Dmitry Shishkin Brings Musical Masterpieces to Beaver Creek

Award-winning pianist Dmitry Shishkin is set to perform a captivating concert at the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek on January 20. The evening will showcase a diverse program featuring works by renowned composers including Bach, Franck, Tchaikovsky, Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, and Prokofiev.

Shishkin describes the concert as a journey through “deep spiritual contemplation, Russian Romanticism, and the sharp energy of the early 20th century.” He emphasizes that his selections highlight pieces which combine vocal-like lyricism with architectural grandeur. The program will guide audiences through a rich tapestry of emotions, beginning with Bach’s BWV 639 and Franck’s Op. 18.

“I love how these pieces transform the piano into a singing organ,” Shishkin explained. “They require a vocal, prayer-like touch that grounds the entire performance in contemplation.”

The concert will also feature Tchaikovsky’s Dumka and Scherzo à la Russe, which Shishkin believes vividly narrates contrasting themes of “melancholic folk laments and fiery village dances.” He regards Scriabin’s Sonata-Fantasy as one of his favorites, appreciating its “Impressionistic colors” that evoke a nighttime seascape.

The performance continues with selections from Rachmaninoff’s Preludes, capturing a spectrum of emotions from the delicate shimmering of Op. 32 No. 5 to the tragic depth of Op. 32 No. 10. Shishkin utilizes these pieces to showcase the piano’s orchestral power. The concert concludes with Prokofiev’s Sonata No. 2, which he describes as having a “brilliant, motoric energy.”

“This piece’s sharp, biting wit provides a modern, high-voltage finale that cleanses the palate after the romantic intensity of the preceding works,” he added.

Shishkin’s accolades include winning the 73rd Geneva International Music Competition and securing a silver medal at the XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition. Critics have praised him as an “electrifying and flamboyant pianist of great musical honesty and rigor.”

Currently residing in Switzerland, Shishkin’s musical journey began at the Gnessin Moscow School of Music. He furthered his studies at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory and later at the Vincenzo Bellini State Conservatory in Sicily and Hannover’s Musikhochschule.

“My relationship with the piano is a constant dialogue between the heart and the intellect,” Shishkin remarked. “I strive to be a vessel where the rigor of the preparation meets the flamboyant energy of the live moment, creating an experience that feels both spontaneous and inevitable.”

Shishkin has performed with esteemed orchestras worldwide and is frequently invited to prestigious festivals, including Verbier and the Dubrovnik Summer Festival. Attendees at the Vilar can anticipate a profound musical experience.

“I hope the audience will experience a journey from the prayer-like stillness of Bach to the high-voltage fire of Prokofiev, hearing a familiar masterpiece as if it were a new discovery,” he said.

For those wishing to attend, the reception will start at 18:00, followed by the performance at 18:30. Tickets are priced at $11.30 for students aged 22 and younger, while general admission tickets for adults are $84.75. Reserved tickets have already sold out. For more details, visit VilarPAC.org.