Alexander Sevastian, young bayanist, has released his first solo CD and you will find it very interesting and extremely well performed music. He is certainly one of the young artists on this instrument who should be admired for both his technique and his musicianship. Those two attributes alone should give him an audience for his performances for a very long and successful career; however, this young musician also has something else in his favor. He is dignified, yet charming and friendly, both on and off the stage and he plays as well in public performances as he does on this recording. Alexander also knows how to select a balanced program of arrangements and originals for the bayan. The selections on this CD vary from several favorite composers to those equally gifted ones whose compositions are not yet popularly known by some, accordionists particularly. They are, however, quite well received throughout the world by serious musicians, both accordionists and non-accordionists. Undoubtedly, these composers have contributed greatly to the growing wealth of original compositions now available to accordionists and bayanists everywhere. Even upon first hearing, the selections are quite accessible and, indeed, exciting for all. Alexander Sevastian has accomplished a lot in his musical life. You will read that he has attended the Glinka Musical College in Minsk (class of Myron Boula), earned his Masters in Performance Degree in the Gnessin Academy of Music in Moscow (with renowned performer and pedagogue, Friedrich Lips), and completed the Advanced Certificate in Performance at the University of Toronto, Canada where he studied with Joseph Macerollo. He has also entered and won several competitions. He was born in Minsk but moved with his family to Canada in 2001. As a recitalist and soloist with orchestras, he has appeared in Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Italy, France and Germany. Since September 2002 Alexander has been a member of the internationally recognized group Quartetto Gelato with which he has toured over a hundred cities in the USA, Canada, Italy, Korea and Japan. The group also has several recordings. I recommend this recording very highly! It is most outstanding in every way: fine playing, interesting repertoire, well recorded Jupiter instrument, and very professionally produced. You should buy it. US$ 17. E-mail: sasaseva@hotmail.com Reviewed by Joan Cochran Sommers (August 2005) |
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