The blind musician gave up fame for the sake of money for the family. Oleg Akkuratov is a unique blind pianist

Oleg Akkuratov is a sensation man and a holiday man. A virtuoso academic pianist, inspired jazz improviser, singer, arranger. Music is his life, his air and the main means of communication with the world.

At the age of 27, Oleg Akkuratov won many victories in prestigious music competitions (only Grand Prix and first places!). And this despite his illness - Oleg has a congenital disability (total blindness).

However, he has experience of performing at best scenes Russia, Europe, America, China, creative work with such famous artists like Lyudmila Gurchenko and Montserrat Caballe, concerts with jazz stars: trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, vocalist Deborah Brown, international tour with Igor Butman and the Moscow Jazz Orchestra.

On February 1, the first Big solo concert Oleg Akkuratov on the stage of the Svetlanov Hall of the Moscow International House of Music. On the eve of the performance, we managed to talk with Oleg about his fate and work.

Please tell us about the years of study at the Rostov Conservatory. You got there after many years of mastering musical works using the Braille system. Was it difficult to adapt to the university program?

I must say that the approach to studying at the conservatory turned out to be much easier for me than at music school. Braille's note system differs from conventional flat-printing in that the raised six dots denoting notes must be "read" by hand. That is, in a music school I had to follow the notes with one hand and play with the other. Thus the right and left hand it was necessary to learn separately, and then connect!

At the Conservatory, I moved away from Braille and switched to the computer - using the usual Nero ShowTime player, I slowed down the pace and listened to each passage 20 or 200 times, gradually memorizing and playing the piece of music.

It was very easy and pleasant for me to study at the Rostov Conservatory. With my wonderful teacher, Honored Artist of Russia Vladimir Samuilovich Daich, I met back in 2002, that is, long before entering the conservatory.

After being transferred to Rostov from the Moscow Institute of Culture, he became my piano professor. It was with great pleasure that I completed a classical piano course with him, and now I am a postgraduate student majoring in chamber ensemble.

- What kind of musician do you consider yourself - academic or jazz?

Yes, I switched to jazz, and I'm better known to the public, probably thanks to jazz, but I never stopped playing classical music. You can even say that jazz is my second subject, more of a hobby. At the same time, I study jazz tirelessly, just as I have been studying the classics since childhood. And yet my base, foundation is the academic piano.

- When you feel confident jazz performer? When did you believe in yourself as a jazz pianist?

After the Moscow competition "Piano in Jazz". I then studied with Mikhail Moiseevich Okun. The chairman of the jury was Igor Bril, and Mikhail Moiseevich also sat among the judges. And then I felt confident in the choice and began to devote more time and effort to jazz, began to develop specifically in this direction.

But perhaps even more important was the victory that I won two years later - at the International Piano Competition in Novosibirsk, my first significant victory in an "adult" music competition. Students, graduates, and accomplished musicians took part there. I played three rounds classical program, won and still remember the name of each play with which I performed in the competition.

How many hours a day do you devote to music? How long have you been playing the instrument?

Yes, there was a time when as a child I always played two hours a day. But I grew up and switched to a different format of classes long ago - I devote almost 24 hours a day to music. In the morning I get up, sit down at the piano, study something, listen, study, learn something new and interesting in music.

And this is not only working with an instrument, it is also working with a voice - I am constantly improving my vocals, expanding my academic base according to the method of Alexander Vedernikov. This is my life!

And besides music, I like to listen to "talking books", I love the poems of Balmont, Akhmatova, Tsvetaeva, all silver Age. And the classics - Pushkin, Lermontov, Tyutchev ...

How difficult is it for you to work in the tightest tour schedule, on a variety of venues and in different formats?

It’s not hard for me, but, on the contrary, it’s very pleasant to perform a lot with a variety of programs. Because I am extremely partial to music - both classical and jazz. Music is my everything, it's my soul, it's my language, it's light, it's warmth, it's quivering, it's all that I cherish.

