Andrey Ivanov doublebas biography

Furniture from rattan to order. The musical duet of the brothers of the Ivanovs, Andrei and Michael, has existed for more than twenty years. Their work is interesting and multifaceted, they are in constant search, in movement - and in their music. Today is jazz and folk in the concert program "Symphojaz", which is the hallmark of musicians. And then - unexpectedly and inimitable - a joint concert with the "moral code".

In addition, frequent tour tours in Europe and the USA. Symbiosis of talent, hard work, desire to develop and play interestingly helped the Ivanov brothers to become one of the most popular duets in a niche of intellectual music. In the distant Soviet year, Andrei and Mikhail took part in the International Music Festival, where they suddenly won the Grand Prix, and continued their career in Europe.

Today, the Ivanov brothers have a tight schedule of performances, in December their new program “My Russian Heart” opens in Brussels. To meet with two Ivanovs at the same time did not work. So far, only Andrei was able to find time for an interview. Is it a lot for you, because twenty years ago your creative path in Europe began there? Or so stars? Last year, it was presented in the Tchaikovsky concert hall, and in December its updated version will be heard.

The beginning of our musical career in Europe is connected with Belgium. In the year we took part in the “European Jazz Competition”, where we won the Grand Prix. It was a very large competition in the composition of the participants, musical groups gathered from different countries. The main prize was a tour of Belgium. For several months we performed concerts, and then received an invitation and a contract to play under the auspices of the Belgian concert organization.

We signed a contract and moved to Belgium, where we lived and worked for five years. There were no difficulties in this regard? It was not easy to even take part in the competition. It was necessary to send our tape recordings to the qualifying tour to Belgium. And at that time, the magnetic tape on the border was simply demagnized and sent absolutely clean. Knowing this nuance, my brother and I simply went to the Belgian embassy and knocked on the door at our own peril and risk, until the attache in culture came to us.

They explained to him the situation that in another way we will not be able to participate in the competition, asked to help. He agreed, sent our work to the competition. And after a while, a letter comes to us. All that we understood was the word “ok”, the rest of the letter text was in Flemish. We went to the Intourist, found people who transferred us: it turns out that we went through the qualifying tour, the organizers congratulate us and invite us to the competition, and then in the text - organizational issues.

Preparation began: visas, tickets. This is also a separate story, because it was very difficult to take and go to Belgium, even for a music competition. The victory in it was also a very unexpected event for us. The whole award ceremony was held in Flemish and duplicated in English. At that time, we did not know that nor the other language. Therefore, they just sat. The first were awarded, second, third, fourth, we were upset, of course.

Well, we think, all, those places that we would like to occupy, we did not take. And then they declare the last nomination and call our last name. I tell my brother: go, take the letter of the participants. Misha entered the stage - in the ovation hall, the people get up, applauding standing. It turned out that lastly a Grand Prix was awarded. Have you quickly "acclimatized"?

We were just completely different. In our country in those years - absolutely empty shelves in stores, but at the same time we never thought that we need to save water, electricity and everything else. When after the first months of life in Belgium we received utility bills, they were the same as the Belgians do not come even to large houses in a year.

We just did not understand that, taking a shower, a bath, we need to save water, do not splash for hours, and that the water that pours on you, then, forgive for a pun, will result in a decent amount. Of course, I had to get used to it. In general, today a wasteful attitude towards water, after all, in our country has turned into a problem. There are already the same cities of Moscow where problems arise with water, it simply is not in the quantity that is necessary.

Today it is necessary to save water today not only because a large account will come, but simply to be enough, our children and subsequent generations go. In Europe, already in E was an understanding of this problem. There is still a fairly dense settlement, there are no large rivers and lakes, so the rational European use of natural resources is a very good and important experience.

There was no desire to stay forever? In the year it was really necessary to choose, but now you can live in Europe and tour in Russia and vice versa. Today, you can calmly go on tour to any country without changing citizenship. There is work, projects in another country - you just go and work. Halls and listeners differ in something with each other?Therefore, the same music in different halls will be perceived in different ways.

Somewhere very good, somewhere worse. It depends on the mood of the performer. For example, I can perceive the same music differently on different days. Each new hall is, of course, new emotions. But I can’t say that somewhere specifically people listen worse or better. In Siberia, for example, they listen very well. I even heard how after the program people discussed subtleties, and with a great understanding.

It was not only known that it was unknown, namely, they are dug up to very deep, serious understanding. Always a very emotional audience, the concert ends with long loud applause, and they are very sincere. But in general, the audience is the same everywhere. It all depends on the contractor, on how much you can catch the sensations that are in the hall, vibration.

If you are tuned to one wave, any audience will hear and understand. And why is such a choice - double bass? Parents in science. Dad is teaching at the university, since childhood we have been engaged in mathematics more than music. Father wanted us to continue his business. Therefore, we studied at a mathematical school. But musical classes were also initiated by parents. I started not to engage in the double bass, but on the violin, my brother on the piano.

Then, nevertheless, the thirst for a normal boyish life in the teenage period won. And I said to my parents: “Thank you, but I will play football, hockey, communicate with friends, run in the yard, and sell the violin.” Which, in fact, was done by my parents, they did not force me. And there was a break, I did not play. But over time, some musical forces, so to speak, captured me.

Plus, at that time were terribly fashionable vocal and instrumental ensembles. I had a musical education for VIA, I quickly mastered a bass, my brother began to engage in pop-polling at the same time with classical music. So our VIA appeared. I played on the bass, we sang our songs and the popular repertoire of those years: the hits of Yuri Antonov and other domestic performers.

Western music was also in our program. But I could not grow musially, because at that time there was no special education for the bass, there were no pop, jazz departments. Therefore, at that time, the double bass became an interesting and understandable tool for me, I began to study it, and then went and went. It turned out, jazz festivals appeared, I played at the same time both classics and jazz.

Then he entered the conservatory. Why jazz? Because the smuggling is such a tool that is not very suitable for everything else. If we talk about other musical instruments - there are a lot of solo works for them, and there are few for the double bass, due to its certain sound: it is soft, and it is very difficult to play a solo concert.

Even if you take the great ones, only the units managed to play solo at the double bass, and then I had to combine other instruments with parties. Jazz makes it possible to prove himself completely, because there the double bass sounds like an absolutely full -fledged tool with the ability to play solo, improvise, do anything. For self -expression, jazz suits me the most.