Ilya Gofman: I don’t like attention and I’m glad to make music, because on stage you are an instrument. Biography

Ilya Goffman is an outstanding Russian violist of the new generation, a person
with a difficult creative destiny, was born on September 6, 1977 in Moscow in
family of the famous composer, representative of the Novoviennese musical
Leonid Hoffman's school.

From an early age, Ilya studied composition and learned to play a musical instrument under the guidance of his father, a student of Philip Gershkovich and heir to the musical traditions of Alban Berg and Anton Webern.

At the age of 5, Ilya Goffman began playing the violin, later switching to a rarer instrument - the viola. From the age of 9, the young musician begins to compose music on his own. In addition to musical talents, he also showed mathematical abilities: he wrote a number of articles on combinatorial

classical music. Since his second year at the conservatory, Ilya Goffman has been writing works that are successfully performed by eminent musicians on the leading stages of Moscow concert halls and are awarded prizes at international festivals.

However, the young musician’s brilliant career was destined to be interrupted. In 1998, unexpectedly for teachers, Ilya Goffman found himself in the dock on charges of hacking. Fascinated by mathematics and computer technology, the young man crossed the line of the legal and fell victim to his own curiosity. Despite numerous requests from artists and the intercession of the American Academy of Sciences, Ilya spends a year in a pre-trial detention center, where he is unable to touch the instrument.

Such a radical change in fate, which occurred at the very beginning of his creative career, could have affected any other person, turning him away from pursuing art. But after leaving the pre-trial detention center, Ilya Goffman first of all takes up the viola, wanting to prove to himself and those around him that he is still able to have his say in classical music.

Since 2000, Ilya Goffman has become a laureate and winner of numerous international competitions:

* laureate of the IV International Yuri Bashmet Viola Competition (Russia, 2000)

* winner of a special prize at the International Viola Competition

L. Tertis (England, 2003),

* winner of the Gaetano International Chamber Music Competition

Zinetti (Italy, 2004),

* laureate of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia? Golden Chanukiah?

(Russia, 2004),

* winner of the Georg Solti Foundation Prize (England, 2005),

* winner of the International Music Competition in Vienna (Austria, 2005)

Creativity and organizational activities

As a performer and composer, Ilya Goffman participated in such festivals as “Moscow Autumn”, “Festival in Memory of Oleg Kagan”, “Return”, “1700th Anniversary of Christianity in Armenia”, Arnold Schoenberg Festival, “World Viola Congress” (Germany), The Plush-fest (England), festival? Mozartiana? (Russia), Emilia Romagna Festival (Italy), ?Musical Autumn in Nîmes? (France)

He performed for the first time works by Valentin Silvestrov (Lacrimosa for solo viola) and Leonid Goffman (Four Poems for soprano, alto and piano, Fantasia for viola and chamber orchestra, Epitaph for viola and string orchestra).

Ilya Goffman also initiated and organized a number of significant cultural events, including: Memorial concert in memory of the victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11, which took place as part of the festival? Evenings of American Music? with the support of the Moscow Conservatory and the US Embassy; Concert dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Arnold's death

Schoenberg; Enterprise of Young Musicians?KAMMERKONZERT?; Concert dedicated to the anniversary of Antonin Dvorak with the support of the Moscow Conservatory and the Czech Embassy; All-Russian master class by Yuri Bashmet and others.

He has collaborated and performed with such famous musicians as: Alexey Lyubimov, Natalya Gutman, Kolya Blacher, Eduard Brunner, Alexander Rudin, Charles Naidish, Alexey Utkin, Vladimir Tonkha, Svetlana Savenko and others.

Discography

*CD ?Azzurra Musica? (Italy, 2004) with works by Schubert,

Schumann and Shostakovich, performed together with pianist Sergei

Kudryakov;

* SACD ?Fantasiestücke. Ilya Hoffman & Sergey Koudriakov? a series

Caro Mitis?, published by ?Music to the Masses? (2006);

* ?Dialogues and dedications? composer V. Silvestrov (2CD, with

pianist Alexey Lyubimov), published by?SoLyd Records? (2006)

Currently, Ilya Goffman teaches at the music school named after.