For 18 years, RG has been following the fate of Oleg Akkuratov, a phenomenally gifted blind musician from Krasnodar Territory.

We first talked about him when Oleg was only eight years old and he studied at the Armavir specialized music school for blind and visually impaired children. And even then they were convinced: the unusual gift of the child amazed everyone who came into contact with him. hundreds different people all these years they nurtured young talent and rejoiced at Oleg's success. And the meeting with Lyudmila Markovna Gurchenko gave him a chance to become a real world star. The actress took Oleg with her to concerts, sang with him at creative meetings, persuaded businessmen to buy an expensive concert piano for him. In 2008 she accompanied him to Novosibirsk for the International Piano Competition. Akkuratov's performance was the opening of the competition - he performed on equal terms with sighted musicians and won a triumphant victory.

In the autumn of the following year, the stage of the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory was waiting for him, but he never appeared on it. It turned out that, at the request of his relatives, Oleg returned to the tiny village of Morevka in the Yeisk district, from where he was sent to the Armavir school at the age of six. Now, in addition to grandparents, the second family of Oleg's father lived in the house with three children. So he had to become the breadwinner of a large family. Especially for him, the jazz group "MICH-band" was created, named after the former Yeychan resident Mikhail Ivanovich Chepel (hence the abbreviation). "MICH-band" became a commercial project of the capital's philanthropist, who undertook to patronize a blind musician. Tickets for concerts hastily put together jazz group, acting under the brand of the laureate International Competition pianists Oleg Akkuratov, went like hot cakes. Oleg abandoned his studies in Moscow, on the advice of his new trustees, he began to refuse to participate in significant cultural events where he continued to be invited.

He also did not appear at the premiere of Lyudmila Gurchenko's film "Colorful Twilight", filmed with his participation and dedicated to the fate of the same gifted blind young man. The credits read: "Piano and vocals - Oleg Akkuratov." Lyudmila Markovna dreamed that she would bring her young idol to the stage and everyone would see the one who became the prototype of the main character. But this did not happen.

"Colorful Twilight" ends with a happy ending: famous musician takes away an aspiring star to continue his studies abroad. In life, everything turned out differently. Oleg's relatives tried to cut him off from all previous contacts, even from communication with the great actress. But they brought him to Gurchenko's funeral. In an interview with reporters, he said that he would never forget what this great woman. Bowing his head, he walked behind the coffin, but did not have time to say the last "sorry" ...

ABOUT further development events managed to learn from the director of the Yeisk School of Arts Elena Ivakhnenko.

He came to us, graduating with the help of teachers from the Armavir Music School, a jazz college and the first year of a music institute in Moscow, she explains. - They took the documents and transferred him to the Rostov Conservatory. Piano professor Vladimir Daich became his teacher and mentor here. For more than a year I went with him to Rostov, for which my relatives did not even say thank you. At this time, Chepel took out the instruments of the jazz orchestra, allegedly donated to our House of Culture, in order to independently exploit Oleg's talent in the future. It remains only to be amazed how the guy still managed to graduate from the conservatory.

We contact Oleg's teacher, professor of the Rostov Conservatory Vladimir Samuilovich Daich.

He studied piano with me for four years, - explains the professor. - A phenomenally gifted musician, but we parted badly. I don’t know from whose suggestion, but he acted dishonorably and dishonorably.

It turned out that last autumn Akkuratov received the second prize of one of the most prestigious music competitions in Moscow. We agreed that Vladimir Samuilovich would prepare Oleg for participation in the Tchaikovsky Competition, but he ... disappeared.

Oleg had a chance to become world famous person, Dyche laments, but he missed him. - It's extremely embarrassing. I heard that he plays in restaurants, earns money. Probably the right thing to do. But is it possible to hammer nails with an expensive microscope?! However, he is now engaged in jazz and this is probably right choice. After all, the main thing here is not the teacher, but personal talent and the ability to improvise. That is, with what he is endowed with nature in abundance.

