Vovka Ashkenazy - Pianist

Pianist Vovka Ashkenazy is talking about how musicians are all unique and individual and even if you try to copy, it will still be a unique and individual copy. Musicians have an opportunity to be different because they all play in different places and at different times and for Vovka, this is enough, to create something new and creative. "The less the artist tries to do it artificially, the more genuine it will be." Vovka also talks about his father, pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy and what it was like growing up with both his mother and father being famous pianists. There is also the touching story of how his father uses to reply with hand written letters to his fans and how Vovka got to know Tina Giogio because of the correspondence she had with his father over the years.

Interview sponsored by The Music Gallery Steinway & Sons of Tampa Bay

https://musicgalleryclearwater.com/

https://www.ashkenazypiano.com/

https://www.harrisonparrott.com/artists/vladimir-ashkenazy

Tina's story

So...the humble story of a great mind;

In 1975, I was a serious piano student ( around 12 yrs old) under the direction of Madam Genia Robinor, NYC. My father drove me every week for my lessons, and Madam Robinor wanted me to participate in a Hungarian Music Festival . Vladimir Ashkenazy was a mentor, the greatest influence ( in addition to my father♡) , from listening to his extensive Lp recordings, my father had all of them. Vladimir Ashkenazy Schubert Lp had Schubert's "Hungarian Melody " composed in 1824, a rare piece discovered many years after Schubert's passing in 1828. I tried to find the music, and Petra, during those years, we didn't have research technology at the palm of our hands. We had to visit music stores and order music which took days or weeks. So....March 1975, Vladimir Ashkenazy was coming to Montclair NJ for a concert , my father immediately purchased tickets. I was so excited to finally see Vladimir Ashkenazy perform live concert. No You Tube either

Vladimir Ashkenazy was graciously accepting fans backstage, and many musicians would not. I was so nervous!!!! I said "Mr. Ashkenazy, I wrote you a letter for when you have time" -

He put the pink envelope with flowers on it in his pocket. I didn't sleep all night from meeting Mr. Ashkenazy.

I asked him in my letter where to purchase the Schubert Hungarian Melody because music stores said the piece was out of print and I wanted to study the piece for the Hungarian Festival.

Within a few weeks, I received a copy of the music from Vladimir Ashkenazy with a return address in London. I was ecstatic!!! I sent him a thank you letter and he wrote again to me, hand written letters, postcards, Christmas Cards I continued to receive for many years and they were from different countries during his Global tours. He also sent me his home address in Switzerland ♡. My father and I attended all his concerts when he came to NY/NJ.

I only shared these letters and postcards with is son Vovka last year when I found him on Facebook. I was so happy to share with Vovka who is very kind like his father♡, and I feel a bond now, because our father's met many times backstage, my father had a handshake Vladimir loved ☺️. I wish my father was alive to see our connection. I always sent a birthday card and Christmas card to Vladimir Ashkenazy, and he personally always made time to respond. As I became older, I visited Mr. Ashkenazy backstage with some of my Steinway colleagues. He always accepted fans, and his beautiful wife sometimes was with him💗. One of the most kind, humble, sense of humour, sweet persons I have met, and great mind as we all know