Gnesin and continues his active creative work.

Ilya Leonidovich Goffman(b., Moscow) - Russian violist and composer. Teacher at the Gnessin School.

Biography

Ilya Goffman was born into the family of a Russian composer, a representative of the Novovienne music school Leonid Goffman, a student of F. Gershkovich, who, in turn, studied with A. Berg and A. Webern. From the age of five he was engaged in playing the violin and viola, as well as studying composition under the guidance of his father. At the age of nine he began writing music.

Creation

He performed for the first time works by Valentin Silvestrov (“Lacrimosa” for solo viola) and Leonid Goffman (Four Poems for soprano, alto and piano, Fantasia for viola and chamber orchestra, “Epitaph” for viola and string orchestra).

Ilya Goffman also initiated and organized a number of significant cultural events, including: a memorial concert in memory of the victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11, which was held as part of the Evenings of American Music festival with the support of the Moscow Conservatory and the US Embassy; concert dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the death of Arnold Schoenberg; Enterprise of young musicians “KAMMERKONZERT”; a concert dedicated to the anniversary of Antonin Dvorak with the support of the Moscow Conservatory and the Czech Embassy; All-Russian master class by Yuri Bashmet and others.

Ilya Goffman collaborated and performed with such famous musicians as: Alexey Lyubimov, Natalya Gutman, Kolya Blacher, Eduard Brunner, Alexander Rudin, Charles Naidish, Alexey Utkin, Vladimir Tonkha, Svetlana Savenko and others.

Awards

laureate of the IV International Yuri Bashmet Viola Competition (Russia, 2000)
winner of a special prize at the L. Tertis International Viola Competition (England, 2003)
winner of the International Chamber Music Competition Gaetano Zinetti (Italy, 2004)
laureate of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia “Golden Chanukiah” award (Russia, 2004)
winner of the Georg Solti Foundation Prize (England, 2005)
winner of the International Music Competition in Vienna (Austria, 2005)