They had not seen the professor for almost a year. Oleg abandoned his studies at the conservatory, until one day Elena Ivakhnenko reminded him that he had to take state exams.

In May of this year, he appeared with the question: "Can I pass the state exams," says Professor Dyche. - I studied with him for a day, and the next day he passed the exam. On that we parted. I have no resentment towards him, only sympathy. After all, everything had turned out differently, the world would have applauded him now. He is an amazingly talented person. Personally, I do not lose hope that he will be able, overcoming fate and the prevailing circumstances, to achieve a lot. And, of course, I was very happy when I learned that Igor Butman took creative patronage over Oleg. Perhaps with his help he will stop hammering nails with an expensive microscope. Oleg is our common heritage. And its future should not be indifferent to everyone who thinks about the prestige of the country.

Meanwhile

Pianist Oleg Akkuratov took part in the filming of the program "Property of the Republic", dedicated to Lyudmila Gurchenko. And he sang in a duet with Aslan Akhmadov so purely, touchingly and soulfully that many in the studio wanted to vote for this particular song - the famous "I dreamed of you for three years." Of course, the composition sounded to the piano accompaniment of Oleg Akkuratov. Gurchenko's husband, Sergei Senin, telling the story of Oleg Akkuratov's acquaintance with Lyudmila Markovna in the program, emphasized that Gurchenko did not call the talented pianist otherwise than "miracle" and "angel". And Oleg once again confirmed both his talent and his mission on television filming.

The program "Property of the Republic", dedicated to Lyudmila Gurchenko, will be aired on Channel One on Saturday, November 14, at 19.00.

Oleg Akkuratov, whose biography will be told in this article, is a young pianist, virtuoso, laureate of prestigious competitions and festivals. The ingenious musician is blind from birth, was brought up in a boarding school.

Biography

Oleg Akkuratov was born in the Krasnodar Territory, in the village of Morevka, in 1989. He was raised by his grandparents, his mother was only fifteen years old. The pianist was born blind. Musical abilities began to appear in the boy at the age of 4 years. His grandmother took him to an audition in Armavir, the only music boarding school in Russia for visually impaired and blind children. He was accepted there to study, and the boy left home. In Armavir, Oleg learned musical notation in Braille. At the age of 6, he already played the first concerto by P. I. Tchaikovsky, which he learned by ear from a record. Then he won his first victory in the competition. In 2008 Oleg graduated from the Moscow College of Music pop-jazz art and entered the Institute of Music.

Oleg has an excellent musical memory, he performs both classical and jazz wonderfully. Doesn't exist for him complex works. O. Akkuratov sings well, has a pleasant lyrical baritone voice.

creative way

In 2003, while still a student, Oleg Akkuratov performed in the UK in front of the Pope. And also participated in the concert of the outstanding opera diva Montserrat Caballe.

In 2005 the young pianist performed in Moscow, St. Petersburg and London. His partners were world famous orchestras.

In 2006, Oleg showed himself as a talented vocalist, taking 1st place in the competition choirs and soloists.

In 2009, A. Akkuratov was the hero of the program "Let them talk" by A. Malakhov. Then he moved to live in Morevka, to his father and his family. He headed the jazz orchestra "MICH-band" in the city of Yeysk, became a soloist of the "Russian Opera" theater. A concert was organized at the Moscow Conservatory, in which Oleg Akkuratov was supposed to perform. The pianist planned to perform J. S. Bach's fantasy together with a combined choir of 815 people and an orchestra. But the concert did not take place. Oleg's father, who had not previously taken any part in the fate of his son, prevented this performance.

Due to blindness, a pianist has to spend 10 or more hours a day mastering new pieces. Oleg is constantly developing and improving.

Awards

Owner a large number diplomas is Oleg Akkuratov. The blind pianist became the winner of a large number of competitions and festivals at the regional, all-Russian and international levels. He received his first diploma in 2002.

