ITAR-TASS News Agency

RUSSIA – CULTURE – AWARD

FAMOUS PIANIST YURI ROZUM AWARDED THE TITLE OF THE PEOPLE’S HONOURED ARTIST OF RUSSIA

Moscow, 4 October 2001. (ITAR-TASS Correspondent Irina Bazhenova)

The famous pianist Yuri Rozum was awarded the title of People’s Artist of Russia. This information was given today to ITAR-TASS correspondent at the Moscow Philharmonia.

This news reached the musician when he was performing in Germany.

In a telephone interview to the ITAR-TASS correspondent Yuri Rozum said, that “this award imposes a huge responsibility” and that he “will now try to come to Russia more often to play for the Russian public”.

The pianist told the correspondent, that during this concert season he planned to play in Moscow, Yaroslavl, Irkutsk and Voronezh. “Russia has always been and will always be my motherland and I cannot imagine a higher title than that of the People’s Artist of Russia”, said the musician.

The soloist of the Moscow State Philharmonia Yuri Rozum is one of the finest representatives of the Russian music school. Reviewers of many leading papers of the world described phenominal concentration, energy and power of his playing, which mesmerised listeners. Among his high awards there are prizes and special awards of international festivals and competitions in Madrid, Tokyo, Pleven and Zagreb.

The geography of Yuri Rozum’s performances is worldwide. Despite this very busy concert schedule abroad the musician maintains close ties not only with big cultural centres, but also with smaller Russian towns.

Besides recitals and orchestral concerts the pianist also gives regular master classes at many leading Universities of the world including Oregon, Portland and Springfield (USA).

Yuri Rozum is Professor of Music at the International Academy of Music in Stuttgart and Monash University in Melbourne (Australia) and has recorded 11 acclaimed CDs of works by Schubert, Liszt, Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov. ---