Discography

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– Le vieux comte est touchant a ce qu"on dit. Il a pleure comme un enfant quand le medecin lui a dit que le cas etait dangereux. [The old count is very touching, they say. He cried like a child when the doctor said that dangerous case.]
- Oh, ce serait une perte terrible. C"est une femme ravissante. [Oh, that would be a great loss. Such a lovely woman.]
“Vous parlez de la pauvre comtesse,” Anna Pavlovna said, approaching. “J"ai envoye savoir de ses nouvelles. On m"a dit qu"elle allait un peu mieux. Oh, sans doute, c"est la plus charmante femme du monde," Anna Pavlovna said with a smile at her enthusiasm. – Nous appartenons a des camps differents, mais cela ne m"empeche pas de l"estimer, comme elle le merite. Elle est bien malheureuse, [You are talking about the poor countess... I sent to find out about her health. They told me she was feeling a little better. Oh, without a doubt, this is the loveliest woman in the world. We belong to different camps, but that doesn't stop me from respecting her on her merits. She is so unhappy.] – added Anna Pavlovna.
Believing that with these words Anna Pavlovna was slightly lifting the veil of secrecy over the countess’s illness, one careless young man allowed himself to express surprise that famous doctors were not called in, but that the countess was being treated by a charlatan who could give dangerous remedies.
“Vos informations peuvent etre meilleures que les miennes,” Anna Pavlovna suddenly attacked the inexperienced young man venomously. – Mais je sais de bonne source que ce medecin est un homme tres savant et tres habile. C"est le medecin intime de la Reine d"Espagne. [Your news may be more accurate than mine... but I know from good sources that this doctor is a very learned and skillful person. This is the life physician of the Queen of Spain.] - And thus destroying the young man, Anna Pavlovna turned to Bilibin, who, in another circle, picked up the skin and, apparently, about to loosen it to say un mot, spoke about the Austrians.
“Je trouve que c"est charmant! [I find it charming!],” he said about the diplomatic paper with which the Austrian banners taken by Wittgenstein were sent to Vienna, le heros de Petropol [the hero of Petropol] (as he was called in Petersburg).
- How, how is this? - Anna Pavlovna turned to him, awakening silence to hear the mot, which she already knew.
And Bilibin repeated the following original words of the diplomatic dispatch he composed:
“L"Empereur renvoie les drapeaux Autrichiens,” said Bilibin, “drapeaux amis et egares qu"il a trouve hors de la route, [The Emperor sends the Austrian banners, friendly and lost banners that he found outside the real road.],” Bilibin finished , loosening the skin.
“Charmant, charmant, [Lovely, charming,” said Prince Vasily.
“C"est la route de Varsovie peut être, [This is the Warsaw road, maybe.] - Prince Hippolyte said loudly and unexpectedly. Everyone looked back at him, not understanding what he wanted to say by this. Prince Hippolyte also looked back with cheerful surprise around him. He, like others, did not understand what the words he said meant. During his diplomatic career, he more than once noticed that the words spoken in this way suddenly turned out to be very witty, and he said these words just in case, the first ones that came to his mind. “Maybe it will work out very well,” he thought, “and if it doesn’t work out, they will be able to arrange it there.” Indeed, while an awkward silence reigned, that insufficiently patriotic face entered Anna Pavlovna, and she, smiling and shaking her finger at Ippolit, invited Prince Vasily to the table, and, presenting him with two candles and a manuscript, asked him to begin. Everything fell silent.
- Most merciful Emperor! - Prince Vasily declared sternly and looked around the audience, as if asking if anyone had anything to say against this. But no one said anything. “The Mother See of Moscow, New Jerusalem, receives its Christ,” he suddenly emphasized his words, “like a mother into the arms of her zealous sons, and through the emerging darkness, seeing the brilliant glory of your power, sings in delight: “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes.” !” – Prince Vasily said these last words in a crying voice.
Bilibin examined his nails carefully, and many, apparently, were timid, as if asking what was their fault? Anna Pavlovna repeated in a whisper forward, like an old woman praying for communion: “Let the impudent and insolent Goliath…” she whispered.
Prince Vasily continued:
– “Let the daring and insolent Goliath from the borders of France carry deadly horrors to the edges of Russia; meek faith, this sling of the Russian David, will suddenly strike down the head of his bloodthirsty pride. This image of St. Sergius, the ancient zealot for the good of our fatherland, is brought to your imperial majesty. I am sick because my weakening strength prevents me from enjoying your most kind contemplation. I send warm prayers to heaven, that the Almighty may magnify the race of the righteous and fulfill your Majesty’s good wishes.”
– Quelle force! Quel style! [What power! What a syllable!] - praise was heard to the reader and writer. Inspired by this speech, Anna Pavlovna’s guests talked for a long time about the situation of the fatherland and made various assumptions about the outcome of the battle, which was to be fought the other day.
“Vous verrez, [You will see.],” said Anna Pavlovna, “that tomorrow, on the sovereign’s birthday, we will receive news.” I have a good feeling.

Anna Pavlovna's premonition really came true. The next day, during a prayer service in the palace on the occasion of the sovereign's birthday, Prince Volkonsky was called from the church and received an envelope from Prince Kutuzov. This was a report from Kutuzov, written on the day of the battle from Tatarinova. Kutuzov wrote that the Russians did not retreat a single step, that the French lost much more than we did, that he was reporting in a hurry from the battlefield, without having yet managed to collect the latest information. Therefore, it was a victory. And immediately, without leaving the temple, gratitude was given to the creator for his help and for the victory.

The musicians presented a similar program yesterday at the Great Concert Hall. S. Saidashev in Kazan. That evening the Sinfonietta for string orchestra by Roussel and the Violin Sonata arranged for viola and orchestra by Frank (arranged by L. Hoffmann) were performed. In the second part, Kazan residents heard Rondo for violin and orchestra by Schubert, Scherzo for viola and orchestra by Brahms arranged by L. Hoffmann, as well as Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso for violin and orchestra by Saint-Saëns and Raspodia “Gypsy” for violin and orchestra by Ravel (two the latter - orchestrated by R. Abyazov). The encore was about the invited soloists.

