Now living in Switzerland, Demiashkin keeps a low profile. A few bootleg recordings made in concert have made their way on to the Internet, as have a handful of somewhat blurry photos that reveal Demiashkin as having the looks of a matinee idol. Without much to go on other than these, the buzz is already audible: the public, intrigued, is already engaging in lively discussions, pro and con, about his highly individual, but always poetic playing.

And yet in spite of all the talk, there’s not been a word from Demiashkin himself, as if anything other than music could be germane to his existence. Indeed, this may be a story worth following. Richter’s career began in a similar way, that is, by word of mouth; it was nearly 20 years before rumors of his extraordinary artistry panned out as reality when he made his debuts in Paris, London, and New York. Richter’s friend, the distinguished pianist Vladimir Viardo, too, is reported to have expressed his utter astonishment with Demiashkin, inviting him to festivals in France and the United States. Critics for at least one American newspaper, the St Petersburg Times, as well as England’s International Piano Quarterly, have likewise taken notice and issued the first official western volleys proclaiming Demiashkin’s exceptional gifts..

How rare it is to find, especially in one so young, an artist where virtuosity and poetry combine effortlessly. Indeed, Dmitri Demiashkin has won the enthusiastic praise of both the public and his peers for just that: his elegant musicianship, incomparable technique and lyrical sensibility. Critics have likened him to Gilels for the delicate subtlety of his phrasing and crystalline tone, while also noting the remarkable maturity of his interpretive powers. A veteran of more than a half dozen international competitions, he was only 10 years old when he claimed victory at the International Piano Music Competition in Czechoslovakia, following this only a few years later with first prize at the prestigious Concertino Prague Competition. A year later he became one of only a half dozen finalists, out of 50 competitors from 12 countries, selected to compete at the prestigious international competition at Jaen, Spain. In Italy, he won first prize in both the Virtuosi per Musika di Pianoforte and he Bravo-Bravissimo competitions.

Since 1997, when he was awarded a generous grant from the Vladimir Spivakov Foundation, Mr. Demiashkin has performed in recital in music festivals throughout Europe, including concerts in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden Holland, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Lithuania, Spain and Ukraine. He has performed, too, with the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, the Russian Youth Orchestra, the Belarus State Symphony, the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, and the Prague Symphony. Mr. Demiashkin is a graduate of the Central Music School of the Moscow Conservatory. Soon after he took first prize in the International Competition Recontres Musicales de la Venoge in Lausanne, at the invitation and with the support of the Stiftung Lyra Foundation, he moved to Zurich in 1999 to pursue his studies with Konstantin Scherbakov at the Hochschule fur Musik, where he now studies with Homero Francesch.

In May 2002, Mr. Demiashkin won the Gold Medal over some 55 other competitors from all over the world at the Third International Russian Music Competition in San Jose, California. He made his North American debut in December 2002, playing the Prokofiev third Piano Concerto with the Nova Vista Symphony in San Jose under the baton of Navrosh Mehta. Maestro Mehta invited him back to perform again in December 2003. He was subsequently engaged by the prestigious Ventura Festival, and in 2004 returns for a recital engagement at Rancho Santa Fe.

REVIEWS

"In Dmitri Demiashkin the sterling values of the Russian school of pianism thrive undiminished. That may seem only a truism for any pianist as well trained in the system that produced the likes of Richter, Sofronitsky, and so many others. But in young Demiashkin's case, there is even more: a poetic sensibility wed to a transcendent technique, a free and unimpeded rhythm that allows his exceptionally rich musical imagination to take flight, and an often ethereal sound that is as transparent and diaphanous as it is exquisitely refined. Not surprisingly, given these extraordinary assets, Demiashkin brings Emil Gilels to mind in more ways than one. Tremendous talents come and go, but it is only the most musically elite among them who can be called stars. Demiashkin, whose demeanor on stage is no less compelling than his artistic prowess, is indeed a star, and one who, mark my word, will be viewed soon enough as one of the great discoveries of the new century."

John Bell Young
Critic, The St. Petersburg Times
 

“Suddenly, there appeared a new dimension and both Dmitri and the piano came alive in an absolutely indescribable manner. I just about fell backwards in an armchair and I had a feeling of paralysis for my camera as well as myself. I glanced about in disbelief of what I was hearing… Quite simply, I was speechless…where was this organ-like overwhelming sound coming from? This was not only a demonstration of incredible virtuosity, but also astounding musicianship. Never in my entire life did I ever hear this Sonata played like this by any pianist. But there was more to come yet. Dmitri then suggested playing the Tchaikovsky-Pletnev "Nutcracker" which was also astounding, followed by Liszt's "Wilde Jagd" which was absolutely stunning. If you had never heard him before, you would not understand, because the impression was quite beyond belief and almost impossible to describe.”

Jacques Leiser, impresario,
agent to Richter, Michelangeli, Collard, etc.

AGENT:
Jacques Leiser Concert Management
E-mail Jacques_leiser@worldnet.att.net