Competitions in which Oleg Akkuratov won

• "Starry youth of the planet".
• Competition for young jazz musicians.
• "Piano in jazz" (competition of young performers).
• Competition for young pianists named after K. Igumnov.
• "Orpheus".
• Competition for young composers of the Kuban and many others.

In 2001, he became a scholarship holder of the Gifted Children program.

Found family

Oleg Akkuratov, as mentioned above, was brought up with his grandmother, and then at a special music school for visually impaired and blind children. Parents did not take any part in the upbringing of the musician. A few years ago, Oleg found a father and stepmother. Also two brothers and a sister. Oleg now lives with them in Morevka. They control his entire life. Rumor has it that relatives forced the pianist to perform almost in restaurants so that he would earn money from them, since none of his family members work. His apartment, which he received from the state, is put up for sale, and the money accumulated in his account has been spent. The pianist's father is going to become his concert director, as he believes that the musician does not need strangers, although he does not have the necessary experience for this.

Concert programs

Oleg Akkuratov is actively touring. He rides on different cities and also performs at prestigious venues in the capital.

Concert programs current season:

• "The saved world remembers" (evening in memory of the composer A. Eshpay);
• festival of musical humor in Chelyabinsk;
• concert with Deborah Brown;
• "Beauty Queens";
• performance with Igor Butman and his orchestra;
• musical evenings in Aramil and Yekaterinburg;
• concert with the Russian Chamber Orchestra;
• charity marathon "Flower-Semitsvetik";
• concert with Jesse Jones and others.

A landmark event, in which Oleg Akkuratov took part, is a concert " The possibilities are limited - the abilities are limitless". The pianist performed in a duet with E. Kunz. The musicians performed F. Schubert's "Fantasy" in F minor in four hands. The performance was bright and emotional. The musicians played superbly with each other and sounded like one person.

great actress

Oleg Akkuratov became the prototype of the protagonist of the film "Motley Twilight", in which actress Lyudmila Gurchenko acted as director and composer. The picture was taken in 2009. The premiere took place in Lyudmila Markovna, who loved the blind pianist very much, called him her son and did a lot for him. She attended a school in Armavir, where Oleg studied, and took part in charity concert. great actress and young pianist performed songs that were included in the film "Motley Twilight", which at that time was still in the process of filming. A lot of people came to the concert. Lyudmila Gurchenko and Oleg Akkuratov were not allowed to leave the stage for a long time. Death great actress became a blow to the musician.

Mikhail Okun - Oleg's teacher - is seriously concerned about the future of his student.

If you still do not know such a name as , then now you can get to know him better and just be proud that such rare talents are born in our country.

Why a phenomenal pianist?

The fact is that Oleg was born a blind child and was, so to speak, "deprived" of all the sensations associated with visual perception peace. However, instead of sight, he got absolute pitch, musical memory and a wonderful sense of rhythm. From childhood, he showed a special love for music and at the age of four he played the melodies he heard on the piano for the first time. From here began his confident rise to the Olympus of glory.

By the age of six, Oleg was taken to a specialized music school for blind and visually impaired children. However, she was at the boarding school, where he moved. There he was taught to read music in Braille.

To date, Oleg Akkuratov is considered a virtuoso in his field. He became the winner of many competitions, both state and international. He even performed at the same venue with Montserrat Caballe, at the residence of the Pope. And showed himself to many others musical projects. Today, his name is more commonly referred to as a jazz star.

But it still stands out, I think, with completely different qualities. Although he has many abilities that he most likely acquired in past incarnations, he is primarily distinguished by a great desire to "be and live." Perseverance and endurance, willpower and confidence, firmness and discipline - made him what he is now. Namely, the famous pianist, albeit blind, from this his talent and skill only increases.

His example shows us that, despite the physical and external circumstances (he actually grew up with his grandparents), you can remain not just a Human with capital letter but also strive to achieve your goal. He boldly went forward towards his dream. He used all the opportunities that the Universe gave him and showed that