The anniversary festival started on March 15 in Kazan. The art of bowing was demonstrated to the audience by the “King of the Gypsy Violin” Robi Lakatos (Belgium). The concert took place with the participation of another guest - zimbalist from Hungary Jeno Istvan Listes.

The very next day, another concert as part of the festival took place in Nizhnekamsk. And it will end L'arte del arco March 19 with a concert with the participation of the Glinka State Quartet from Moscow.

Stress on stage and the framework of a classical work

As the artistic director of the orchestra noted at a press conference on the opening day of the festival La Primavera Rustem Abyazov, this year “we managed to assemble a luxurious team of performers.”

Yes, Italian Domenico Nordio regularly performs with the best orchestras in the most prestigious concert halls in the world: from New York's Carnegie Hall to Tokyo's Suntory Hall. Russian classical music lovers are also well acquainted with Domenico Nordio, who, among other things, is a professor at the National Academy of St. Cecilia in Rome. He performed his first solo concert at the age of 10. At the age of 16 he won the International Competition named after J. B. Viotti, and a year later he was among the top three winners of the Eurovision Young Musicians Competition.

The talented violinist is already familiar with the Kazan Chamber Orchestra, having visited the capital of Tatarstan before. “I remember well that the reception in Kazan is very warm, there is a magnificent hall here, and I am glad to perform again with this magnificent orchestra,” Domenico Nordio shared his impressions at a press conference.

He also said that while on stage, the musician experiences stress. But it’s much worse if it’s not there. As Domenico Nordio explained, you need to be attentive and concentrated in order to perform the piece correctly and with high quality. This is especially required by classical works, when the musician is driven into a certain framework, and this, in turn, is stressful. “I enjoy being on stage, maybe even more than performing music. When I was young, performing works was like a sport for me. Now that I have become more experienced, I can say that this is part of expressing myself,” said the musician.

On the multidisciplinarity of parents and the Renaissance man

Violist Ilya Gofman- graduate of MSSMSH named after. Gnesins and the Moscow State Conservatory. P.I. Tchaikovsky. In the early 2000s, he became the winner of an international competition Gaetano Zinetti, Vienna International Competition, winner of the Sir Georg Solti Prize. As a performer and composer, Ilya Goffman participated in many international festivals. He has extensive teaching experience - Ilya worked at the MSMSH named after. Gnessins, gave master classes in Canada, Switzerland, France.

Master classes by festival soloists for students of children's music schools and music students are one of the features L'arte del arco. Both Domenico Nordio and Ilya Goffman happily shared their experience with the young musicians of Kazan.

“At the master class, I talked more about the craft, and not about musical beauties, I tried to tell the guys something in a short time that would help them in the future in their musical search,” said Ilya Goffman. -

Maybe from the outside the master class was not interesting, because we talked about very specific things - about touching the string, about the amount of rosin, about the functions of the fingers of the right hand and their influence on the sound palette and articulation. It's interesting that someone picks up on it instantly - it feels like I just gave them permission to play well."

According to the musician, he is quite comfortable at the festival. “I can honestly say that I feel better than I expected - in terms of the feeling on stage, in the musical freedom when you allow yourself to experiment during the performance. This doesn’t always happen to me.”

At one time, Ilya Goffman, along with music, was interested in mathematics, and by the age of 20, his articles on combinatorial geometry were published in foreign scientific journals. However, this hobby is already behind us.

“It seems to me that the Renaissance man and multidisciplinarity are coming back now. This is what we should strive for,” noted I. Hoffman. -

I don’t believe in such a thing as multitasking; I myself can manage and do little. However, I tried to touch different areas - not only combinatorial geometry, but also others. I saw this as a kind of prototype of freedom. We live in a system of restrictions, this is a kind of norm. And going beyond the path without going astray has always seemed like a super task.

I'm disappointed with myself that I haven't been able to do this to that extent yet. But with the advent of children, I realized that in general all parents are multidisciplinary to some extent.”

