (in USA, Canada) and will perform for a concert video recording (Mel Bay Publications).
Besides guitar competition Dimitri is the laureate of composing and conducting competitions.
Dimitri Illarionov has an active concert life, playing solo recitals and performing as soloist with orchestras. He played with such orchestras as State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia, State Symphony Orchestra “New Russia”, Russian Symphony Orchestra “Russian Philharmonia”, Irkutsk Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra (Russia), Moscow Chamber “The Seasons” Orchestra (Russia), National Chamber Orchestra of Moldavia, Wuppertal Plucked Orchestra (Germany) etc.
In addition to numerous appearances in Russia, he visited with concerts Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Estonia, Poland, Italy, Germany, USA, Canada and Japan. Dimitri played in some of the most prestigious halls of the world—Great Hall of Moscow Conservatoire, Tchaikovsky Concert Hall (Moscow, Russia), Osaka Symphony Hall (Japan), Hall of Columns of the National Philharmonic Society (Kiev, Ukraine). Guitarist appeared at the Festival of Russian Culture (Los-Angeles, California, USA, 2004), at the opening ceremony of the 49th International Book Fair (Warsaw, Poland, 2004), at one of the biggest guitar festivals in the world in Nurtingen (Germany, 2002).
His repertoire is broad and versatile. It includes the music of different periods and styles: music of Renaissance and Baroque (L.Milan, A.Mudarra, J.Dowlend, J.S.Bach), original music for guitar of XIX—beginning of XX centuries (F.Sor, M. Giuliani, F. Tarrega), music of XX and XXI centuries (F.Marin, A.Tansman, M.M.Ponce, J.Rodrigo, J.Turina, A.Barrios, M.Castelnuovo-Tedesco, W.Walton, S.Assad, R.Dyens, D.Bogdanovic, E.Angulo, R.Bellafronte, R.Balkanski, A.Gilardino), the unique cycle “24 Preludes and Fugues for Solo Guitar” by Igor Rekhin, some rare performed music, as well as compositions for guitar with orchestra, chamber music.
Dimitri Illarionov recorded the CD “Premieres” with Moscow Chamber “The Seasons” Orchestra (conductor—Vladislav Bulakhov) for Les Editions Doberman-Yppan; two solo CDs: by famous label Naxos (Laureate Series) and the CD “East Side Story” (Daminus Records) with music written by modern Eastern European composers. Dimitri’s “Classical Duo” CD (Delos Records) with Boris Andrianov (one of the most gifted young Russian cellists) has come into pre-short-list of the prestigious “GRAMMY-2004” Awards.