One of the episodes in the musician’s biography is related to accusations of hacking. “I don’t tell this story at concerts. I had a choice whether to go to the people with this “touching story” that sells so well or not. But then I thought it was too early for me to give up. When a person does not have a normal product in his hands, he begins to sell himself, talking about how well he plays football and tennis. Or that he's a hacker. Or about some other achievements of a secular or marginal nature - whatever. I understand that this is how they work in show business. I'm not in show business yet, and when I had a choice, I made it. Although I do not blame those in show business, among them there are well-known names who deservedly have authority and at the same time they are engaged in parallel “going to the people,” says Ilya Goffman.

According to Ilya, he does not like attention. “That doesn't mean I don't enjoy it. Here you are interviewing me. It’s probably nice, but I can’t say that I love myself in this role,” the musician said. - I'm glad I'm doing music - when you go on stage, you're not there. You are still an instrument, no matter how emotionally involved in the process. You are subordinate to the task. It seems to me that the highest thing that can happen to a person is to be subordinated to some task, to say that there is something greater than me. And what it is, everyone chooses for themselves.”

It seems that his musical future was predetermined: having successfully graduated from the MSMSH. Gnessins under the guidance of Professor Elena Ozol, Ilya enters the conservatory in the class of Yuri Bashmet himself. The teacher speaks of his student as a future star of Russian classical music. Since his second year at the conservatory, Ilya Goffman has been writing works that are successfully performed by eminent musicians on the leading stages of Moscow concert halls and are awarded prizes at international festivals.

However, the young musician’s brilliant career was destined to be interrupted. In 1998, unexpectedly for teachers and the entire music community, Ilya Goffman found himself in the dock on charges of hacking. Having become interested in mathematics and computer technology, the young man crossed the line of the legal and fell victim to his own research adventurism. Despite numerous requests from artists and the intercession of the American Academy of Sciences, Ilya spends a year in a pre-trial detention center, where he is unable to touch the instrument.

Since 2000, Ilya Goffman has become a laureate and winner of numerous international competitions:

* laureate of the IV International Yuri Bashmet Viola Competition (Russia, 2000)

* winner of a special prize at the L. Tertis International Viola Competition (England, 2003),

* winner of the International Chamber Music Competition Gaetano Zinetti (Italy, 2004),

* laureate of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia “Golden Chanukiah” award (Russia, 2004),

* winner of the Georg Solti Foundation Prize (England, 2005),

* winner of the International Music Competition in Vienna (Austria, 2005)

As a performer and composer, Ilya Goffman participated in such festivals as “Moscow Autumn”, “Festival in Memory of Oleg Kagan”, “Return”, “1700th Anniversary of Christianity in Armenia”, Arnold Schoenberg Festival, “World Viola Congress” (Germany) , The Plush-fest (England), Mozartiana Festival (Russia), Emilia Romagna Festival (Italy), Musical Autumn in Nîmes (France)

Ilya Goffman also initiated and organized a number of significant cultural events, including: Memorial concert in memory of the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks, which was held as part of the Evenings of American Music festival with the support of the Moscow Conservatory and the US Embassy; Concert dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the death of Arnold Schoenberg; Enterprise of Young Musicians “KAMMERKONZERT”; Concert dedicated to the anniversary of Antonin Dvorak with the support of the Moscow Conservatory and the Czech Embassy; All-Russian master class by Yuri Bashmet and others.

Currently, Ilya Goffman teaches at the music school named after. Gnesin and continues his active creative work.

Discography

* CD “Azzurra Musica” (Italy, 2004) with works by Schubert, Schumann and Shostakovich, performed together with pianist Sergei Kudryakov;

* SACD “Fantasiestücke. Ilya Hoffman & Sergey Koudriakov” from the “Caro Mitis” series, published by “Music of the Massam” (2006);

* “Dialogues and Dedications” by composer V. Silvestrov (2CD, with pianist Alexey Lyubimov), published by SoLyd Records (2006)

Ilya Gofman: I don’t like attention and I’m glad to make music, because on stage you are an instrument. Biography

Creativity and organizational activities

Discography

Biography

Creation

Awards

Discography

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Excerpt characterizing Hoffman, Ilya Leonidovich